There is a reason
by Koomahana
Summary: there is a reason he couldn't revive her from death, there was a reason he couldn't bring her back from death. she was already reincarnated. "I promise to find you."
1. Chapter 1

**There is a reason**

Chapter 1: thinking of the past creates mistakes

Koomahana

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

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He made a promise to protect her

He made a promise to keep her safe

"I will get you back," he whispered as he glared at the failed sacrifice for his jutsu, he hadn't gotten even half way through the jutsu before the sacrifice convulsed and a strange light filtered through her eyes.

"_You'll never find her,_" the woman grinned at him, mockery lacing her words.

"Who are you?" he had demanded, staring down at the sacrifice in shock and curiosity

"_I am the guardian of death,_" the woman chuckled, making him grit his teeth in annoyance. "_The soul you seek has already moved on—you will never find her now._"

"Watch me," He growled out, the woman's face twisted into sadistic pleasure before morphing into shock as she felt his sword pierce through her lung and heart.

"_Ha-ha-ha, you truly belief that you'll find her?_" the woman asked, ignoring the blood that dribbled down her chin.

"I will," he snarled at her, twisting his blade

"_Fool!_" the woman cackled, barely wincing at the flaring pain. "_The Sanbi protects her now! You'll never find her! The smoke of her home hides her from your view! The Sanbi's scars shall hide her from all those who seek her! You will never find her!_"

"I will," he snarled again, lifting the sword and leveling it at her throat. "I will keep my promise! I will protect her! I will make sure she lives—that she'll survive! I swore to protect her! And I will not go back on my word!" The woman's expression smoothed out, her eyes calculating as she stared up at him.

"_You will stop at nothing?_" the woman asked curiously. "_Even if she seeks you to be happy? Even if she wishes for you to stop chasing after her?_"

"I will do whatever it takes to bring her back!" the woman's face smoothed out into a soft, almost caring, smile.

"_There are five fires floating upon a still lake,_" the woman said softly, her voice filling with affection as she stared up into the surprised, dark orbs of the strange man above her. "_There is the red flame, the blue flame, the black flame, the yellow flame and the violet flame. The red and blue flames die long before the spring is born. The yellow flame witnessed the spring's birth but dies soon after._

_The black flame watches as the spring grows but does nothing to strengthen it before he too dies. It is the violet flame that nurtures and raises the spring, turning the spring into something both loved and feared. The Violet flame protects the spring— though she is not alone._

_There is the lightning wolf, the crimson fox, the twisting shadows and the beautiful poisonous flowers; there is the monstrous bugs and the spirits of balance and one of animals. There are many guardians for the hidden spring—you will not find your love until it is too late. Will you still search for her?_"

"I will never give up," the man snarled at her

"_...then prepare for war,_" the woman sighed, closing her eyes in regret. "_For at the end, your love shall pass once more._"

"She will die?" he asked horrified, his dark eyes widening. "Again she will die? Can she not survive through even one war?"

"_She can survive..._" the woman murmured thoughtfully. "_But not with your influence... meeting you will only get her kille—_"

He snarled at that and removed the woman's head, never letting her finish her sentence.

He made a promise to protect her

He made a promise to keep her safe

"I will find you," he swore as he turned and marched away from the body of his sacrifice. "I swear I will protect you, Rin Nohara!"

_and awaken you memories in your new body, so that you will truely be alive in this world..._

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	2. Chapter 2

**There is a reason**

Chapter 2: a few years later

Koomahana

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

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><p>…<p>

Recap

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"I will do whatever it takes to bring her back!" the woman's face smoothed out into a soft, almost caring, smile.

"_There are five fires floating upon a still lake,_" the woman said softly, her voice filling with affection as she stared up into the surprised, dark orbs of the strange man above her. "_There is the red flame, the blue flame, the black flame, the yellow flame and the violet flame. The red and blue flames die long before the spring is born. The yellow flame witnessed the spring's birth but dies soon after._

_The black flame watches as the spring grows but does nothing to strengthen it before he too dies. It is the violet flame that nurtures and raises the spring, turning the spring into something both loved and feared. The Violet flame protects the spring— though she is not alone._

_There is the lightning wolf, the crimson fox, the twisting shadows and the beautiful poisonous flowers; there is the monstrous bugs and the spirits of balance and one of darkness. There are many guardians for the hidden spring—you will not find your love until it is too late. Will you still search for her?_"

"I will never give up," the man snarled at her

"_...then prepare for war,_" the woman sighed, closing her eyes. "_For at the end, your love shall pass once more._"

"She will die?" he asked horrified, his dark eyes widening. "Again she will die? Can she not survive through even one war?"

"_She can survive..._" the woman murmured thoughtfully. "_But not with your influence... meeting you will only get her kille—_"

He snarled at that and removed the woman's head, never letting her finish her sentence.

He made a promise to protect her

He made a promise to keep her safe

"I will find you," he swore as he turned and marched away from the body. "I swear I will protect you, Rin Nohara!"

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End Recap

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_I swore to find you and protect you,_ sliding between the guards of the hidden mist, he swept through the halls and finally, finally, located his target.

The man he was searching for was standing before the crowd of his village, his elders and council members at his side. He was sort for being a teenager, looking more like twelve year old then a nineteen year old. With dull violet eyes, one with a stitched scar running down the right side of his face, the young man had short pale yellow-ashy hair. Yet it was his status that infuriated the strange man glaring from so far away the most; the young violet-eyed boy was the Jinchuuriki of the three-tailed demon.

_Just as Rin-chan was before him_, he thought, the girl's image flashing in his mind's eye. _This village will pay for what it has done to you!_ The man glared at the boy, feeling the fire of hatred rise stronger and stronger as the crowd listened to the boy's speech that was full of happy and motivating promises... promises that could be used as double-edged swords.

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"_We need to find her_," the deep and thick voice that sounded like hurricanes and grizzly old men sounded in his head, making him pause for barely half a breath.

"_You know I'm right! You know I'm not whole!_" the voice sounded again in irritation as the young man continued to ignore him and cut his speech in half. It wouldn't be long before the newest host would isolate himself so he could speak with him one on one.

"_Be silent!_" The boy snapped as he turned with a smile and wave at his people, waving them good-bye as he retreated from their watchful gazes. "_I'm busy right now! I don't need you making me look unstable after all the work that I just went through just to get this seat! Don't take it from me after all this time!_"

He snorted at the rant, he was half the reason the boy even got his dream at such an age. He settled deeper into the waters of the boy's mindscape, half-depressed at it's simplicity at first sight and mildly impressed with his own sea world below the surface. True the depths were filled with rocks with glowing seals spread out across their smooth volcanic surfaces, but that was hardly what the real ocean looked like. At least, he didn't think it looked this bland and lifeless; he had never been to the ocean before, it was something he truly wished to do. Its not like he could destroy any human civilization out in the vast ocean, it was peaceful out there. There weren't hunters that could harm him, there weren't hordes of shinobi trying to capture him, there weren't seals or ungrateful brats that wanted him dead just because _he_ was the only child nearby when his first host started to die.

_I was so close..._ he sank deeper into the waters, no longer seeking to speak with the ungrateful brat, his thoughts now turning darker and darker as he sank deeper and deeper into the endless depths of the metaphorical ocean. _I just needed a few more minutes, why did they take me away from her so soon? I could have saved her, I just needed more time..._

The image of his previous host appeared to him in the deep dark depths of the false ocean. Short auburn locks framing a heart shaped face, warm brown doe eyes dripping tears in pain and regret. Sickly pale skin without a scar or scratch for the acceptation of two violet tattoos on her cheeks—her clan's markings. White skirt, tattered and blood stained, billowing at her knees while her navy blue T-shirt reviled a large, thin scar edge jaggedly like some kind of serrated blade or an elongated eight-point star. A soft almost angelic voice whispering words full of sorrow and pain, asking for forgiveness yet not expecting to receive any and yet, asking for it anyways; as if asking made a difference.

His first host was everything he loved about humans: Kind and compassionate, respectful and honest

His second host was everything he hated about humans: Rude and callous, disrespectful and devious in every meaning of the word

Figures that the two were different genders; does that mean that they both represent their own genders? Does that mean he prefers the female humans over the male humans? What did that me—

"_Alright you damn demonic turtle! What do you want?_" Figures the boy would be ready to talk while he was deep in thought. Letting the image of the tearful girl fade from his sight he raised from the dark depths of his false ocean to meat with the boy he was sealed in—what it must feel like to know what waves are truly like.

"_Well?_" the ash haired boy asked when he caught sight of the Sanbi beneath the water's surface, just beneath his feet. "_I don't have all day, what is it now?_"

"_Patience is a virtue Yagura. You'll need it now that you're Mizukage—your trials have yet to end_." The boy snorted and gave him a very unamused look, making the giant, one eyed turtle chuckle at him mirthlessly. "_The girl has been born and you have your dream. It is time for you to search for her._"

"_Do you know where she's at?_" Yagura asked with a lifted eyebrow, playing along with the Sanbi's demands just to make the turtle shut up for a week or two—as he has always done for the past two and half years.

"_Within the five elemental nations,_" the Sanbi replied dryly.

"_Well how am I supposed to search for the girl if you don't know where she's at?_" Yagura asked with irritation, a tone of voice he used only with the demon turtle—only the Sanbi knew just how emotional the boy truly was.

"_Now that you are Mizukage, you can start sending people out on missions to search for her._" The Sanbi replied just as irritated with the violet-eyed boy. "_It is hard to believe that you're old enough to care for yourself but you still rely so heavily on your elders._"

"_I don't rely on the elders!_" Yagura hissed with a growl, his eyes flashing with hatred and fury—he truly hated those old men who thought he was just another tool to be controlled. "_I can't send out search parties if I don't know what I'm looking for! It'll never get approved! Give me something to work with! What's so special about this girl? What's unique about her? What sets her apart from everyone else in the five elemental nations?_"

"_She holds a tail's worth of my chakra!_" The Sanbi hissed lowly at the boy, his infinite patients finally drawing thin. "_Her existence is unique! Her mere presence sets her apart from everyone and no one! She can hide beneath your very nose or stand out in a crowd!_"

"_Then how do you expect me to find her?_" Yagura asked with a glare at the turtle be low him. "_You don't even know what she looks like! You don't know anything about her! No talents or skills, no outstanding abilities or even—_"

Whatever else Yagura had been about to say was cut off as the ocean suddenly erupted into hurricane—one like which Yagura had never seen before. The waters were instantly blackened and swirling high around him like some kind of angry beast. The winds bellowed in his ears and swiped at his clothing like the roars of a lion and the furious swiping of an angry tiger.

"_Sanbi!_" Yagura shouted in distress. "_Now is no time to throw a tantrum! We're in a hallway still! There are innocents nearby—"_

"_This isn't me brat!_" the Sanbi roared out, half in laughter and half in irritation. "_It's her! Finally, our connection has strengthened enough for us to feel her! It's the girl I've been telling you about!_"

"_What does this storm mean?_" Yagura asked as he kneeled where he stood, bracing himself against the howling of the storm. "_Why are we feeling her fury?_" Yagura watched as the giant turtle looked up at him curiously for a moment, his eye swiveling to watch the storm that was raging on around Yagura. When the turtle had an answer, he opened his mouth and let out a furious howl; understanding and anger filling his one good, crimson eye as his own chakra whipped up and surrounded Yagura protectively.

"_Sanbi?_" Yagura asked softly, breathlessly. "_What's the matter? Why are you suddenly so angry?_"

"_She's in danger!_" Sanbi roared as he sank in to the deep dark depths of the false ocean, taking the bubble encased Yagura with him. "_Someone's hurting her!_" Yagura's eyes widened in shock as he realized that the Sanbi, a demon known to be hateful of humans in particular, was actually protective of someone. Did this mystery girl truly exist? The Sanbi hadn't been trying to lead him to someone who could remove him from his human cage? The girl that the Sanbi spook so highly of, she actually existed?

Before Yagura could voice any of his questions, both demon and human felt the presence of a foreign chakra entering their shared body. The Sanbi hissed in displeasure and automatically lashed out at the chakra signature, only to have Yagura's chakra react protect the signature automatically.

"_Sanbi I can't fallow you this time!_" Yagura snapped out at the frustrated turtle. "_You go to the girl and I'll return to reality! Just don't do anything that'll put us both at risk!_" Yagura knew that the turtle was going to disagree, so he left before the turtle could say anything—but that didn't stop the furious roar that echoed between his eardrums.

"Yagura-sama!" Yagura ducked back words just in time to avoid a swipe at his throat, but judging from the aching in his joints he hadn't avoided all of the attacks sent his way. Yagura felt his body turn and swivel and bend in ways he didn't know he could bend until just then, by the time Yagura felt himself to be at a safe enough distance he opened his eyes and took in his attacker. Only he found himself staring into a single crimson eye with three spinning tomoe—Sharingan—Uchiha—Konoha! Konohagakure sent an Uchiha Assassin after him! His village is under attach!

Automatically Yagura thrust his fist out, not expecting to hit the Uchiha Assassin and was pleasantly surprised when his attach hit the stranger. As he blinked in surprise, Yagura stared down at his fist, impressed that he thrust so much chakra into his fist without realizing it and let it out like an explosion against the assassin's body. The Uchiha Assassin flew away from and went through three pillars and a wall before he landed in another hall and half destroyed it with his landing.

But Yagura didn't care much for that, he was busy trying to subdue the fire burning and eating away inside his head. He half-heartedly noticed his guards and other shinobi swarming to his side, a few medics rushing towards him with wide terrified eyes.

"You'll pay the price," the strange man snarled at the mist shinobi quickly surrounding him. "You sealed the Sanbi in her—and then ripped it out of her." Yagura heard his people gasp, there was only one other Jinchuuriki of the Sanbi. "That is cruel beyond anything truly acceptable—that was barbaric!" the man rose to his feet, his voice echoing as he straightened and seemed to stare pointedly at the huddled form of Yagura. "Now know that I will have my vengeance—your village shall be destroyed for what you have done!"

"N-never," Yagura panted, bracing himself with one hand against the floor while his other clutched his head in pain. He held his right eye closed and his left was glaring spitefully at the Uchiha Assassin, a kind of fury that no one in his village had ever seen on the blank faced, dead eyed boy in all of his near twenty years of existence.

"I-I wi-ll d-die," Yagura gritted his teeth and hissed in pain at the flames licking away inside his brain. "Be-before I-I let y-you t-touch thi-is vil-llage!"

"You will die either way," the man snarled in return, making the shinobi stiffen and ready themselves for an attach. "You hold the being that was the cause for her death! You are just as much to blame as the Sanbi is!"

"The Sanbi tried to save her!" Yagura cried out without thinking, surprising his people with his furious out burst. "His greatest regret was not having enough time to save her!"

"Demons are incapable of feeling regret," the man growled lowly, Yagura was sure that the man wasn't just talking about the Sanbi anymore. "So don't lie to me you useless little boy! Your village decided to use Rin to destroy the village! But when that failed you extracted the Sanbi from her and killed her!" one of the nearby Jonin's attached, having heard enough. Yagura coughed hoarsely, giving his first order to the medic attempting to tend to him, and quickly passed out.

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**Tell me you're thoughts!**

**Rate and review please!**

**On a scale of 1 to 5!**

**Page 6**


	3. Chapter 3

**There is a reason**

Chapter 3: Konohagakure sends aid

Koomahana

****Updated **Chapters**

**3, 4, 5, 18, 20, 22, 23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,39,40,41,42,43**

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

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><p>…<p>

Recap

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N-never," Yagura panted, bracing himself with one hand against the floor while his other clutched his head in pain. He held his right eye closed and his left was glaring spitefully at the Uchiha Assassin, a kind of fury that no one in his village had ever seen on the blank faced, dead eyed boy in all of his near twenty years of existence.

"I-I wi-ll d-die," Yagura gritted his teeth and hissed in pain at the flames licking away inside his brain. "Be-before I-I let y-you t-touch thi-is vil-llage!"

"You will die either way," the man snarled in return, making the shinobi stiffen and ready themselves for an attach. "You hold the being that was the cause for her death! You are just as much to blame as the Sanbi is!"

"The Sanbi tried to save her!" Yagura cried out without thinking, surprising his people with his furious out burst. "His greatest regret was not having enough time to save her!"

"Demons are incapable of feeling regret," the man growled lowly, Yagura was sure that the man wasn't just talking about the Sanbi anymore. "So don't lie to me you useless little boy! Your village decided to use Rin to destroy the village! But when that failed you extracted the Sanbi from her and killed her!"

One of the nearby Jonin's attached, having heard enough. Yagura coughed hoarsely, giving his first order to the medic attempting to tend to him, and quickly passed out.

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End Recap

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_Sad that someone is trying to restart the war,_ Hiruzen Sarutobi thought as he stared dully at the decoded letter before him. The fourth Mizukage was attached, whoever it was had managed to put a seal on him but it wasn't just anywhere, it was in his mind. The hidden mist village needed a master sealer—Jiraya was their only one left—and a Yamanaka clan member, one strong enough not to get intimidated by the Sanbi but not strong enough to exploit the Mizukage himself.

_That man should have known better,_ Hiruzen sighed heavily as he continued to read the letter, it pretty much was stating that they would detail everything to the team that arrived. But they needed a medic, a Yamanaka, a master sealer and... Hiruzen straightened in his chair as he reread the last thing in the list that they required for the Mizukage's health—an Uchiha clan member; preferably strong with his dojutsu. Narrowing his eyes at the letter Hiruzen wandered off in thought.

The Mizukage had informed his medic that the man had a Sharingan eye, that if not for the man's hateful and spiteful words, the Mizukage would continue to belief that the man was an Uchiha Assassin; but his words had given him pause. During his fight with the man, the Mizukage had locked eyes with him and that was when everything went down hill. The young man felt a stinging sensation within his skull and had immanently realized that some kind of seal had been placed on him. He didn't know if the seal master could remove it, but he requested one anyways. He didn't know if only an Uchiha could remove an Uchiha's seal so he asked for their strongest one. He didn't know what kind of damage had been done to him, so he requested their strongest or best medic available.

_The Uchiha clan won't just send anyone of their clan over to Mizu, especially if they're clan was requested..._ Hiruzen turned in his chair to look out over his village, his chakra reaching out for the two most familiar signatures next to his children and wife's—deceased wife's...

Before his thoughts could get too dark, Hiruzen felt his chakra brush against two familiar fires; reacting quickly before either could hide their chakra from him, Hiruzen snapped his chakra around theirs and gave it a hard push. There, just enough push to have physical reactions from the two—hopefully they weren't doing anything too important.

A scream of "Damn you sensei!" fallowed by the echoing female screams from the hot springs told Hiruzen where Jiraya was and the sudden dust cloud storming towards him told him that Tsunade would properly attach him first and ask questions later. Hiruzen sighed and turned back to the letter laying on his desk.

_The Uchiha clan won't just send __**anyone**__ of their clan over to Mizu, especially if they're clan was requested..._ Hiruzen thought, he could feel the two (very furious) chakras heading towards him. _But maybe they'll send one of their Jonin's with the knowledge that two of the Sanin will be going with them?_

"What the hell was that old man?!" Jiraya cried out as he burst through Hiruzen's far right window. "I was in the middle of resear—" Jiraya didn't get to finish his sentence before Tsunade burst through the same window and used him as a landing pillow.

"What the hell was that for sensei?!" Tsunade bellowed as she straightened and turned to him with a glare, ignoring her possibly wounded teammate beneath her feet.

"I have a mission for you two," Hiruzen smiled at his two students, unfazed by their anger—he'd been on the receiving end of their ire before.

"No!" the two snapped out together.

"I'm in the middle of research," Jiraya complained with a pout

"I'm ready to leave the village!" Tsunade snapped out with a glare. "Shizune's waiting at the gates!"

"Jiraya I hope your research doesn't involve the hot spring," Hiruzen said softly, noting how Tsunade had immanently rounded on her white haired teammate with a glare that said 'that better not be true'. "And Tsunade-Hime, will you truly leave your village knowing that it's medical staff is poor and we're at the brink of another war?" That caught both of their attentions, the last thing either one wanted was another war on their hands—they've lived through two already, they didn't want to live through a third like their sensei had.

"What war?" Tsunade asked slowly, her eyes already lidded and calculating.

"Yeah old man what war?" Jiraya stated more then asked. "We literally just signed the contract with Kumo, what could they want now?"

"It's not Kumo its Mizu," Hiruzen replied, gesturing to the scroll still laid out on his desk. "Someone with a Sharingan eye attached the Mizukage; before he passed out he gave his first instructions to the medic tending to him. He needs a seal master, a medic (just for safety sakes), a Yamanaka _and_ an Uchiha."

"Neither the Yamanaka nor the Uchiha clans would dare send one of their kinsmen to the land of mist." Tsunade reasoned with crossed arms. "Especially if they were requested."

"Which is why I'm sending you two," Hiruzen sighed. "They need a good medic, that's were you come in Tsunade-Hime." The blonde nodded in agreement but with a frown. "They need a seal master, you're our only one Jiraya." The young man pouted but nodded in agreement. "And as for the Yamanaka and the Uchiha," Hiruzen shrugged his shoulders helplessly. "The seal is in the Mizukage's head and he doesn't know what it was designed for, but he's put the village under security level one and under the commands of the council until _we_ deem him to be at full health."

"How long has he been Mizukage?" Tsunade asked curiously. "Surly his people aren't happy about this development."

"They're not," Hiruzen agreed. "The message in the scroll continues to say that everyone in the team should be at least Jonin or S-ranked. The people in the hidden mist village are uneasy with the knowledge that it was an Uchiha, and passably Konoha, that attached their Mizukage."

"Is there anything else?" Jiraya asked, standing to examine the scroll closely.

"Just that they'll give you details when you arrive," Hiruzen sighed. "The person who wrote the message says that the medic needs to be highly regarded, even in other villages. If the seal was designed to mess with the Mizukage's brain, it's passable he'll resist any and all treatment."

"He also says that if the seal was designed to mess with his personality then he'll properly end up dyeing for sending us so much warning," Jiraya mumbled.

"Now that explains why I'm on the mission," Tsunade grumbled, reading the scroll over her teammate's shoulder. "No one's more regarded through out the five nations then I am."

"Yes which is why I sent for you the way I did." Hiruzen agreed with an apologetic smile.

"It'll be best to bring a Yamanaka and Uchiha with some medical skill." Tsunade replied with a glare that said 'you're still not forgiven'. "This way they can reinforce my will if need be." Hiruzen sighed and nodded in agreement.

"Then please help me pick out the other two members—"

"Whoa wait a moment!" Jiraya shouted cutting of his teacher, the scroll held close to his face. "Did you read this second portion sensei?" Hiruzen blinked at his student, he hadn't realized that there was more to the scroll, he thought it had ended there with their request for the team and their reasons behind it. "It says that the man who attached the Mizukage knew the previous container of the three tails! But that was Rin-chan!"

"Give me that!" Tsunade snapped as she punched Jiraya away from the scroll and slammed said scroll onto Hiruzen's desk.

"My word," Hiruzen mumbled with wide eyes.

'_...The man continued onto say: "__Your village decided to use Rin to destroy the (he said 'village' but I think he meant the 'hidden leaf village') But when that failed you extracted the Sanbi from her and killed her!"_

_Is it passable that the previous container for the Sanbi had an Uchiha clan member as a teammate Or maybe someone who was close to her and stole the Sharingan from a previously deceased Uchiha?_

_Please send us aid, we do not know how long Lord Mizukage-sama will lay unconscious and in pain...'_

"Bloody hell!" Tsunade groaned as she rubbed at her temple, "Kakashi's going to throw a fit!"

"Why am I going to throw a fit?"

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><p>…<p>

**Tell me you're thoughts!**

**Rate and review please!**

**On a scale of 1 to 5!**

**Page 5**


	4. Chapter 4

**There is a reason**

Chapter 4: temper tantrum

Koomahana

****Updated **Chapters**

**3, 4, 5, 18, 20, 22, 23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,39,40,41,42,43**

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

…

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><p>…<p>

Recap

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><p>…<p>

"Whoa wait a moment!" Jiraya shouted cutting of his teacher, the scroll held close to his face. "Did you read this second portion sensei?" Hiruzen blinked at his student, he hadn't realized that there was more to the scroll, he thought it had ended there with their request for the team and their reasons behind it. "It says that the man who attached the Mizukage knew the previous container of the three tails!"

"Give me that!" Tsunade snapped as she punched Jiraya away from the scroll and slammed said scroll onto the desk.

"My word," Hiruzen mumbled with wide eyes.

'_...The man continued onto say: "Your village decided to use Rin to destroy the (he said 'village' but I think he meant the 'hidden leaf village') But when that failed you extracted the Sanbi from her and killed her!"_

_Is it passable that the previous container for the Sanbi had an Uchiha clan member as a teammate Or maybe someone who was close to her and stole the Sharingan from a previously deceased Uchiha?_

_Please send us aid, we do not know how long Lord Mizukage-sama will lay unconscious and in pain...'_

"Bloody hell!" Tsunade groaned as she rubbed at her temple. "Kakashi's going to throw a fit!"

"Why am I going to throw a fit?"

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End Recap

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He split another bolder in half as he raced through his self-made training ground. He had been so close to finding her but then the damn operation went south when they kidnapped some rich brat instead of the lower cost children like he ordered them to. Of course, those idiots just had to kidnap children from the five elemental villages! They couldn't keep to the less risky children; no they thought they were doing so well that they could expand the operation!

_Those idiots!_ He hissed as he thrust his sword out and let it slice through another tree cleanly. The fools had chosen some rarities, sure, but none of them were old enough to be the child he was looking for. Then again he didn't exactly look at all of the girls they kidnapped from across the nations, just the brunets, but that was beside the point. Rin was a brunet with warm brown eyes... and purple tattoos on her cheeks...

_Rin was always self-conscience about her looks,_ He slowed in his movements, his thoughts drifting back to the girl he loved most in the world. _She always did hate her clan markings... and her wide forehead... maybe she had all that fixed with her rebirth?_

He paused as the thought bounced in his head; he slowly lowered his arm and turned to examine the damage done to the training grounds. If she had removed her clan tattoos, what else was removed? What else was different about her? Where they just physical changes or did she change parts of her heart as well?

_No, there was very little that she didn't like about herself._ He sighed heavily as he walked to the edge of the training grounds, where a small stream passed in and out of the grounds. _She's more likely to change her physical looks to match something that she likes... that's if she changed herself at all._

Blinking dumbly, he stared at the flowing surface of the small stream. Upon it's surface, floating like candles, was an assortment of beautiful flowers; each different in their looks and coloring. Catching sight of something bright pink, he stepped forward on the surface of the water. Stooping lowly, he scooped up the small floating branch and held it up to the light.

_Rin chan liked cheery blossoms,_ he thought as he watched the sunlight filter through the petals of the spring flower. _They were her favorite flowers and, ironically, her favorite color._

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"_You need to calm down,_" a deep baritone voice sounded, making the surface of the water ripple.

"_How the hell can I be calm?!_" He shouted, rounding on the turtle shimmering just beneath his footsteps. "_I left the council in charge! That was incredibly stupid of me! They're bound to kill me and reseal you! I'm still unstable in their eyes!_"

"_Please have more faith in your people Mizukage-sama,_" Yagura blinked dumbly down at the three tailed demon, he had heard the giant turtle mimic various voices before, but that was pitch perfect. That wasn't the demon turtle mocking someone from his village.

"_Who's there?!_" Yagura shouted as he snapped around, only to see that there wasn't anyone there.

"_Please allow me entrance Mizuka—_" it was the voice of a soft spoken woman

"_Don't listen to her!_" the Sanbi suddenly roared out, his voice making the surface of the water ripple. "_That's the seal! That damned man's seal is activating!_"

"_Can you do anything about it?_" Yagura asked taking a step back hesitantly, his eyes swiveling to look around himself desperately.

"_I can make it difficult for anyone to enter our mind but that might hinder the help you requested... but..._" the three tails sunk into the depths of the ocean, leaving only his glowing crimson eye visible.

"_Mizukage-sama, please—_" the female voice sounded, but Yagura didn't pay it any mind, choosing to ignore the voice in favor of attempting to escape it.

"_But?_" Yagura asked, lowing into a battle stance, not sure how he should combat a voice.

"_But I might be able to take you to a safe place... but I don't know how long you'll be able to stay there... or if I'll be able to get you there..._"

"_Mizukage-sama you shouldn't be listening to the demon,_" the woman half-heartedly scolded.

"_Whatever it takes! Just make her go away!_" Yagura never did admit just how much he truly trusted the Sanbi. It was quiet as the Sanbi sank lower into the water, until there was nothing but a faint glow from his eye. Yagura hissed as the clear blue sky above him darkened with the beginnings of a storm, the waters beneath him rippled and swayed until they threatened to rear up and consume him whole. Before the first wave could do just that, the water surrounding Yagura roared up and protected him; surrounding him in a near perfect bubble as the Sanbi wrapped a protective tail around him and dragged him deep beneath the surface of the great ocean.

"_Sanbi?_" Yagura called curiously, what was happening? He never had this happen before, the Sanbi had helped him before but he had never really protected him like this before. "_What are you—_"

"_Be still Yagura,_" the Sanbi said, cutting off the violet-eyed boy as he swam deeper and deeper into the ocean. "_We'll be at the gate soon._"

"_Gate?_" Yagura questioned with a frown. "_What are you talking abou—_"

"_Yagura,_" Sanbi called softly, his voice just barely loud enough to reach the young man within the bubble held by one of his tails. "_I ask you Yagura-no- I beg of you, please remember your manners._" Yagura was quiet as the demon spoke, his eyes widening at the words spoken to him. "_She will be kind if you are, so please Yagura, remember your manners._" Yagura didn't get a chance to reply as he spotted a bright violet light far below them, even further away then the face of the Sanbi was from him.

"_We are at the gates,_" the Sanbi said softly, stilling in the deep dark waters, "_Child, are you there?_"

"_Sanbi-san?_" a soft musical voice called softly from the violet colored light, "_I am here Sanbi-san. Is it time?_"

"_Yes child it is time._" Sanbi said softly, before Yagura could say or do anything the Sanbi moved. Yagura grunted as he collided with the wall of the bubble, he felt his face begin to flatten as the Sanbi spun around and around so fast that the world was beginning to blur around him. As much as he tried not to, Yagura couldn't stop the scream that tore itself to freedom when the Sanbi released him and he was sent spiraling out of control towards the violet light.

"_It's alright,_" the strange voice sounded to him, though he could barely hear it over his own startled scream. "_I'll catch you, just believe in me._"

_Who the hell can catch this bullet?_ Yagura thought sarcastically as his bubble entered the violet light. A soft chuckle answered him and Yagura found himself reopening his eyes (when did he close them?) to find himself standing in a place like his mind scrape but with no up or down and was completely made in the pastel shades of violet, amber, pink and green. Odd colors for a mindscape, other wise, it wasn't nearly as strange as the small girl standing in front of him.

"_Hello,_" the girl smiled at him, calm and gentle like a loving and affectionate older sister. "_My name is Rin Nohara. I will protect you from the man that is trying to destroy you._" Yagura blinked, his eyes widening in recognition—that was all he could do before he fainted, dead in the girl's arms.

"_I will protect you,_" Rin whispered as she set the boy on the ground gently, "_Just as I protect the Sanbi._"

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**Page 5**


	5. Chapter 5

**There is a reason**

Chapter 4: a new world and reminiscing

Koomahana

****Updated **Chapters**

**3, 4, 5, 18, 20, 22, 23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,39,40,41,42,43**

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

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Recap

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"_Yes child it is time._" Sanbi said softly, before Yagura could say or do anything the Sanbi moved. Yagura grunted as he collided with the wall of the bubble, he felt his face begin to flatten as the Sanbi spun around and around so fast that the world was beginning to blur around him. as much as he tried not to, Yagura couldn't stop the scream that tore itself to freedom when the Sanbi released him and he was sent spiraling out of control towards the violet light.

"_It's alright,_" the strange voice sounded to him, thought he could barely hear it over his own startled scream. "_I'll catch you, just believe in me._"

_Who the hell can catch this bullet?_ Yagura thought sarcastically as his bubble entered the violet light. A soft chuckle answered him and Yagura found himself reopening his eyes (when did he close them?) to find himself standing in a place like his mind scrape but with no up or down and was completely made in the pastel shades of violet, amber, pink and green. Odd colors for a mindscape, other wise, it wasn't nearly as strange as the small girl standing in front of him.

"_Hello,_" the girl smiled at him, calm and gently like a loving and affectionate older sister. "_My name is Rin Nohara. I will protect you from the man that is trying to destroy you._" Yagura blinked, his eyes widening in recognition—that was all he could do before he fainted, dead in the girl's arms.

"_I will protect you,_" Rin whispered as she set the boy on the ground gently, brushing his hair out of his eyes, "_Just as I protect the Sanbi._"

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"_Bloody hell!" Tsunade groaned as she rubbed at her temple. "Kakashi's going to throw a fit!" _

"_Why am I going to throw a fit?" __Slowly turning the three huddled over the desk turned to look at the still opened window, there crouching on the edge was one familiar Anbu agent, holding something small, pink, white and... And sniffing._

"_...why are you holding onto a child?" Jiraya asked slowly, his eyes locked onto what little could be seen of said child._

"_Ah Kakashi-kun you find her, that's great." Hiruzen smiled as he stood from his desk, shuffling the scroll towards his students and further away from the gray haired young man. Sniffing softly the child peeked out from behind Kakashi's arms, large tear-filled green orbs blinked fearfully at the once team._

"_Where ever did you find her?" Hiruzen asked as he waved at the child, the girl flinched and tried to hide herself in Kakashi's chest plate. Hiruzen sighed and frowned at the child, noting how she had recognized him but was still afraid of him. "What happened?"_

"_You wouldn't belief the kind of trouble a single child can get into." Kakashi sighed as he entered the room and leaned against the window seal. He shifted his hold on the tiny girl, shifting her higher on his chest as he spook to the Hokage._

"_Believe me I know," Hiruzen chuckled. "I have two sons—"_

"_Someone thought they could sell her to the highest bidder," Kakashi cut off his Hokage with a glare aimed at nothing in particular, clear hatred and distaste staining his words. "Pink hair is a rarity no matter where you're from."_

"_She's just a toddler," Tsunade hissed lowly, her brow was doing an irritated dance over her eye._

"_Barely even three," Jiraya agreed, looking like he wanted to go hunting—for one very unfortunate soul who happened to be the cause for his anger._

"_Are there any survivors?" Hiruzen asked, his voice chilled the surrounding air. The Hokage's face was hidden behind his down tilted hat—his fury and irritation weren't so well concealed._

"_Only the other kidnap-ies," Kakashi replied with a sarcastic but please tone of voice. "There were other shinobi from the other hidden villages, we worked together to..." Kakashi shifted his old on the pinkette in his arms carefully. "To free the others..." the look in Kakashi's one good eye said that the other shinobi also aided in slaughtering the kidnappers and (hopefully) the buyers. "We captains agreed to bring our main objectives straight home and request other teams to be sent out to the location to gather the others from our home turfs."_

"_I see," Hiruzen sighed and straightened slightly, his eyes once more evaluating the child and his shinobi. "I'll send out three other teams and some medics. Make sure to take her to the hospital before you inform her parents about her return."_

"_There's no need for that Hokage-sama" Kakashi sighed as he pulled the girl higher on his chest, "The girl isn't hurt."_

"_All the same, it's best to be safe then sorry," Hiruzen asked curiously, Kakashi shifted uncomfortable, bringing the tiny child closer to himself and higher on his chest, placing her head just beneath his chin._

"_...Jiraya-sama how well are you at finding seals?" Kakashi asked slowly, his attention shifting towards the white haired man. Jiraya stiffened, the scroll in his hands lowering from his face as he looked at the frightened child clutching to Kakashi for dear life._

"_Does she have a seal?" Jiraya asked slowly, rising from his seat on the floor_

"_I don't know," Kakashi sighed, "But that familiar chakra I spook of earlier..."_

"_Yeah,"_

"_...it was similar to the Sanbi's chakra signatures." Kakashi continued hesitantly, raising a hand to rub at his brow. "I don't know where it came from but it led me to her," Kakashi gestured to the child again, "I searched the area but I still can't figure out where the blast came from."_

"_How the hell is that passable?" Tsunade asked loudly, lowering her voice when the little girl flinched and whimpered "The Sanbi is sealed inside of the fourth Mizukage; Yagura!"_

"_I don't know how or why," Kakashi sighed, patting the girl's back reassuringly. "That's why I asked if Jiraya had any experience in finding seals."_

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When he finally reawakened, he refused to open his eyes; it had to be a dream. He wouldn't accept any other alternative—there was no other possibility, it had to be a dream. He listened to his surroundings, waiting for the birds to awaken and start their morning songs or the frantic sounds of his assistant or maybe even his personal medic.

"Nee-chan who that?" A childish soft voice asked curiously

_Deep breath in, slow breath out_ he reminded himself. _It's just your imagination..._

"His name is Yagura," an older girl's voice sounded gently. "He's trying to sleep so we need to be quieter, okay?"

_Okay it's someone's cruel idea of a bad joke_

"Okay, can we plway a game?" the child giggled, with a twitching eyebrow he reluctantly opened his eyes; a golden abyss greeted his tiered sight.

"It'll have to be a quite game," a familiar brunet said softly, her hands gently weaving through another child's hair. "How about... hide and seek?" The child turned her high-pitched squeal into a soft giggle. The older girl giggled softly, she pulled out a hair tie and quickly finished up the intricate braid that she had pulled the girl's hair into.

"All right Sakura-chan, go hide." Rin murmured as she lifted the child from her lap and gently pushed the child dressed in white away from her. "I'm counting to ten and then I'm gonna chase after you, okay?"

"Okay," 'Sakura' giggled and took off into the wide-open golden abyss that was the mindscape

"...Girls are weird..." Yagura grumbled as he stared dully at Rin, the burnet jumped at the sound of his voice. Turning slowly the young teen blinked dumbly at him, so he elaborated his statement for her understanding. "There's no where to hide—" the girl laughed as suddenly tree's sprung into being around them, a still lake shimmered into existence just behind Rin and the sky turned azure without a single cloud. Yagura could even feel the tickling sensation of grass beneath his face.

"Are we still weird?" Rin asked with a giggle

"Yes," Yagura answered bluntly as he rose from where he laid face down in the dirt, taking in the view presented to him. "What was the point of this? Hide and seek? Kind of childish for a kunochi don't you think?"

"Perhaps," Rin agreed as she stood and stretched, studying her surroundings carefully. "But Sakura-chan is two... and this is her newest favorite place." Rin's face split into a wide grin, her brown eyes taking on a mischievous glint. "To bad for her, this is my old training grounds. She won't be able to hide from me for long."

"Just where are we?" Yagura asked curiously, Rin jumped at the sound of his voice; did that mean she forgot that he was still with her?

"Oh yeah," Rin giggled as she turned to look back at him

_Yes she did forget about me,_ Yagura stared dully at the nervously chuckling girl a few paces away from him

"Uh, listen, don't bother trying to find me," Rin said as she started to walk away from Yagura. "I don't want to be found. Besides, it won't be long before she and I finally become one."

"What do you mean?" Yagura asked as he hurried after the girl, "The Sanbi is acting like a worried mother hen because of you."

"Really?" Rin asked before the shorter boy could continue, "Why is he acting like that?"

"Because you're his first host!" Yagura snapped out annoyed with the girl, "You're everything he loves about the human race!"

"Oh and what about you?" Rin asked, her eyes lidded as she continued walking, ignoring the birds above them and the steadily increasing amount of foliage. "Surely there must be something that he likes about you?"

"The only thing I can think of is my newest position," Yagura answered, glaring at the grass beneath him. "But that won't last, not with that last attach. When I wake up I'll no longer be the Mizukage—if I wake up at all."

"Mizukage?!" Rin asked loudly as she snapped around, her doe brown eyes wide, "You're shorter then me and like twelve!"

"I'm twenty!" Yagura snapped his face red as he glared (up) at the brunet, "And I worked hard for that position!"

"I'll say," Rin giggled returning to her search with a smile, "To become the second youngest Kage in history... you must be something else."

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"_Of course I do," Jiraya answered with a frown, "But only if I know where the general location of one is." Jiraya continued to stare at the child before he shifted his black eyes to settle onto Kakashi's lone eye, "I may not have an answer for why you felt the Sanbi's chakra when you found her... but can you please tell me why she's watching me like a hawk?"_

"_Because she knows a pervert when she sees one," Tsunade grumbled softly, making sure the child couldn't here her._

"_That might because of _how_ I found her..." Kakashi mumbled, shifting his hold again. "Those kidnappers sure didn't want to give her up. There were a total of two others with pink hair too, the only ones in the hundreds that we found. They were separated from everyone else like priceless jewels and guarded like the Daimyo's daughters."_

"_Some people are disgusting," Jiraya sighed, choosing to lean back against the furthest wall from the child; hopefully she'll turn her attention to someone else. "What happened to the other two?"_

"_They're waiting to get sent back to their own villages," Kakashi sighed as he shifted his hold again, his arms becoming numb to the child's weight. "The oldest was ten and from the hidden snow village and the other one eight and from a minor civilian village in the land of rice patties, Sakura-chan is almost three and from our village."_

"_How far out did these kidnappers go?" Hiruzen asked softly, "Was it some kind of slave ring?" Kakashi nodded in agreement, the Hokage's guess was as good as his; he only knew that the operation was sophisticated and advanced—it wasn't the work of mere thugs like he originally thought._

"_If she's three then she shouldn't remember this when she's older," Tsunade sighed. "Most people don't remember anything from five and younger. She should forget soon enough."_

"_I hope so," Kakashi sighed again moving to place the child at his feet, the girl immanently hid behind him. The only thing they could see was the girl's snowy white kimono edged with golden butterflies and silver flowers, a green obi was tied around her waist and the girl's snow colored coat hung off her elbows and trailed after her. She looked like a little Hime in training and the sight made the three older war veterans grit their teeth; glad that she wouldn't be sold but angry that they weren't there to beat the stuffing out of her kidnappers._

"_Sakura-chan can you tell me what happened before the bad men got you?" Hiruzen asked as he tried to make himself seem friendly to the child, he didn't like talking like a child but it helped with calmly children and gaining their trust. The pink haired girl looked at him for a moment before she looked up at Kakashi uncertainly, Kakashi smiled and patted her head and pushed her gently towards Hiruzen slightly._

"_I was ex-pla-ting da' forest," Sakura said softly stepping out from behind the man just enough to face Hiruzen somewhat properly, "I was finding da' fairies."_

"_Fairies?" Hiruzen asked amused, his brown eyes sparkling, "Why were you searching for fairies?"_

"_Be-canse..." Sakura hesitated, looking up at Kakashi for reassurance. He nodded and she continued slowly and hesitantly, as if she was afraid to be reprimanded. "Be-canse someone saved a fairy..." Sakura hesitated started to retreat behind Kakashi again, "and gwetting a wish in retan."_

_Okay, so she was by the forest looking for fairies because she heard that someone had freed one and got a wish in return. Hiruzen really hoped that was what she was trying to say._

"_You went to a forest to save a fairy?" Hiruzen asked with a not so pleased look, Sakura sighed and nodded, hiding further behind Kakashi. "What forest did you go to?"_

"_...da east hill..." Sakura answered softly, not noticing how pale it made Kakashi and Hiruzen. The east hill was closest to the Anbu barracks so it wasn't patrolled like the others; it was also mostly deserted and closest to the east gate. It would have been easy for someone to take her without anyone knowing._

"_Tell them what happened next Sakura-chan," Kakashi said when the pinkette looked up at him again._

"_It got weally dark weally fast..." Sakura mumbled softly. "I don't remember wha happen after dat, but the ext day I wake up with da bad men and others. A man said dat they were glade I wake up."_

"_I see..." Hiruzen sighed and kneeled on the ground, his eyes closing as he thought. They had sworn that the girl had been taken in the middle of the village, that a man had distracted the mother while another knocked out Sakura and replaced her with an earthen clone. Guess that means that they used a genjutsu on the mother and girl, weaving different ones at the same time. Did that mean they took her sooner then they thought? Just how long did they have her?_

"_Sakura-chan, can you tell me some thing?" the little girl nodded slowly, not to sure if she should or could. "How long were you with the bad men?"_

_She had been missing for a day and a half before they realized she had been taken and then another day passed before they found the most likely possibility for her disappearance and another two days before they found her trail and then it took another day and a half to execute a rescue. In total, she should have been with them for about five and half days._

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**Page 8**


	6. Chapter 6

**There is a reason**

Chapter 6: seals, personalities and Bijuu's

Koomahana

**Okay... sorry but i removed a couple of things to make this chapter a little less confusing :)**

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

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Recap

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"_...da east hill..." Sakura answered softly, not noticing how pale it made Kakashi and Hiruzen. The east hill was closest to the Anbu barracks so it wasn't patrolled like the others; it was also mostly deserted and closest to the east gate. It would have been easy for someone to take her without anyone knowing._

"_Tell them what happened next Sakura-chan," Kakashi said when the pinkette looked up at him again._

"_It got weally dark weally fast..." Sakura mumbled softly. "I don't remember wha happen after dat, but the ext day I wake up with da bad men and a few others. A man said dat they were glade I was wake."_

"_I see..." Hiruzen sighed kneeled on the ground, his eyes closing as he thought. They had sworn that the girl had been taken in the middle of the village, that a man had distracted the mother while another knocked out Sakura and replaced her with an earthen clone. Guess that means that they used a genjutsu on the mother and girl, weaving different ones at the same time. Did that mean they took her sooner then they thought? Just how long did they have her?_

"_Sakura-chan, can you tell me some thing?" the little girl nodded slowly, not to sure if she should or could. "How long were you with the bad men?"_

_She had been missing for a day and a half before they realized she had been taken and then another day passed before they found the most likely possibility for her disappearance and another two days before they found her trail and then it took another day and a half to execute a rescue. In total, she should have been with them for about five and half days._

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"_Ten days," Sakura answered softly, tilting her head to the side. Hiruzen stiffened, his eyes widening and his mouth opening and closing like a gaping fish. Ten days? They had her missing at five! Nearly six! No wonder it was so difficult to find her trail, the Inuzuka clan was usually so much faster at picking up scents—their delay was what had concerned Hiruzen so much. The Inuzuka clan specialized in tracking, he feared that the girl's kidnappers had set up false trails and tried to clear up her sent with something else. It was why they sent so many higher ranked shinobi after the girl, they didn't know if she was the only one taken._

_Turns out, she wasn't the only one and they had busted a human-trafficking ring in the process._

"_Ten days?" Hiruzen repeated slowly, Sakura nodded slowly. "Are you sure?" the girl pouted at him, a look that was suited to a frowning old man then a pouting child. Slowly she pulled up her white kimono sleeve, revealing to the room her bandaged right arm, five little crimson lines seeping through the bandage._

"_I kewpt tack," Sakura said softly, staring at the bandages on her arm. Tsunade marched over and kneeled next to the child, noticing how the girl tried to hide behind Kakashi the moment she realized that Tsunade was making way towards her._

"_It's alright little one," Tsunade murmured, instantly slipping into medic mode. "I won't hurt you, promise." The little girl peeked out from behind Kakashi's leg, her eyes narrowed into a glare._

"_Who you?" Sakura asked with eyes full of suspicion and fear_

"_My name is Tsunade Senju and I'm—"_

"_A Hero!" Sakura shouted her eyes wide and sparkling as she pointed at the blonde who was in shock at the pinkette's out burst. Sakura giggled and latched her arms around Tsunade's neck, not noticing the blonde's dumbfounded reaction._

"_Mommy says you saived mes wong time ago." Sakura pulled back and smiled at the blonde brightly. "Thank you for saiving me!" Tsunade stared wide eyed at Sakura; speechless the blonde didn't move or say anything for several long minuets. Only when Sakura winced when her sleeve caught on Tsunade's necklace and tugged against her sore arm, did Tsunade shake out of her disbelief._

"_Here, let me tend to that." Tsunade murmured, unhooking the leave from her pendent and handling the child's arm gently. Before Sakura could pull away, Tsunade had tugged the sleave up and was undoing the bandages. When the last slip of white cloth fell from Sakura's forearm, Tsunade couldn't help but gasp at the sight revealed to her. Ten almost perfectly straight lines marred Sakura's milky white arm, each one in a different stage of healing. With narrowed eyes, Tsunade slowly rose her free hand and placed it over the wound, letting her chakra flare and cover the wound. Within seconds the tiny red marks were gone, not a scar left behind._

"_Kakashi-kun, since Tsunade-Hime just gave Sakura-chan a physical," Hiruzen smiled for the pinkette's sake, trying to ignore the fury burning deep in his stomach. "Could you take Sakura-chan home before you head back out please?"_

"_May I ask where I'm going now?" Kakashi asked as he lifted Sakura back up into his arms_

"_Back from where you just came," Hiruzen answered, his dark eyes locked onto Sakura as she made herself comfortable and laid her head against Kakashi's shoulder. "Make sure to bring back all of our girls."_

"_Yes sire,"_

"_When do we leave?" Tsunade asked softly, rising from where she kneeled to watch Kakashi rush over the crimson rooftops of her home village. Tsunade could barely make out the child's joyful laughter as the gray haired man raced her home._

"_As soon as you're ready," Hiruzen answered, glade that Tsunade would take one last mission before she left._

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"Well Jiraya-sama what do you think?" The far too old council member of the hidden mist asked from his seat in the room. Jiraya and his two other teammates, Inoichi Yamanaka and Fugaku Uchiha, looked up from the diagram that was being drawn by the blond.

"Why don't you guys give them some time to actually finish drawing the design before you start asking questions?" Tsunade asked from her place beside the Mizukage's hospital bedside, a white haired fifth member of their team standing near the blonde like a protective shadow. "Inoichi literally just came out from the brat's head. Jiraya can't conclude anything until that drawing is complete."

"And how is Yagura-Sensei's vitals?" a young kunochi nearby asked softly, one bright blue eye looking up at Tsunade with as much pleading a kunochi of Mist was permitted to show.

"He's alive," Tsunade replied bluntly, shifting so that it looked like her attention was turned more towards the village elders then the red haired child standing at the foot of the Mizukage's bed. "I can't find anything wrong with him physically; he should have awoken by now. The way I see it, it's physiological damage, but that's not my specialty. That's Inoichi-san's specialty—so ask him." Inoichi sighed as everyone in the room turned to look at him in question.

"The seal is preventing me from going too deeply but the Sanbi is trying to help." Inoichi said softly, he put his pencil down and leaned back in his chair, half-stretching. "Accor—"

"The infamous Sanbi is attempting to help you?" a councilwoman asked doubtfully. "Did he not kill his first host? I thought he hated humans in genera—"

"No," the red haired girl barked out defensively, snapping around and glaring at the older woman. "Yagura-sensei said—"

"Watch your tong young lady," the third and youngest member of the council ordered coldly, his black eyes opening to stare coldly at the redhead. "Do not forget that every word and action you take reflects back on both the Mizukage _and_ this village." The girl flinched and stared at the floor in shame, the five members of the Konoha team pretended not to be listening. Inoichi counted to ten before he continued with what he had to say.

"According to the Sanbi, the seal was made to steadily adjust Mizukage-sama's personality towards more violet outbreaks then what he normally would permit." Inoichi glanced at both Tsunade and Jiraya before he continued. "By doing this, it would allow the Sanbi to take possession of Yagura temporarily. However it would also keep certain aspects of the Sanbi's personality from surfacing as well, making it look as if Mizukage-sama has lost control of the Sanbi and went on a killing spree... or at least a violent spree."

"So why hasn't Yagura-sensei awakened?" The girl asked curiously, her head tilted to the side. Inoichi sighed and rubbed at his temple tiredly, hoping that he could delay answering that one by telling them something else.

"Go ahead," Jiraya said softly, stopping Inoichi from distracting the curious question. Inoichi looked up at Jiraya unsurely, making the older man shuffle the papers on the table between them before he continued softly. "They'll find out eventually, if you hold anything back they'll most likely hold it against Konoha."

"The Sanbi sent him away," Inoichi answered, turning to face the rest of the occupants in the room with a serious expression.

"I don't understand," the older then dust council member mumbled.

"According to the Sanbi, he isn't whole. Some of his power died with Rin-chan, the Sanbi has been a two tailed demon since her death." Inoichi began, shifting uncomfortably. The complete and utter silence echoing in the room didn't sit well with him; it made him more nervous then when his two year old daughter would try to escape the house so she could 'explore' the 'outside world'. "The Sanbi did this so that Rin-chan could have a second chance at life. He literally bound himself to her for all of eternity."

"What does that mean?" Tsunade asked, leaning against the wall beside the knocked out Mizukage. "What are you trying to say? That Rin got reincarnated?"

"Yes," Inoichi answered, bobbing his head in agreement. "The Sanbi seems pretty adamant that Rin-chan has been reborn and that only Yagura can find her. Well technically only the Sanbi could find her, but because the Sanbi is sealed into Yagura..." Inoichi trailed off as everyone gave an understanding sigh.

"Are you saying that..." Tsunade shifted uncomfortably, her voice soft like a whisper. "Are you saying that Rin has been reborn and is aware of everything?"

"I doubt she's aware," Inoichi answered. "The Sanbi said that she was reborn but he didn't know where. He just knows that she was born in May two years ago."

"What does this have to do with Yagura-sama's condition?" The councilwoman asked with a snap of her old voice.

"Sorry Mrs." Inoichi chuckled at her, scratching the back of his head nervously. "The Sanbi informed me that he threw the Mizukage at Rin-chan. Even after death the Sanbi and Rin-chan are still connected, so he just threw Mizukage-sama into her mindscape."

"So..." the red headed girl's voice sounded, draying everyone's attention back to her. "You're saying that Yagura-sensei is with this Rin-girl?"

"Yes," Inoichi agreed with a gentile smile towards the girl

"So then, when is he going to come back?" the girl asked with a frown. "Sensei can't stay away from his body for long can he? It wouldn't be good for his body, right? So then, how are we going to get Yagura-sensei back?" Inoichi blinked at the red and groaned, his head thumping into the palm of his hand.

"We seriously need to get this seal off of the Mizukage," Inoichi groaned out to his teammates. "If we don't, then he might die."

"How do you figure?" Tsunade asked with narrowed eyes, as if she'd let one of her patients die on her.

"The way I see it, the Sanbi did a forced and highly advanced version of my families' jutsu." Inoichi answered turning back to the seal he was trying to draw out for Jiraya and the two Sharingan wielders. "In my family if we don't cancel the jutsu in time we can run out of chakra and one of two things happens to us. One is that we return to our body but can't move for a few days or weeks, in other words our body has to get back in the habit of moving. The second option is that our body becomes to far away from our soul, which means that instead of our soul going back to our body it goes to the afterlife. We essentially die because we got too far away from our bodies."

"So your saying that because the Sanbi threw his current host at his previous host, and that we don't know who or where that one is, he might die because he didn't get back to his body in time?" the girl asked, her eyes wide as she stared at Inoichi, her face oddly pale.

"Yes," Inoichi agreed, impressed that the girl gasped that so quickly.

"We do have some luck on our side." Tsunade spook up before any of the council members could bust a blood vassal in their head. "The Mizukage has a boat load of chakra to work with, not to mention that _it_ _was_ the Sanbi who forced him out of his body to begin with."

"You're right Tsunade-Hime! I can't belief I didn't think of it!" Inoichi cheered the second he understood what the older woman was trying to explain. "All we need is for you to keep him in the best of health, and then we just might be able to come out of this mission with success!"

"You two lost me," Fugaku commented, glancing between the two exited blonds on either side of him.

"Really?" Jiraya asked amazed at the confession from the clan head. "The Sanbi is the one who's controlling the Yamanaka-nock-off-jutsu that he placed on the Mizukage. The Bijuu are made up of endless amounts of chakra."

"In other words Fugaku," Tsunade smirked at the clan head, amusement dancing in her eyes. "So long as we keep his body alive and stable, the Mizukage shouldn't be in too much trouble."

"Which means we'll be able to figure out this seal _properly_," Jiraya agreed with a nod of his head. "Then we can lift it without much damage to him and we can then return to the village, hopefully, in peace."

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><p>…<p>

**Okay so I totally found something trippy!**

**Nohara-****Rahano (switch 'ra' and 'ha') **** Harano (replace 'ra' with 'ru') **** Haruno**

**Trippy right?**

**Oh yeah, some fan art would be lovely **

**Tell me you're thoughts!**

**Rate and review please!**

**On a scale of 1 to 5!**** (1= negative and 5 = positive )**

**Page 7**


	7. Chapter 7

**There is a reason**

Chapter 7: Teaching

Koomahana

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

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Recap

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"Yes," Inoichi agreed, impressed that the girl gasped that so quickly.

"We do have some luck on our side." Tsunade spook up before any of the council members could bust a blood vassal in their head. "The Mizukage has a boat load of chakra to work with, not to mention that it was the Sanbi who forced him out of his body to begin with."

"You're right Tsunade-Hime! I can't belief I didn't think of it!" Inoichi cheered the second he understood what the older woman was trying to explain. "All we need is for you to keep him in the best of health, and then we just might be able to come out of this mission with success!"

"You two lost me," Fugaku commented, glancing between the two exited blonds on either side of him.

"Really?" Jiraya asked amazed at the confession from the clan head. "The Sanbi is the one who's controlling the Yamanaka-nock-off-jutsu that he placed on the Mizukage. The Bijuu are made up of endless amounts of chakra."

"In other words Fugaku," Tsunade smirked at the clan head, amusement dancing in her eyes. "So long as we keep his body alive and stable, the Mizukage shouldn't be in too much trouble."

"Which means we'll be able to figure out this seal _properly_," Jiraya agreed with a nod of his head. "Then we can lift it without much damage to him and we can then return to Konoha, hopefully, in peace."

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End Recap

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He was walking calmly through the forest, it was showing up more and more often in the child's mindscape and he was sorely tempted to mess with it. The lack of large water reserves was seriously starting to aggravate him, then again, he was used to snow and mist surrounding him and drenching him to the bone.

_I can't even practice my jutsu,_ Yagura sighed as he kicked at a rubble, noting how his foot went straight through it. It seemed like the only thing that was solid in the mindscape, other then the ground he walked on, was the trees and bushes. Most likely because the girl could see them and knew that they should have a physical weight and density to them—a tiny, unnoticeable pebble was another matter entirely.

"Hi," a soft voice sounded, he would have dismissed it if it weren't for the fact that Rin was playing by the tiny lake that they couldn't even walk on or go anywhere near because it was an endless walk to the lake.

"Hewo" okay now he was curious. Looking and studying the pathway curiously, he looked for any abnormalities; it wasn't hard to spot the splash of bright yellow poking out from behind a nearby bush.

"Hello," Yagura replied slowly, making sure to pronounce the word for the hidden child correctly. "Who are you?"

"S-Sakuwa" she answered softly, as if she wasn't sure if she should say anything. "Who you?"

"I'm Yagura, did you mean that your name is 'Sakura'?" the girl nodded softly, taking a step out from behind the bush hesitantly. Yagura took the time to actually study the child who housed Rin and temporally himself. The girl was small like most two year olds were, but she was also unnaturally pale, making Yagura doubt the girl's health. Her unnaturally long golden hair hid her eyes, revealing only a partial sapphire eye to Yagura's curious gaze. Her hair was so long that it threatened to consume her entire body within it's sunshine strands—for the exception of her tiny feet.

"That's strange," Yagura murmured as he stepped forward and crouched before the shy girl curiously. "I could have sworn that your hair was a different color, did you change it?" Slowly the girl shook her head, but her eyes dropped to the ground and her tiny snubs she called fingers twisted nervously together.

"Sakura-san do you know what lieing is?" Yagura asked as he dipped his head so he could try to see he child's face behind her long curtain of hair. Again the tiny child shook her head, making her long golden bangs move just enough to reveal a single sapphire orb. "Lieing means to speak words that aren't true, to twist facts to fit one's own gain—and it is very bad."

"Why?" Sakura asked, tilting her head to the side curiously. Yagura sighed and sat on the ground, he knew a curious child when he met one; more likely then not, he'd be here for a while trying to teach the child something vital.

"Because a lie could hurt the people you care for most," Yagura watched as the girl's visible eye widened. "A lie can destroy relationships, destroy families and make friends disband. A lie can even tear whole nations apart—a lie can only destroy, it can not build anything good nor lasting in this world."

"Whas'a re-lake-en-ship?" Yagura sighed, yes, the girl was indeed two, but her speech was horrendous. Was that normal?

"Okay what have you learned to say correctly?" Yagura asked, fighting to rub at his brow in irritation.

"Lear-rand?"

_This is going to take a while..._Yagura couldn't stop his sigh from escaping him. "Learning is something people do to better them self's. It's how to acquire knowledge or understanding. It's how people become informed or to discover. Learning is to memorize information to pass on to the future, so that others may learn and others may understand."

"Learn-ing," Sakura said lowly, pronouncing the word carefully. "Is a good thing?"

"Yes," Yagura agreed with a small smile.

"Can you... tean-ch me?" Yagura smiled at the child, half tempted to rise from his comfortable placement. The only other child he taught had wanted to lean how to fight, so that she could protect her most precious people.

"What do you want to learn?"

"Ever-en-thing,"

Yagura chuckled, "Everything?"

"Yes," Sakura shifted, immanently catching the difference in the word. "Ever-thing—" knowing that she still got it wrong, Sakura tried repeatedly until she got it right. "Ever-ei-thing—every-thing—everything—everything!"

"Alright," Yagura chuckled, patting the tiny blonde's head encouragingly. "But I can't do all the work. You have to meet me half way, okay?"

"Okay?" Sakura agreed, but her tilted head and tone of voice said that she didn't understand his fraze.

"What I mean by half way is that _you_ have to work at learning new things too." Yagura explained smiling gently at the girl as he tucked his feet beneath him, ready to start the first lesson. "And that means reading lots of books whenever you can."

"Re-ding?" Yagura was tempted to sigh again; yes his work was surely cut out for him.

"Let me teach you how to read," Yagura said as he straighten and drew out a kunai to draw in the dirt.

"Don't forget writing," chuckled another voice from behind. Yagura jumped and turned to see an amused Rin approaching with two sticks in hand. "In order to read, she must also learn how to write."

"I was thinking of baby steps," Yagura replied as he returned his kunai back to his holster and held a hand out expectantly to Rin.

"I'm not a baby!" Sakura shouted in Yagura's ear, both surprising and shocking the young man.

"That's right," Rin said, laughter dancing in her chocolate orbs, Yagura swore she was silently mocking him. "Sakura-chan is two, isn't she?"

"Uh-huh," Sakura bobbed her head up and down, as if she was proud of this fact.

"And since you're such a big girl, why don't you tell me something?" Yagura could tell a scolding was coming just by Rin's tone of voice. "Why are you hiding what you really look like?" Surprised, Yagura glanced down at Sakura. He had his suspicions that she had lied to him earlier, but he couldn't be sure. The girl was shy and he had barely caught a glance at her when he first awakened here in this girl's strange mind. It was silent for all of thirty seconds before Rin gave in, a look of understanding smoothing her face over like a slightly disappointed older sister.

"Alright I think I understand," Rin sighed

"I don't," Yagura replied, wanting to get filled in.

"Let's start on your first lesson," Rin said, squatting between Sakura and Yagura and completely ignoring the later. Yagura sighed as Rin started teaching Sakura how to write her name first, he sat back and watched as Sakura practiced in the dirt, refusing to move on until her name looked as good in the dirt as Rin's writing of her name did.

"Sakura," Yagura called after what seemed like an endless day had passed. Huffing in irritation, the tiny blonde looked up at him with a pout that was properly meant to be a glare. "It's getting late; shouldn't you rest for a bit?"

"No," Sakura answered as she went back to her writing, her delicate hand trembling ever so slightly.

"Why don't you try your other hand?" Yagura suggested as he picked up Rin's discarded stick and wrote the blonde's name in the ground, using his left hand to do so. Sakura looked back and forth between Rin's, Yagura's and her own writings of her name and let out a long-suffering sigh.

"Can you teach me?" Sakura asked as she looked up at him shyly.

"First off, hold your stick like so," Yagura answered as he gently adjusted Sakura's hold on her stick. "and gently move it against the ground like this," Yagura gently moved Sakura's hand, making the stick she was holding draw out thin, steady lines that slowly revealed her name. "Now try on your own." Yagura ordered, stepping away from the shy blonde. Nervously the too small two year old re-write her name, again, in the dirt. It wasn't long before she looked up at Yagura smiling, her blond hair bounced up as she spun and tackled Yagura, laughing as she did so.

"I did it!" Sakura shouted in joy, "I did it! I did it Yaguwa-nii! I wote my name!" Yagura smiled as he patted the girl's head in encouragement.

"Go tell Rin-san," Yagura suggested, pointing over to the lightly dozing brunet leaning against a nearby tree.

"Okay!" Sakura cheered as she ran full tilt towards the brunet. Yagura turned from the girls and examined Sakura's newly perfected word on the ground, it took him a minute to realize that the near perfect replica of his own writing was made by Sakura. Glancing back at the giggling and excited girls, Yagura studied them before he crouched and examined Sakura's writing a little more closely. Her lines weren't as deep as his were and they were a little more shaky looking, but otherwise the two versions were the same.

_Has she always learned so fast?_ Yagura thought as he glanced back at Rin, noting how tired she truly looked. _Rin said that it wouldn't be long until the two were one and the same, how much time is left for her?_

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><p>…<p>

**Tell me you're thoughts!**

**Rate and review please!**

**On a scale of 1 to 5!**

**Page 5**


	8. Chapter 8

**There is a reason**

Chapter 8: Finding out the secret

Koomahana

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

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><p>…<p>

Recap

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><p>…<p>

"Can you teach me?" Sakura asked as she looked up at him shyly.

"First off, hold your stick like so," Yagura answered as he gently adjusted Sakura's hold on her stick. "and gently move it against the ground like this," Yagura gently moved Sakura's hand, making the stick she was holding draw out thin, steady lines that slowly revealed her name. "Now try on your own." Yagura ordered, stepping away from the shy blonde. Nervously the too small two year old re-write her name, again, in the dirt. It wasn't long before she looked up at Yagura smiling, her blond hair bounced up as she spun and tackled Yagura, laughing as she did so.

"I did it!" Sakura shouted in joy, "I did it! I did it Yaguwa! I wrote my name!" Yagura smiled as he patted the girl's head in encouragement.

"Go tell Rin-san," Yagura suggested, pointing over to the lightly dozing brunet leaning against a nearby tree.

"Okay!" Sakura cheered as she ran full tilt towards the brunet. Yagura turned from the girls and examined Sakura's newly perfected word on the ground, it took him a minute to realize that the near perfect replica of his own writing was made by Sakura. Glancing back at the giggling and excited girls, Yagura studied them before he crouched and examined Sakura's writing a little more closely. Her lines weren't as deep his were and they were a little more shaky looking, but otherwise the two versions were the same.

_Has she always learned so fast?_ Yagura thought as he glanced back at Rin, noting how tired she truly looked. _Rin said that it wouldn't be long until the two were one and the same, how much time is left for her?_

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End Recap

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"Sakura dear are—" Sakura jumped at the sound of her mother's voice, she snapped around and stared guiltedly up at her mother. Mebuki blinked curiously down at her only child, her child who was more prone to playing silently with a stuffed rabbet in her corner or to draw on the floor then to be caught reading at her table. Sakura shifted uncomfortably under her mother's curious gaze, typically her mother would knock before she entered her room, but it appeared that Mebuki had decided not to do that this time. so instead of quickly covering the book she was trying to read with her teddy bear or with a few papers that she would pretend to be drawing on, Sakura sat frozen in her little plastic clear staring up at her mother and hoping that she wouldn't notice the small book in her hands.

"Sakura dear are you reading?" Mebuki asked as she stepped forward into her daughter's room, yes she was happy to have her only child back, but she hadn't taught the tiny child how to read yet.

"Trying," Sakura sighed, knowing that she was caught there wasn't anything she could do about it.

"Did one of..." Mebuki hesitated, she knew Sakura didn't like to talk about what had happened a few months before, and Mebuki liked it even less, but she knew that she hadn't taught Sakura how to read yet. "Did one of those... girls, teach you?" Mebuki asked as she settled herself down beside her only child, noting in amazement that the book in her daughter's hand happened to be a dictionary.

"A... girl... taught me... some," Sakura answered slowly, her head tilted to one side almost curiously. Mebuki sighed and nodded softly, fighting off the tears that wanted to fall from her emerald eyes. One of the other kidnapped girls had taught Sakura how to read, Mebuki was thank full for it, but she was mostly horrified that she wasn't there to teach Sakura herself.

"Mommy?" Sakura questioned softly, her voice pulled Mebuki from her thoughts and the blonde smiled gently at her child.

_Yes it was hell back then_, Mebuki thought as she patted her daughter's head gently, her fingers sliding through Sakura's long locks. "Let's go get some lunch, okay?"

"Okay," Sakura smiled and hopped from her seat, fast walking to the door and snatching up her white and red rabbet while she was it.

_It'll never happen again,_ Mebuki thought as she rose and fallowed after her child. _Yes, Sakura is 'unique' looking, but she also has a unique mind._ Mebuki glanced back at her daughter's plastic table, her eyes narrowing in on the still opened dictionary. Sakura had been missing for two weeks before she was brought back and it had been two weeks since the incident.

Mebuki wasn't stupid, Sakura didn't start reading until recently. If she learned from one of the kidnapped girls, then she would have told Mebuki about it when she returned. Mebuki could agree that it was 'a girl' who had taught Sakura the beginning steps of reading, but she didn't agree that it was one of the kidnapped girls. No, someone else was getting involved in Sakura's life and they were starting to take over Mebuki's job. That wasn't something she could forgive easily. Watching amusedly as Sakura climbed down the stairs to get to the kitchen, Mebuki smiled as Sakura's bright locks shown brightly in the sunlight.

Yes, her daughter had pink hair and green eyes. Yes, her daughter would be considered 'Unique'. Yes, people would take one look at her and deem her too week to be anything more then a civilian. That was precisely why Mebuki was determined to teach Sakura how to fight; she was just waiting until Sakura was older. Her daughter was two for crying out loud, it was too soon to teach Sakura anything that wasn't related to reading and writing; for the moment at least.

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Yagura was just starting to get used to the strange mindscape he was thrust into, the best part about it was that time was not and silence rained over everything.

"Nii-tan! Nii-tan guess what!" and then the brat would arrive wrecking the peace that had been built up in her absence, Yagura still wasn't sure how she managed to bounce back and forth between reality and her mind but she did it whenever she seemed to deem it fit too.

"Nii-tan!" Sakura shouted as she jumped and landed onto Yagura's stomach laughing.

"Sakura how many times do I have to tell you not to do that?" Yagura asked in irritation as he lifted the newly brunet from his lap. Every day the girl appeared with a new hair and eye color, today Sakura was a brunet with big doe brown eyes, looking almost identical to Rin, if not for her wild brown locks that were still horrendously long. Didn't the girl know what a haircut was?

"Mommy got me a new book!" Sakura ignored his question easily, her eyes shinning brightly. "And daddy got me a new hair tie!"

"Oh?" Yagura asked as he sat up and placed Sakura at his side. Yes, he was starting to get used to this strange painless world; a world that only an innocent two year old could experience.

"Why don't you tie your hair up?" Yagura asked with a raised eyebrow, Sakura giggled at him as if he just said a very funny joke.

"Because the hair tie is with daddy!" Sakura answered, her eyes glowing brightly.

"Oh? Well too bad," Yagura replied, completely unaffected by her unintentional jab. "Your mother got you a new book?" Sakura nodded her head eagerly in answer, "What's it about?"

"I don't know yet," Sakura answered, her shoulders drooping slightly. "I saw mommy wrapping it up for me. I get to open it up on my birthday."

"When's that?" Yagura asked, he knew that he was here for a while, but a year couldn't have passed already could it? How much time has he been away from his body? Could he even go back now?

"Tomorrow," Sakura answered, looking confused at Yagura. "Don't you know?"

"'Didn't' you know," Yagura corrected automatically. "How long have I been with you?"

"Five months," Sakura answered as if she didn't like the question.

"And of that amount of time, how much of it have you spent working on your speech and grammar?" Yagura asked, concealing his rising panic.

"Four and a half months," Sakura answered, her shoulders slumping and her eyes lowering.

"Then why are you still making those simple mistakes?"

"...Sorry," Sakura answered softly, her hair sliding forward to hide her face from him.

"Sorry isn't going to cut it," Yagura replied rising to his feet turning away from the child. "You need to learn to speak properly and correctly. If you don't bad people will do bad things to you and you won't be able to stop them or make them pay."

"Bad people?" Sakura repeated softly, clearly distressed about that bit of information. "So those men took me away because I couldn't read or write?" Sakura questioned, surprising Yagura. "Those people took me away from mommy and daddy because I couldn't read and write?" Yagura didn't have an answer for that and he didn't trust himself enough to look back at the girl he had been halfway teaching.

"Nii-tan... do you know what those bad men wanted from me?"

"I don't know what they wanted with you," Yagura answered. _Now I understand what happened when I was with the Sanbi. He was witnessing her being kidnapped... now it'll be even harder to find her._

"If I learn lots of words and learn lots of things, would they still come back for me?" Sakura questioned, panic lacing her words.

"That'll depend on what you learn," Yagura answered. "What do you mean, 'come back for you'?"

"Mommy's friends found me," Sakura answered relaxing slightly in her seat. "A tall boy saved me from the mean old man..."

"What do you mean?" Yagura questioned, Sakura glanced at him nervously before she drew her finger against the soft grass, creating a rectangle in the lush green blades. The blades of grass all folded together to form a strange mat like thing, and upon their surface an image began to take shape. Yagura turned to see that the shifting colors on the blades of grass slowly turned into the angry face of an old man. His face was red with rage, his eyes were black and wild, he was screaming and spitting... and he was holding a child over the edge of a rope bridge.

Eyes narrowing, Yagura turned completely and crouched before the moving image, transfixed on the scene unfolding before him. The furious old man held another girl with a rope around her neck nearby, a tug on the rope reviled that Sakura must have been wearing one as well because the scene blinked and wavered as if water had gotten onto a camera lens. He was arguing with someone, he wasn't happy about what was going on but strangely, no sound was coming from the man's moving lips. Something must have happened because the man let go of the girl dangling over the edge of the rope bridge and quickly picked up Sakura and the other girl and started running away from the bridge.

The scene shifted into darkness with bright flashes of the other girl kicking and screaming, of a rushing by forest, of being thrust into a dark closet with the other girl and then staring terrified up at masked man.

Yagura knew the mask of an Anbu agent.

There were three kinds of Anbu operatives: the hunter Nin, the border patrol and the village protectors who often took high-risk missions. The hunter Nin's almost never have their village symbol on their blank shapeless mask; the border patrol often had animal shaped masks with paint as a highlight on their masks. It was only the mission Anbu operatives that got the mask that was some kind mix between the two; the mask was blank-shaped but it's paint job was both beautiful and creepy—Depending weather or not that mask was after you in a good or bad way—often looking like some kind of animal. Either way, Sakura's savor didn't have a village insignia on his mask but it did have a lot of paint on it. That meant that the Anbu who rescued her and the other girl was of the third kind of Anbu, the one that often went out on high class and extremely dangerous missions that more often then not couldn't be traced back to the village.

"So I take it your back with your parent's now," Yagura stated more then asked, he recalled the girl talking about her parents. She must have gotten home fast; her parents were most likely well connected.

"Yes," Sakura agreed softly. "Which is why I'm scared that he might come back for me."

"Why? Didn't your savor get them all?"

"No," Sakura answered shifting from her place uncomfortably, the pad of braded grass fringing at the edges. "Not everyone was there. Fu-chan said that they took her away from the base when they went out to 'collect' more girls. She said that the ring leader didn't trust all of his men, so she always left the base when they went out 'hunting'."

"But you never made it to the base," Yagura summed up, making Sakura nod with a small smile. "That means that those men don't know about you. With luck they won't try again for you."

"I hope so," Sakura sighed, relaxing as the grass pad fell apart. "I don't ever want to meet those mean men again."

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**Should I up date sooner then Normal?**

**I think I will! :)**

**Marry Christmas! XD**

**Tell me you're thoughts!**

**Rate and review please!**

**On a scale of 1 to 5!**

**Page 6**


	9. Chapter 9

**There is a reason**

Chapter 9: figuring out the seal and nightmares

Koomahana

**I'm so sorry, accsadently posted ten as Nine and then reposed ten!**

**Here's the real chapter nin :)**

**Again, I'm so sorry, I'll give you an extra chapter at the end of the day for you :)**

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

…

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><p>…<p>

Recap

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><p>…<p>

"So I take it your back with your parent's now," Yagura stated more then asked, he recalled the girl talking about her parents. She must have gotten home fast; her parents were most likely well connected.

"Yes," Sakura agreed softly. "Which is why I'm scared that he might come back for me."

"Why? Didn't your savor get them all?"

"No," Sakura answered shifting from her place uncomfortably, the pad of braded grass fringing at the edges. "Not everyone was there. Ki-chan said that they took her away from the base when they went out to 'collect' more girls. She said that the ring leader didn't trust all of his men, so she always left the base when they went out 'hunting'."

"But you never made it to the base," Yagura summed up, making Sakura nod with a small smile. "That means that those men don't know about you. With luck they won't try again for you."

"I hope so," Sakura sighed, relaxing as the grass pad fell apart. "I don't ever want to meet those mean men again."

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End Recap

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"How's it going?" Tsunade questioned as she walked into the Mizukage's room with both his and her own appetencies' behind her. Jiraya, Inoichi and Fugaku were huddled up in the corner surrounding a table and whispering together almost excitedly.

"Did any of you three idiots sleep?" Tsunade asked, knowing that the three men most likely hadn't. she shirk her head as they continued to ignore her, fussing over the seal that Inoichi had been able to recreate perfectly three days ago. Tsunade sighed and continued on to the young Mizukage's side. She lifted the blankets over him and went about her job moving the young man's limbs so the blood would flow correctly and not create any problems for when he reawakened.

"When will Sensei awaken?" Yuriko asked softly, Yuriko had been Yagura's student since she was ten and was currently the only living member of her team; Yagura was in a coma and her two other teammates were dead.

"Most likely soon," Tsunade answered softly. "My teammates have been working like crazy for the past three days; they should come up with a solution soon."

"Before or after they pass out?" Shizune asked as she lifted a leg and rubbed the blood down the limb. Before Tsunade could reply, a loud crash sounded behind her, making her spin around with a glowing kunai held up at the ready. Much to Tsunade's embarrassment, the three men had merely passed out in a heap around the table, knocking down their cups of water and other various items.

"After," Yuriko giggled, her bright blue eyes lighting up in amusement before they dulled again and she returned to her task of moving the blood flow in her teacher's arm. "I hope he wakes up soon..."

"How's the council handling his coma?" Tsunade asked as she returned to her work, ignoring her passed out teammates.

"Not well," Yuriko answered. "They're thinking about replacing him if he doesn't wake up at the end of the year."

"Well... we'll just... have to..." Everyone turned to see Jiraya laying upside down on the floor, one leg propped up on his chair. "Wake him up... by the... end of the-the year..." The three women stared as Jiraya's eyes rolled dizzily in his head before he finally succumbed to unconsciousness.

"I have to move him now don't I?" Tsunade grumbled as she turned towards her teammates and approached Jiraya first. "Up-a-daisy!" Tsunade grunted as she grabbed Jiraya and threw one of his arms over her shoulder. "Shizune, Yukiko will you two help Fugaku and Inoichi to their feet please?"

"Yes Ma'am," the two teens murmured together, walking around the Mizukage's bed and approached the two men in question. Tsunade chuckled as the girls huffed and puffed for a few minuets before they gave up and called for a few guards to help them.

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"Happy birthday to you~! Happy birthday to you~!" Sakura giggled excitedly as her parents sang, her mother walking forward slowly with a white cake alight with two green and blue candles. "Happy birthday Sa~ku~ra~! Happy birthday to you!"

"Thank you!" Sakura shouted as she wrapped her arms around her father, her mother laughed and set the cake before Sakura, before quickly grabbing a camera and snapping a picture of Sakura and Kizashi hugging before the cake.

"Blow out the candles sweetie," Kizashi cooed to Sakura, the pinkette giggled and took in a deep breath. Just as she let it out on the candles, a loud crack of thunder and lightening sounded out side. Sakura's deep breath turned into a scream and she scrambled away from the table, she ignored her parent's startled calls to her and she quickly climbed into the nearest closet—the hallway closet close to the front door.

…

_Thunder and lightning shook the room, making the walls shiver and the roof shake. The two girls cringed and clutched each other tightly, tears spilling from their eyes. The man jumped from his seat, his black eyes swinging back in forth as if searching for something that shouldn't be there. Snarling the man turned his furious black eyes onto the two girls and roughly picked them both up by their arms. He marched down a small hall to the bathroom and stopped half way down the hall. He threw them both in, ignoring their cries of pain and whimpering._

"_Stay here brats and don't move!" the man slammed the door on them, the older girl hissed and pulled her close._

_The darkness of the small room was suffocating and the older girl's grip was tight but reassuring in the deep black darkness. The darkness never ended, it was deep and ever lasting. It was protecting them from the monsters outside the tiny room but it was also hurting their eyes, blinding them from the outside world._

_It would be hours before anyone would find them and by then they were used to the darkness and felt safe within it. When the door finally opened, a bright blinding light fell upon their eyes, making both girls scream out in pain and hide their faces in each other's shoulders._

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"You called for me Lord Hokage?" Kakashi asked as he stepped into the crimson office, immanently noting the distressed blonde sitting just across from the old man.

"Ah, Inu-kun you finally arrived," Hiruzen said with a slight jab at his content lateness. Kakashi didn't mind, Hiruzen only did it when he was stressed. "Do you remember that mission from five months ago?"

"The kidnapped-slave ring?" Kakashi asked tilting his head curiously; the blonde sitting in the chair jumped up and swiveled to look at him. Her searching, tearful gaze was only slightly disturbing, making Kakashi briefly wonder if the woman could see his face behind his Anbu mask.

"Were you the one who saved my daughter?" the woman asked, her hands twining together in front of her. Ah, now it made sense—she was the mother of the pinkette he saved five months ago. Why was she here?

"Yes," Kakashi answered blandly. _Did something happen to Sakura?_

"Please speak to her!" the blonde shouted, forcing herself into a low bow. "I don't know why but the storm has frightened her. She's hiding in our closet and she won't come out! She went so far as scratching and biting us, as if she doesn't recognize us!" The woman thrust her hands out, still in her deep bow, and showed the scratches and bite marks made by her newly three-year-old daughter.

Kakashi glanced at Hiruzen briefly before he examined the storm just beyond the windows. He had found the two pink haired girls hidden in a half destroyed hut, huddled in a deep and dark closet. When he opened the door, the girls screamed and huddled their faces together as if the little light from the lightning outside was blinding to them. They were horrifyingly pale and dressed in matching white kimono's and bright red coats. It had taken him an hour to calm the both of them down enough to speak and it took another hour for him to gain their trust enough to leave with him.

When he returned to the camp with both girls in hand, they had immanently left his side to join the oldest pinkette, glade that she hadn't died when she was dropped off the cliff. However, that didn't mean he missed how they both flinch with each flash of lightning and boom of thunder. When they settled down for the first night of freedom, the girls slept in a pile together, letting him and a kunochi sleep on either side of them, keeping the youngest pinkette between them protectively. Kakashi had actually found it difficult to sleep when every sound had awakened all three of the girls and forced the oldest to a protective crouch over the younger two.

"She is afraid of the storm?" Kakashi murmured, tilting his head towards the panicky mother.

"Yes," she agreed straightening shakily. "My husband is still with her, trying to calm her down but it's like she can't hear our words."

"That's because she can't" Kakashi answered. "In that kind of state the only one who can get close to her is the girl who was trapped with her—Tayuya of rice patty country."

"Do you know if she's been returned to her village yet?" Hiruzen asked, Kakashi's answer sigh didn't reassure him.

"The girl was an orphan, some of the other captains from the other villages are trying to convince her to return with them." Kakashi answered lowly, not seeming to like the information. "I don't think she's given an answer yet, she wanted to stay with Sakura and Fubuki. She was convinced they were safer together."

"Fubuki?" The woman questioned, her head tilted to the side. "How old is she?"

"Fubuki is ten and Tayuya is eight." Kakashi answered

"They're both old enough to know how to read..." the blonde mumbled thoughtfully, unintentionally making Kakashi snort.

"Fubuki can read, Tayuya can't." Kakashi informed her. "Why is that important?"

"Sakura-chan told me that a girl was teaching her how to read," the woman informed them both. "She didn't elaborate so I thought that it might have been one of the girls she was with from... from that time..."

"It's passable..." Kakashi murmured thoughtfully. "Fubuki was overly protective of both Tayuya and Sakura. She didn't sleep or relax when they were away from her and she barely slept when they were with her."

"We don't have time to go all the way to the border of ogres to find her," Hiruzen sighed, reminding the two about the reason for Kakashi's summoning. "Could you try to calm the girl Inu-kun? I'm sure you're curious about her well-faire as well."

"Very well," Kakashi sighed. "There's no harm in trying."

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**Tell me you're thoughts!**

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**Page 5**


	10. Chapter 10

**There is a reason**

Chapter 10: reassuring children

Koomahana

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

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><p>…<p>

Recap

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"They're both old enough to know how to read..." the blonde mumbled thoughtfully, unintentionally making Kakashi snort.

"Fubuki can read, Tayuya can't." Kakashi informed her. "Why is that important?"

"Sakura-chan told me that a girl was teaching her how to read," the woman informed them both. "She didn't elaborate so I thought that it might have been one of the girls she was with from... from that time..."

"It's passable..." Kakashi murmured thoughtfully. "Fubuki was overly protective of both Tayuya and Sakura. She didn't sleep or relax when they were away from her and she barely slept when they were with her."

"We don't have time to go all the way to the border of ogres to find her," Hiruzen sighed, reminding the two about the reason for Kakashi's summoning. "Could you try to calm the girl Inu-kun? I'm sure you're curious about her well-faire as well."

"Very well," Kakashi sighed. "There's no harm in trying."

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End Recap

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"Well Jiraya how are you feeling now?" Tsunade asked as she replaced the cloth on her teammate's forehead.

"A little better," Jiraya mumbled his face red and his eyes droopy. "Could you do me a favor Tsunade-Hime?"

"Hmm, what is it?" Tsunade asked curious, her actions frozen as she glanced down at her red-faced teammate.

"Don't move too much okay?" Jiraya asked with a mischievous smirk, Tsunade stared down dumbly at Jiraya for all of three seconds before she realized where he was looking.

"YOU DAMNED PERVERT!" Tsunade screeched punching Jiraya relentlessly in his bed. "And here I thought you actually caught one of Mizu's flues! You ass! See if I ever worry over you again!"

"No wait! Ack! Tsunade-Hime! Ow! I swear—ow! I'm sick~!"

Commences instant K.O. in Tsunade Senju's favor—not that she stopped beating Jiraya

"I thought we were supposed to be safe with two Sanin's with us," Inoichi grumbled watching the beat down from his own bed across the room. "But I actually feel like we might be in more danger..."

"Sometime's it's best to ignore the two," Fugaku grumbled from the table where he sat drinking tea with Shizune.

"That reminds me, Fugaku," Inoichi turned towards his dark haired teammate curiously. "Have you seen that seal before?" Fugaku hesitated in answering Inoichi in favor of giving a warning glance to Shizune, who quickly took the hint and returned to her mistress's side to try to calm the furious woman.

"Unfortunately it bares a strange and creepy resemblance to the second stage of the Sharingan," Fugaku answered, he glanced down to the drawing and glared at it pointedly, a dark fury bubbling beneath his black iris and nearly turning it red. "I can try to guess who it was based on the second stage resemblance, but that boy wasn't anywhere near the mist when the Mizukage was attached."

"Dose this mean that we don't know which Uchiha did this?" Inoichi questioned with a sigh

"It might not have been an Uchiha," Fugaku replied tensely.

"Huh? But if it's reminiscent of the Sharingan, something that only the Uchiha clan possess—"

"Kakashi Hatake," Fugaku snapped tersely, cutting Inoichi off rudely. "Is no Uchiha clan member."

"I see," Inoichi murmured his gazing turning thoughtful as he watched Shizune try to hold Tsunade back from beating Jiraya. "You think someone stole a Sharingan eye?"

"Yes," Fugaku growled out, glaring at the drawing hatefully. "And not just any Sharingan eye—Obito Uchiha's Sharingan eye."

"Dose that have meaning for you?" Inoichi asked curiously, "Because that name doesn't ring a—"

"Minato's dead student," Fugaku said calmly, his voice and face smoothing out into a blank nothingness, as if he didn't want to remember his blond friend.

"I see," Inoichi sighed, "Kakashi really is going to flip out."

"Hai," Fugaku agreed softly. "Especially when he learns that only he can remove it."

"What?!" Inoichi hissed, drawing attention from his other teammates. "What do you mean by that? Can he even do it?"

"With some extra training from me he can," Fugaku answered calmly, "and it's common with the second stage of the Sharingan. The whole 'if an Uchiha cast it an Uchiha can lift it', isn't an entire lie; it's just not the case this time. Someone stole Obito's other eye and Kakashi is the only other person in the world who has the same eye, therefore only Kakashi can lift the seal placed on the Mizukage."

"You do realize that when you approach Kakashi for Sharingan training, he'll think that you'll either trying to take back the Sharingan Obito gave him or that you're out to kill him, right?" Inoichi asked, not looking reassured by the information.

"I would never harm the last student of Minato Namikaze," Fugaku retorted looking like he just might be amused with the blonde man still laying in bed.

"Well then," Tsunade spook up, approaching the two with confidence and slight irritation. "I guess we'll just have to send a message back to Konoha for Kakashi's aid. Once he get's filled in I'd be surprised if he wasn't here within the hour after he gets the message."

"We're getting a headache when he arrives, aren't we?" Inoichi asked as Tsunade turned for the door

"What do you mean 'we'?" Tsunade asked as she marched out the door. "I'm leaving the explaining to you two."

"Aw man..." Inoichi groaned slumping in his bed, Fugaku sighed as he took another sip of his tea, Jiraya just groaned in pain from his destroyed bed.

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"Sakura calm down!" Yagura ordered, he hissed as a sharp blast of wind tried to cut him in half.

"Sakura-chan!" Rin shouted from her place jut a few feet away from Yagura, bracing herself against the howling winds that sprung into being and thrashed the mindscape that Sakura had created for Yagura and Rin. The trees were tipped nearly perfectly in half, the leafs of every tree and bush were gone, the grass was flat, the sky was black and gray with bright flashes of neon white.

The storm was more then a storm, it was the definition of a hurricane.

"Sakura-chan please calm down!" Rin cried out in the screaming wind, "Pleases! It's okay! You're safe!"

In the distance Yagura could make out the figure of an old man standing tall and proud in the storm, as if it had no effect on him. He was dressed in black pants and long sleeved turtleneck with a deep-sea foam green jacket. His hair was the color of dried blood and rested calmly at his shoulders, with flecks of gray and his eyes—his eyes made a shiver roll over Yagura's spine and shoulders. The man's eyes were like liquid Onex, as if they were all pupil and no iris—and they where filled with a kind look that Yagura knew well. It was how his councilors look at him, how some of the villagers looked at him, how some of his shinobi looked at him—the man looked as if he was calculating the value of a new weapon compared to its price, as if he was thinking about the worth of the creature shivering on the ground before him...

As if he couldn't decide to kill the shivering mass of a child on the ground... or if he should let it live to see if it still had any value in it left.

"Please Sakura wake up!" Rin cried out desperately. "He's not here! He won't get to you! He'll never find you!"

"_It's alright now Sakura-chan,_" another, deeper voice sounded in the air around them. "_Do you remember me? I found you in that dark closet a few months ago, you were hiding with Tayuya-san, remember?_"

"Kakashi?" Rin asked confused, her eyes wide in wonder as she stared at nothing in particular. "Kakashi is here? He found me?"

"_Sakura-chan do you remember me?_"

The winds lightened, the darkness brightened...

"Say yes Sakura-chan," Rin ordered softly, a fond smile stretching across her cheeks. "That's Kakashi-kun, he'll protect you always and forever. That's his promise—his promise of a life time."

"_Good girl,_" Kakashi cooed awkwardly. "_Do you want me to take you to your room?_"

"No," Yagura answered bluntly, feeling irritated with the man already.

"_D-don't,_" Sakura stuttered, it didn't take Yagura long to figure out that she could hear him even though she was conscience at the moment. "_G-go... don't go..._"

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"Shh... its okay, I won't go..." Kakashi murmured, his hold tightening on the tiny child clinging to him desperately. "I'll stay with you until the storm passes, Okay?" slowly the tiny child nodded, still afraid of the storm raging outside. Slowly, so that he doesn't frighten the girl further, Kakashi rose and turned, he nodded to the worried parents with heart broken expressions and quickly went up the stairs to the girl's room, where he would wait with her in the corner farthest from the window.

Even after the worst of the storm had passed, Sakura continued to sob and shiver in his arms

The storm finished its passing in the middle of the night, but still Sakura shivered and whimpered in his arms.

When daylight finally filtered through the cloudy window, Kakashi rose from the corner slowly and gently tucked Sakura into her bed. Patting her head gently, Kakashi murmured that he would return with the next storm and silently left the child's room, content that she would sleep easily now that the storm had passed.

Kakashi reported first to Sakura's parent's, who couldn't decide to hug him with their thanks or rush up the stairs to hold their daughter them selves. He then reported to Hiruzen, where he learned that he would go back to the land where the kidnapped girls were and search for the two girls who where with Sakura. If they were still there, he was to inform them of what had happen and ask if they would like to return with him to the village to visit Sakura.

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Yagura sighed as he stood at the edge of the lake, his face blank as he searched the distant sky for something he knew he would never see. Yagura didn't know how much longer he could stay within Sakura's mindscape; it felt like he was being pulled away little by little, as if a gentile wind was trying to push at him.

_I don't have much time left_ Yagura thought as he spotted a cloud in the distance. _Not much time at all..._

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**Thoughts are helpful**

**Opinions are wonderful**

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**Page 6**


	11. Chapter 11

**There is a reason**

Chapter 11: More Information

Koomahana

**I****'m so sorry, ****accidentally**** posted ten as Nine and then reposed ten!**

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

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Recap

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The storm finished its passing in the middle of the night, but still Sakura shivered and whimpered in his arms.

When daylight finally filtered through the cloudy window, Kakashi rose from the corner slowly and gently tucked Sakura into her bed. Patting her head gently, Kakashi murmured that he would return with the next storm and silently left the child's room, content that she would sleep easily now that the storm had passed.

Kakashi reported first to Sakura's parent's, who couldn't decide to hug him with their thanks or rush up the stairs to hold their daughter them selves. He then reported to Hiruzen, where he learned that he would go back to the land where the kidnapped girls were and search for the two girls who where with Sakura. If they were still there, he was to inform them of what had happen and ask if they would like to return with him to the village to visit Sakura.

…

Yagura sighed as he stood at the edge of the lake, his face blank as he searched the distant sky for something he knew he would never see. Yagura didn't know how much longer he could stay within Sakura's mindscape; it felt like he was being pulled away little by little, as if a gentile wind was trying to push at him.

_I don't have much time left_ Yagura thought as he spotted a cloud in the distance. _Not much time at all..._

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End Recap

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Kakashi sighed as he slumped into his coat, glad to finally be off his feet. However, his relaxation was sort lived, two small bodies burst into his tent making Kakashi snap up into a sitting position. The sight of rushing pink was the only thing that saved the two girl's from the kunai that was hastily thrown aside so it wouldn't do them any harm.

"Inu-kun, Inu-kun," the girl's chanted together, halting at the edge of his bed with flaying arms to stop their mad rush towards him.

"Tayuya, Fubuki," Kakashi greeted with a lazy drawl as he swept his feet to the ground, both girls were eagerly between them, their arms wrapping around his neck and chest. "Hasn't anyone ever told the two of you not to barge in on shinobi?"

"No" the girls answered with matching grins as they pulled back slightly. Kakashi sighed as both girls tried to climb up into his lap, Fubuki helping Tayuya sit on his left before she attempted to sit on his right.

Fubuki had Sakura's almost neon pink hair and her eyes weren't as bright a green as Sakura's, Fubuki's eyes looked more like frozen slices of Granny Smith Apple's then the warm leafy green Sakura has. Fubuki was quite tall and already well developed for a ten year old; she could pass for being a very short sixteen year old and her violet and white kimono didn't help the impression at all.

Where Fubuki was tall for her age, Tayuya was quite small. Fubuki could stand easily just above Kakashi's elbow, but Tayuya could barely meet his hip. She was malnourished and appeared to have been abandoned at some point before the slave traders took her. Her pink hair was dull and lifeless, falling just passed her elbows like sheets of wet thread. Where both Fubuki and Sakura where so pale they looked as if they never saw the sun before, Tayuya's skin was well tanned by the sun looking almost like caramel. Even Tayuya's eyes were a different color then Fubuki and Sakura's; Tayuya's eyes looked like a half-frozen cup of coffee.

Yet as Tayuya giggled and chatted about her pranks on a few of the older shinobi, Kakashi could just barely make out small slivers of green in her eyes. No doubt those small slivers would be more pronounced when she grew up.

Kakashi had no doubt that somewhere along their family lines all three girls had the same ancestor. All three pinkette's had the same nose, jaw and cheekbones, their eyes being one of the few differences they shared. The three of them truly looked like sisters; it was scary to see how much of Sakura was in these two girls who were nothing like her.

"Is it true?" Fubuki suddenly asked, drawing Kakashi out of his thoughts and stopping Tayuya's excited chatter. "Is it true that Sakura got to go home before everyone else? Did she really get back to her parents?"

"Yes," Kakashi answered softly, studying the two girls closely. "It's actually why I'm here." Both girl's were suddenly paying very close attention to Kakashi, listening to his words like they were some kind of lifeline. "Three days ago, a storm swept through Konoha—"

"Sakura was afraid of the storm?" Fubuki asked, cutting Kakashi off.

"Yes," he answered, his dark eye narrowing slightly behind his mask

"I see," Fubuki and Tayuya both shared knowing looks, frowning with concern at each other. No one in this world could say that they were idiots, the girls were smart, there was no denying that.

"Lord Hokage was wondering if you both would like to visit with her?" Kakashi asked carefully

"Lord Hokage?" the girls asked in union, wonder and confusion marring their voices together

"Yes, Lord Hokage," Kakashi chuckled. "He's the leader of my village, Konohagakure." Both girls blinked dumbly at him before they shared matching confused looks with each other.

"Now Fubuki-san," Kakashi started, drawing attention back to himself. "Both lord Hokage and myself will understand if you wish to return home to Snow country instead of visiting with Sakura-chan. The decision is up to y—"

"There's no need," Fubuki said, cutting Kakashi off again, he was beginning to think that she liked doing that. "I have no home in Snow country. The slave traders killed my family when they took me. It'd be suicide to go back to snow country. People there can only survive by living together with their families, to take on another mouth to feed would be suicide for them—an orphan in snow country is a dead orphan."

"I see," Kakashi murmured, taken back by the girl's words. He never knew it was that bad in snow country. "I take it you'll be coming with me to Konoha then?"

"Yes—YES!" Kakashi blinked as Tayuya all but threw her self at Fubuki, wrapping her arms around the older girl's neck as she did so.

"I'm coming too!" Tayuya shouted giggling and crying at the same time. "I told everyone that we should stay together! Now we will!" Fubuki giggled as she steadied herself against Kakashi's leg, her arms wrapping around Tayuya, one hand rising to pat the younger girl's head affectionately.

"When will we leave?" Fubuki asked, turning her watery green eyes up to Kakashi expectantly.

"I just got here," Kakashi sighed, "Can't I have some rest before we head back? It's a long travel ya' know..."

"How long did it take for you to get here?" Tayuya asked curiously

"About three days,"

"Whoa! Are you slow?" Tayuya asked again, laughter dancing in her eyes

"No," Kakashi answered irritated with such a question

"So you're really fast?" Tayuya's laughing eyes turning into mocking eyes, she was planning something

"I'm about average," Kakashi answered slowly, Tayuya's smile widened and Fubuki sighed as if she knew what was going to happen next.

"When we go with you back to the village, how long will it take?" Fubuki asked, sounding like she was reciting a script

"About six days, give or take"

"I bet we could do it in half the time!" Tayuya shouted, her smile widening to split her face in half. "I bet we could make it in two days!"

"Tayuya, three and three make six," Fubuki scolded half-heartedly. "Three is half of six, how'd you get two from that equation?" okay so maybe only Fubuki was the smart one

"I know three is half of six," Tayuya whined to Fubuki pathetically. "I was thinking that we could annoy him along the way, that way we would reach the village faster!"

Realization dawned on Fubuki and Kakashi felt like he wanted to go back to bed and passably never wake up again.

_I'm doomed,_ Kakashi sighed when Fubuki turned to him with a mischievous grin, Tayuya soon joining her. _Pink haired girls are nothing but trouble_

"At least let me rest for the day, we can leave tomorrow morning at first light."

"Okay," the girls cheered together, hugging him before they rushed out of his tent. Yes, pink haired girls were nothing but trouble...

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When Kakashi had said 'first light' he hadn't quite been literal, he figured the girls still be sleeping when the sun came up. Oh, how wrong he was...

"INU-KUN!" Kakashi about had a heart attach when he felt two small bodies jump onto him, it took everything he had to not seriously harm the girls laying on him and giggling like little mad scantiest.

"You girl's are up awfully early," Kakashi groaned as he slowly released his white-knuckle grip on the edge of his coat. "I'd thought you both would want to sleep in..."

"No the slave trader's had a harsh schedule to keep," Tayuya piped up, smiling almost sadly at Kakashi. "It's all about five to nine, not nine to five!" Tayuya giggled, happy that she was free but sad she had to live like that for as long as she had. Good news is that Kakashi now understood why the slaver's weren't found as fast as they were, they had worse sleeping habits then most shinobi.

"You both understand what will happen when you get to Konoha, right?" Kakashi asked as he forced himself up into a half hearted sitting position. "Hokage-sama will want to know everything that you know about the slave traders. Everything from the time you were taken to the time we freed you, can you remember everything from back then?"

"I don't know," Tayuya mumbled softly, shrinking slightly as she nibbled on her lip thoughtfully. "I was pretty little when they took me... I barely remember my mom's face... and I don't even know if she's my real mom or if she was one of the older women who were taken to care for us little ones..."

"I'm sorry," Kakashi sighed, his eye sharp as he stared blankly at Tayuya. "Are you saying that these people have been at this for _Years_?"

"Yes," Fubuki answered slowly, flinching when Kakashi suddenly straightened and set them both before him on the coat gently. "I was seven when they took me, and the oldest slave I met at the base was eighteen and she was taken when she was five. She only stayed in the base for so long because she was a favorite of one of the guards, they were practically married. There were other older slaves but I never got to talk to them so I don't know how long they had been there."

"There's a base?" Kakashi asked, not believing his ears

"Yes," Tayuya confirmed slightly worried. "I've been there twice, but Fubu-nee has been there lost of times. The boss doesn't trust all of his men, so he keeps us 'rarer' and 'unique' ones away from the majority of the guards."

"Anyone with a different hair or eye color is separated from the main clump of kidnappies," Fubuki informed Kakashi calmly. "Hair color is sorted by letters, eye color by numbers. For example, blondes with blue eyes are called A1—they're a dime a dozen but blonde's with violet or green eyes are labeled as unique and placed in the higher quarters away from everyone else. The higher quarters are sectioned off into Rare, Unique and extraordinary. Tayuya, Sakura and my self are labeled as 'extraordinary' because of our hair color."

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><p>…<p>

**Thoughts are helpful**

**Opinions are wonderful**

**Helpful criticism****is**** lovely! Just don't cripple me okay?**

**Please no cursing!**

**And don't forget to review!**

**Page 6**


	12. Chapter 12

**There Is a reason**

Chapter 12: Finding the Base

Koomahana

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

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><p>…<p>

Head's up, I'm tiered of the recaps, so they're ending here

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"These aren't just some common thugs," Kakashi sighed, rubbing at his temple. He had taken as much information as he could from Tayuya and Fubuki as he could and then called a captain meeting with all of the captains that were still present in the lands. He had Tayuya wait in his tent because she was still pretty little and didn't quite understand everything that was happening around her, Fubuki was old enough to both understand and remain calm.

"These guys are prepared and well planned." One of the Suna captain's sighed, not liking the information very well. "Do you know where the basis is little one?" Fubuki shrugged her shoulders

Shrugging her shoulders, Fubuki asked "Which one?" Her question made several of the other captain's groan—that was not reassuring or helpful to them.

"Do you know the closest one?" a female Iwa captain asked, trying to appear friendly to the pink haired child sitting beside Kakashi, trying to appear calm despite her trembling fingers.

"Sorry no," Fubuki answered shifting uncomfortably in her seat. "I only ever went to the main base. I know it's general location, but I can't show you on a map..."

"Just tell us what you remember," the woman replied with a soft smile. "Close your eyes if it helps you remember..."

"Okay," Fubuki sighed, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. "I remember there's little vegetation and what is, is like brush, it's dry and brittle. I don't see or hear any animals, there's only the crunching of the wheels on the gravel road..."

"What else do you remember?" the woman asked softly

"There's a river... at the base of a... of a mountain... it's not like what's in snow country... it's taller and wider... it's darker too..." Fubuki said softly, her brows tilting together in a frown. "It almost looks black... but it's brown... the road is a light tan color... and some of the larger rocks nearby are the same... but the mountain... the mountain looks out of place, like it doesn't belong..."

"What dose the mountain look like?" a large Kumo nin asked, his voice deep and low like rumbling thunder. "Does it have a strange shape?"

"Like... it looks kind of like... like a mud mountain..." Fubuki sighed as she opened her eyes and stared at the confused adults around her. "In snow country, some children take mud from the nearby hot springs and build small mountains. Children are to make their own mountain within the period of an hour, it's a game that keeps the children busy while adults talk. I once saw a girl make a mud mountain that was almost the same size as she was. When she went to add more mud to it, one of the nearby boy's tripped her and made her land in her mountain. The result was that half of it fell on her and she couldn't get out until someone pulled her out, she nearly suffocated because if it."

"So this mountain looks like her half destroyed mud mountain?" a mist Nin asked, raising a pale eyebrow in sarcasm.

"Perhaps it's an old volcanic mountain," a nearby Iwa kunochi suggested thoughtfully, staring at the large map laid out on the table before her. "If that's the case..."

"Then it must have erupted a few decades ago, especially if it's showing life already..." a mist kunochi said stepping forward and looking over the map. "In Mizu, what few mountains we have don't start growing life until a good decade or so after the explosion, depending on the percentage of life that survived the explosion..."

"You can't be serious Kaishin," the previous Mist Captain asked sarcastically. "Mizu Mountains are nothing like these mountains!"

"Your right," A Suna captain said as he stepped forward, quickly pealing back sheets of paper, looking for a specific map. "Those pale rocks she spoke of sound like the limestone and sandstone hills of eastern Suna..."

"and the dark mountain," a Kumo nin stepped forward, searching through the maps as well, "Brown but black rocks... that sounds a lot like Kumo's older volcanic mountains. They're all dead now, so no worries on that front. But all of them are catacomb, you could get lost in them if you're not careful."

"But to have both Suna's sand and limestone hills, plus Kumo's dark mountains..." the Iwa and Mist kunochi's were now side by side, flipping through the maps and scanning through them quickly and easily.

"It was always sunny," Fubuki said trying to be helpful. "It was dry too, not hot, but dry. There was a waterfall that fed the river at the base of the mountain and it had an underground river too. I remember that much from within the mountain."

"Is there anything else you remember from inside the mountain?" The same kind Iwa kunochi asked as she squatted next to Fubuki, still trying to seem friendly to the child. "Was it shiny on the inside? Was there a lot of light?"

"Yes," Fubuki answered smiling and nodding. "There was lots of light, the halls were always well lit by the sun, even at night the stars and moon lit up the hallways so you didn't need touches. On the first full moon I saw there, the black rock of the halls almost seemed to glow, it was really pretty."

"So a black mountain surrounded in pale rock, but inside the mountain glows?" the woman asked, not quite understanding Fubuki

"No the mountain doesn't glow on the inside," Fubuki corrected quickly. "The black rock on the inside is smooth like glass and it has lots of white specks, they almost look like stars—especially when the moon light touches it."

"That could only be one mountain," the Iwa kunochi at the large table piped, leaning half way across the table to snatch up a large map of the five nations. "Here," she said, pointing to a section between Kumo, Suna and Konoha. "There's a mountain rage here, they're black mountains with diamonds mixed in. I remember crossing them during the war, the mountain range here is surrounded by Sandstone dust and chunks of marble."

"But that's rain country," Kakashi said as he examined the map, "And a damn good way's from our current location."

"They knock us out," Fubuki piped up, flinching when several the adults glared at her. "Sorry, I didn't know if that was important or not. They do that only when we're going back to the base, half the time we wake up just enough to see the entrance. So none of us really know how long we've been out or how long we've been traveling; just that we're really stiff, hungry and thirsty when we arrive."

"They must have given you girl's one hell of a knock out drug," Kaishin mumbled, shaking her head

"One of the older girls said that we'd stop leaving the base after a certain age," Fubuki continued. "She said that after a while we grew immune to the drug and we weren't permitted to leave the base ever again. She said the only way to leave was to get sold or to die."

"Great," the kunochi by Kaishin grumbled, just low enough that Fubuki couldn't hear her. "Great point of view from the girls, this should be easy..."

"Remember something about these girls," Kakashi said as he straightened from his place and took a good long look at the other captains in the large tent with him. "All of these children know no other life, then the life of a slave. They were taken as children and raised this way, it's all they know. And Humanity is known to fight for what they know best."

"Are you saying that these girls are likely to fight us then leave with us?" Kaishin asked with wide disbelieving eyes. "Who'd want to be a slave?"

"These girls know nothing but slavery," one of the Kumo captain's sighed, straightening from where he was slumped over the large table. "If you were raised in it, you'd fight for it too. Especially if you don't know what freedom is and are scared of your captors."

"Stockholm syndrome?" another captain asked curiously, "you think most of those children have it?"

"It's a good guess," Kakashi agreed, depressed by the possibility. "At this point, it's just best to be ready for anything."

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A few months later

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In the Mizukage's bedroom, the council of the hidden mist, the Kage's student and the entire leaf team all stood and sat around the room. Inoichi was sitting behind the council at a table with Yuriko and Shizune holding an ice pack to his blond head and starring grumpily at his plate of half-burnt food and a cup of bubbling... something. While Tsunade had been in the village she had helped with Yuriko's training, teaching the girl the ways of a medic faster then any of the hidden mists medics could. Yuriko, in all of her red headed glory, was as close to a manufactured natural as one could get. Her parents helped a lot having taught her as much as they could as they raised her, Yuriko's mother was a herbalist and her father was a low class medic. After half a year of training with Tsunade, Yuriko was now her father's superior in the hospital but was actually the same rank as him as a shinobi.

"Okay Jiraya are you ready?" Tsunade asked as she took her place beside the comatose Kage

"We've had an entire year to be sure," Jiraya grumbled as he took his place at the foot of the bed. "I can't believe that we had to waste half of that time waiting for Kakashi to get back from his mission."

"That was an S-ranked mission, thank you very much," Kakashi replied as he took his placement beside the Mizukage and across from Tsunade. "Those girls had to be saved, and besides that mission didn't take nearly as long as that accursed training I was forced to do with Fugaku-sama."

"If you're going to wield the Sharingan then you need to learn _how_ to wield the Sharingan," Fugaku replied with a stern glare at Kakashi from just behind Jiraya and in front of the mist council, his Sharingan flashing warningly at the young Anbu. "Be glad I didn't rip that eye out."

"Can we get on with this?" Kakashi asked, choosing to ignore the older man. "I'm missing the pink reunion for this..."

"Do I want to know?" Tsunade asked as she activated the seal on the floor and made a hand sign. She had created the seal months ago and it had been waiting to be activated for weeks now, she was glade to finally putting it to use.

"What is a pink reunion?" Jiraya asked curiously, as he formed a hand sign and joined in on the seal, stabilizing it.

"That was the point of my last mission," Kakashi answered as he stepped forward and lifted his headband. "I had to search out and bring back three pink haired sisters. I was able to return the youngest one but the two older ones had to get brought back my kohai."

"Aw I get it," Tsunade smirked at Kakashi as he bent over the sleeping Kage, "You're jealous of your Kohai, you got attached to the girls! I hope you didn't pull a Jiraya."

"Tsunade-Hime!" Kakashi shouted as he stumbled backwards, what little of his face that wasn't covered by his mask was red and his eye was wide with horror. "The eldest is ten! I wouldn't even consider the girl like that! She's too much trouble and the other one is even worse!"

"Hurry up already!" Yuriko shouted from where she sat, ignoring the glare from a few nearby medics.

"Come on you guys!" Yuriko whined, "We've waited all year for this!"

"Alright," Jiraya chuckled, smirking at the girl a few feet behind him. "Kakashi are you ready?"

"Do you have to ask?" Kakashi asked as he leaned back over the boy. _I can't believe this guy is the Mizukage, he's younger then I am!_

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><p>…<p>

**Should I make the chapters longer?**

**I'm up to 27 chapters in my file**

**The reasons why I don't update massively is because of two Reasons:**

**One: I need the reviews so I know what to fix and if I'm making the characters a little too OOC**

**And**

**Two: I'll only end up getting the reviews I want on the last chapter that I have posted, not on every chapter which means that when I go back to fix something I'll have to adjust the entire story accordingly and then update the fixed version—that only annoys everyone.**

**In other words, I'll end up with another 'Return Twist' instead of a story that everyone could enjoy...**

**Thoughts are helpful**

**Opinions are wonderful**

**Helpful criticisms**** lovely! Just don't cripple me okay?**

**Please no cursing!**

**And don't forget to review!**

**Page 6**


	13. Chapter 13

**There is a reason**

Chapter 13: Releasing the seal

Koomahana

**Okay so i just updated chapters 1, 5, 6 and 7!**

**and by 'updated' i mean that i fixed a few detail like Yagura's age and the colors of Sakura's mind-scape as well as a few other minor grammar and spelling mistakes! :)**

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

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><p>…<p>

"Sakura-chan!" Tayuya shouted when she caught sight of the hidden leaf's gates. Hiruzen, his councilors, several Jonin's and the Haruno family all stood together at the gates awaiting the return of the team who rescued Sakura so long ago. Tayuya smiled and climbed down from the young Anbu's back she had been ridding on and rushed forward as fast as she could, Fubuki quickly falling behind her. Sakura turned from beside her mother and stared at Tayuya and Fubuki in confusion until she recognized their long pink hair.

"Nee-chan!" Sakura screamed the second she recognized the two older girls, she let go of her mother's surprised grip and ran as fast as she could towards the laughing older girls. "Fu-nee! Ta-nee! You're here!"

"Of course we are!" Tayuya shouted as she ran forward, her pink hair whipping behind her. "I told you we should of stayed together!" Tayuya, Fubuki and Sakura all laughed as they collided together, nearly toppling over in their rush to meet again. Yes, it had taken time to return to the village, the day the girls were going to leave the camp; Fubuki had to talk to the other captains about the base the kidnappers operated out of. Then a messenger had arrived informing Kakashi that he was needed elsewhere, the other captains then decided that Fubuki and Tayuya could help them find the mountain they were looking for. Once that was done and the ring had been officially annihilated, then the girls could go to Konoha for their 'little sister'.

Overall, the three pinkette's had been away for nearly a year until that one moment.

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Kakashi opened his left eye and activated the Sharingan, after pealing open the Mizukage's eyes he activated the Mangekyō and entered the boy's mind.

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Sakura coughed harshly in the embrace of Tayuya and Fubuki, making the older girls loosen their old on her. Coughing some more, Sakura collapsed to her knees, her coughing worsening as she struggled to breath properly.

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Kakashi gritted his teeth as he first came across the Sanbi who interrogated him for a few minutes before helping him start to undo the seal placed on the Mizukage.

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Sakura screamed as she clutched at her head, tears falling from her eyes. She barely noticed how her mother grabbed at her, trying to calm her down nor did she see the fearful look on Tayuya's and Fubuki's faces. One of the medics who was traveling with the two older pinkette's hurried forward and placed a glowing palm against Sakura's head where her pain appeared to be coming from.

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Kakashi grunted as he fought with the foreign chakra within the seal. It really didn't want to be removed from the Mizukage. Did they wait too long to remove the seal? Feeling particularly agitated Kakashi jabbed at the seal, forcing out as much of the foreign chakra as he could.

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The medic gasped as he landed into a tree, something had jut physically removed him from the pinkette he was trying to help. He heard several startled voices shout, the girl's mother shouting in a panic as the Hokage hurried toward him and the two older pinkette's rush towards Sakura, tears dropping from their eyes.

His hearing was ringing and his sight was blurry, the only thing he saw before he fell into unconsciousness was the face of one of his teammates.

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Kakashi sighed in relief as several warm and welcoming chakra's surrounded him, calming the hurricane that was the Mizukage's mindscape. He tried not to think about where the chakras were coming from, he tried not to think about who they belonged too. He just knew that they were helping him and he wasn't about to make them go away for that; he could use them to his advantage. Kakashi looked down at the single eyed turtle Bijuu swimming in the waters just below him, the demon's eye blinked lazily at him and Kakashi swore that there was a tiered look to the turtle's single red eye.

"_Let's get this show on the road okay?_" Kakashi asked as he tried to smile at the demon who was trying to be helpful. "_You can summon the Mizukage as soon as the seal is removed, that sound good to you?_"

"_You can handle the rest,_" The Sanbi sighed as he faded into the deep waters.

"_I'll take your word for it,_" Kakashi chuckled as he returned his attention back to the seal

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"_Nii-tan! Nii-tan don't go!_" Sakura shouted as she ran through the forest of her mindscape, rushing towards the pale-green haired boy walking away from her. The forest faded into the golden abyss that she used to play in with Rin, before the boy arrived and she had more chances to play.

"_Nii-tan! Nii-tan please!_" Sakura screamed, she was rushing towards him and he was only walking away, but for some reason she wasn't catching up to him. He was getting further away from her without even trying.

"_Yagura-Nii!_" Sakura screamed just as she tripped and fell on the golden abyss, sniffing she looked up at the paused boy a few dozen feet away from her, a large white glowing door in front of him.

"_Nii-tan pleases!_" Sakura begged, tears dripping from her face. "_Please don't leave me! Please stay!_"

"_I can't stay Sakura_," Yagura said softly, half turned towards her. "_I have a life to get back too_..."

"_You're life is here!_" Sakura shouted as she tried to climb back onto her feet. "_Please don't leave me behind! Please_—"

"_Sakura-chan_," Rin called out softly, placing a calm restraining hand on Sakura's shoulder and keeping the pinkette still. "_Yagura is not the same as me. He is truly living and it is time for him to return home._"

"_But why can't he stay?_" Sakura asked, fat tears dripping down her face. "_What's wrong with staying here with us?_"

"_Do you want him to die?_" Rin asked as she kneeled to look in Sakura's eyes. "_Is that what you want Sakura-chan? Do you want your nii-kun to die?_"

"_No_," Sakura replied turning to look at Yagura worriedly. "_I don't want him to get hurt or to go away forever. I want Nii-tan to stay forever._" Rin sighed and wrapped her arms around Sakura in a loose comforting hug.

"_We don't always get what we want_," Rin sighed, fighting her own tears. "_Sometimes we have to let go of the ones we love most, so that they could be happy without us._"

"_I'm going with him!_" Sakura shouted as she struggled in Rin's hold, trying to get to Yagura. "_Let go Rin-nee! Let go!_"

"_No Sakura-chan_," Rin sighed as her gentile hug turned restrictive. "_If you follow him you'll die, is that what you want?_"

"_I don't care!_" Sakura shouted struggling in Rin's hold, "_Yagura-nii! Yagura-nii!_"

"_It's going to be okay Sakura-chan_," Yagura said turning around to look at Sakura and Rin, a sad smile tilting his lips. "_Everything's going to be okay. It'll take time but I promise you that I'll find you and when I do we can be real siblings then, okay?_"

"_You promise?_" Sakura asked, not seeing how Rin glared warningly at Yagura. "_You promise you'll find me, Nii-tan?_"

"_I promise_," Yagura smiled as the light of the door started to consume him. "_Someday I'll find you, Imoto..._"

"_Nii-tan!_" Sakura screamed as the light enveloped Yagura completely. "_Nii-tan! Nii-tan!_"

"_Someday_," Yagura sighed

"_NII—TA—AN!_"

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Sakura gave out a loud wail and cried in Tayuya and Fubuki's embrace until she fell asleep, too tiered to continue crying.

The boy who was with her for the past year was gone and he would never return to her, he couldn't possibly find her, not when she had been hiding her appearance from him for so long.

Just how was he supposed to keep his promise?

Sakura never saw the expression Hiruzen had given her, the suspicion and worry in his eyes, the deep frown of his lips and the way his chakra suddenly pulled into his body, hiding his presence from everyone

Only the young man who traveled with the pinkette's hanging on his back had noticed the look Hiruzen wore as he stared at the tiny child wailing in her 'sisters' arms.

_I hope things don't get worse_, the young man thought as he watched the Haruno family, the parent's heart broken as they watched their daughter eventually calm in the girls' arms. _I hope Danzo doesn't find out..._

He feared that the scared man already knew

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Kakashi sighed in relief as the last of the seal faded away, leaving the Mizukage's body completely. It wasn't long until a large bubble emerged from the deep waters of the Mizukage's mindscape, slowly revealing the boy in control of the hidden mist village.

"_Well hello sleeping beauty,_" Kakashi joked when the boy stepped out of the bubble and on to the surface of the ocean, the Sanbi hovering protectively just beneath him.

"_You make it a habit to freak out your entire village kid?_" Kakashi asked as he approached the boy calmly, hands in his pockets. "_You even had cute little Yuriko-chan crying at one point—whoa!_" Kakashi ducked as Yagura took a swipe at him, deciding that he should get out of range Kakashi quickly flipped away from the suddenly irritated looking boy.

"_Geez kid I just saved your ass and that's how you thank me?_" Kakashi asked as he landed in a low crouch, he was only kidding with the boy.

"_Yuriko is underage,_" Yagura growled out, glaring warningly at Kakashi. "_Stay away from her old man, in less you're looking forward to spending jail time for molesting a child._"

"_Okay one, Yuriko looks like she's sixteen, that's hardly my fault I didn't exactly get to ask her age yet._" Kakashi said as he raised his hands in surrender towards the boy. "_And two, I'm not old. I'm only seventeen_."

"_Yeah and I'm twelve_," Yagura sneered. "_I'm not a brat old man; I'm twenty-one already so_—"

"_You're twenty-one?!_" Kakashi asked surprised, one brow twitching wildly. "_But you're shorter then me!_"

"... _Are you really only seventeen?_" Yagura asked, his strange weapon lowing slightly

"_Yes!_"

"..._And I'm the brat,_" Yagura sighed as he hooked his weapon on his back, deeming Kakashi too inexperienced to be a threat. "_I'm older then you are, __**you're**__ the kid._"

"_Can you jut wake up now?_" Kakashi asked with a sigh, "_I actually have better things to do then to argue with you about which of us is the bigger brat._"

"_You'll always be a brat,_" Yagura smirked as he kicked Kakashi out of his mindscape. Once the strange gray haired teen was gone, Yagura turned and squatted on the water, looking down into the Sanbi's solemn eye.

"_Why are my memories fading?_" Yagura asked as glared down at the turtle. "_Why are their face's blurring?_"

"_Because you're finally back in your own body,_" the Sanbi answered. "_Everything was clear on the other side because you were looking through someone else's eyes. Now that you are back in your own body, you must create something to keep the memories in place._"

"_I have to create something to keep the both of them in mind?_" Yagura asked with a twitching eyebrow. "_How am I supposed to do that?_"

"_I'll show you,_" the Sanbi said, encasing Yagura and pulling him into the deep waters. "_I have a statue of my first host down here with me. I created it out of my only memory of the girl, as such it's kind of sad looking..._" Yagura wanted to ask if it was sad in shape because the Sanbi had no art skills or because of something else. He got his answer when he saw just what the Sanbi was speaking about. Far below the surface of the ocean and carved into the Onex stones of the ocean floor, was a statue so real looking Yagura had actually thought that it was real.

"_That's Rin when she died?_" Yagura asked as he approached the statue. Rin's head was bowed slightly as tears rolled down her tattooed cheeks, her hands clasped together in front of her chest partially hiding the thin whole in her chest. Her blue shirt was torn partially at her chest area, her white medic skirt was fluttering gently in the current of the ocean.

"_She was apologizing to me..._" the Sanbi sighed as he drifted a little closer to the tiny statue that was a perfect replica of the dead kunochi. "_Here is were you will build the girl you wish to remember,_" the Sanbi said as he dug a claw into the dirt beside Rin. "_It is ready for your molding skills..._"

"_I don't have any molding skills,_" Yagura warned as he stepped forward and started to build up the mud and stone into a pile a little shorter then Rin's knee. "_She might not turn out right..._"

"_Just try to remember what she looked like,_" the Sanbi advised. "_Let your chakra flow freely, don't control it, and relax your mind. Remember you're memories of the girl guild your hands. They will know what to do..._"

Yagura sighed as he tried to take the advice seriously, letting his chakra slip out of his control to flow freely and remembering everything he could about the little girl he promised to find.

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><p>…<p>

"Are you alright Kakashi?" Tsunade asked as she picked Kakashi up from the floor. "It's only been a few minutes..."

"It felt like hours..." Kakashi groaned as he rubbed at his forehead. "Yo' brat you up yet?"

"Huh? Kakashi are you okay?" Tsunade asked with a frown as she tried to check Kakashi for a fever. "Who are you calling a brat?"

"I'm fine," Kakashi mumbled at the blonde while he glanced down at the still sleeping Mizukage. "I just spoke to the Mizukage, he's back and well, why isn't he awake yet?"

"He might be talking to the Sanbi," Yuriko suggested as she stepped forward and brushed a finger against the young man's scar beneath his left eye. "Ya it's warm, he's defiantly talking to the Sanbi."

"How can you tell?" Jiraya asked curiously

"When Sensei is talking to his demon, his left eye glows," Yuriko answered stepping away from Yagura quickly. "Sometimes if I can't see Sensei's eye then I can tell by touching his scar. He doesn't like it but it works."

"Why doesn't he like it when you touch his scar?" Jiraya asked, tilting his head to the side, the girl gave Jiraya a secretive smile before taking a few more steps away from the Mizukage.

"Who touched me?" A low voice growled out, full of dangerous intent and possible physical abuse.

"No one!" Yuriko chimed cheerfully at Yagura as he glared at her and sat up slowly.

"Damn it girl I told you not to do that, it's annoying as hell." Yagura grumbled lowly, ignoring the leaf nin around him

"And distracting," Yuriko grinned at Yagura playfully. "Are you ready to eat something? I imagine you're pretty hungry."

"Not right this second," Tsunade warned as she flung one of Kakashi's arms over her shoulder. "Give the boy a second to recuperate."

"I'm not a boy!" Yagura growled out as he glared at Tsunade

"Yes and you have paper work to do," one of the councilmember's said as he stepped forward, arms full of paper work. "You've missed an entire year after all..." Yagura's glare was instantly replaced with a horrified look

"All that paper work..." Yagura mumbled, raising a hand to rub at his temple. "A year's worth of paper work... I'll never get it finished..."

"Don't worry too much Sensei," Yuriko grinned as she approached him with a class of water. "The council and I tended to everything but the 'A' and above paper work. That's the only files you really have to go through."

"Thank you..." Yagura said as he took the glass of water and gave Yuriko a strange look.

"Yuriko-chan has been surprisingly helpful with the paper work," the older then dust council member said from his seat

"Yuriko..." Yagura repeated slowly, his eyes sliding to look at the red head kneeling beside him as he sipped at his water.

"Yes?" Yuriko asked, tilting her head and batting her lashes

"... Could you get your sister to cook something for me please?" Yagura asked, "I am a little hungry..."

"What's wrong with my cooking?" Yuriko asked, with a look of betrayal shot at her sensei

"If I felt like eating charcoal I'd dig some out of the fire pit," Yagura replied strait faced

"My cooking skills have improved since you've been out!" Yuriko defended with tears in the corner of her eyes.

"That's an improvement?" Jiraya asked softly as he stared at the trashcan in the corner of the room, small black wisps of smoke rising from inside

"My seven year old can cook better then that," Fugaku grumbled lowly. _Then again he doesn't really cook, all the meals makes are rice dishes... mostly onigiiri..._

"Charcoal is better then mud," Inoichi grumbled from where he sat with an ice pack held to head. Both Jiraya and Fugaku raised their eyebrows at him, "Jiraya if you had kids you'd understand. Fugaku hasn't either one of your children come to you covered in mud and telling you that they were playing house with a few other kids?" Fugaku's pale face and scared eyes said that one of his sons apparently did... and it didn't end well for Fugaku.

"... They haven't reassured me in the least," Yagura said when the leaf Nin's finally quieted. Yuriko bowed her head left the room with a depressed air; Tsunade sighed and carried Kakashi as she approached Yuriko. Placing one hand on the girl's Shoulder, Tsunade tried to cheer the girl up with a smile.

"Don't worry about it too much Yuriko-chan," Tsunade smiled. "Medics aren't typically that great at cooking anyways."

"You can't cook either Tsunade-sama?" Yuriko asked with hope shinning in her eyes

"I'm the heir of a clan, of course I can cook," Tsunade said strait faced, Yuriko all but fell over.

"Just not food pills" Jiraya grumbled as he started to leave the room

"What was that?" Tsunade asked glaring over her shoulder at her white haired teammate

"Nothing," Jiraya said quickly, his face pale and his smile false. Tsunade 'humped' and continued out of the room, not catching Jiraya's relived sigh or Fugaku's and Inoichi's amused chuckles as they fallowed after her.

…

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><p>…<p>

**Thoughts are helpful**

**Opinions are wonderful**

**Helpful criticism****is**** lovely! Just don't cripple me okay?**

**Please no cursing!**

**And don't forget to**** rate and**** review!**

**Page 9**


	14. Chapter 14

**There is a reason**

Chapter 14: some Time Skipping: Meeting an Uchiha

Koomahana

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

…

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><p>…<p>

"Terumī Mei I can't belief you lied to them!" Yagura shouted the second he was alone with his female student, true that she was his only one left but that didn't mean she could use her little sister's name. "They're our allies! What'll you do when you meet with them again?"

"Tsunade-sama already knows," Mei reassured with a smile. "I told her before she started my training, I asked her not to tell anyone until after she left the hidden mist."

"Really?" Yagura asked from his bed, his brow rising curiously, "Pray tell, what was her reaction?"

"You don't want to know," Mei answered, pressing one hand to her mouth as if she was sick.

"Why'd you use your little sister's name?" Yagura asked with a sigh, leaning against his mound of pillows tiredly. "You do realize that could have back fired right?"

"Yeah I know," Mei agreed with a sad looking smile. "But Yuriko-chan said that every Kunochi needs a fake name."

"She gave you permission?" Yagura asked with a raised eyebrow, "Your little sister, who throws frying pans at your head for a living, gave you permission to use her name as an alias?"

"Umm..." Mei smiled shyly at her teacher, her cheeks reddening slightly. "...Technically..."

_THW—ACK_ "IDIOT!" "OW!"

…

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><p>…<p>

"Congratulations Sakura-chan," Hiruzen chuckled as he signed the papers on his desk. "You now have two older sisters, Fubuki and Tayuya!" Sakura laughed as she hugged her newly named sisters. Mebuki and Kizashi, her parents, had decided that their similarity to Sakura was uncanny, so they decided to adopt the two older girls—their heartbreaking tales had nothing to do with it.

"Dose this mean we can enter the academy?" Fubuki asked with wide hopeful eyes to her new parents, Mebuki and Kizashi chuckled and agreed to enter the both of them into the academy.

"No," one of the village council members snapped, surprising the five Haruno's

"Yes," Hiruzen corrected just as quickly that the old man had spoken. "I see no point in preventing two, very smart, little girls entrance to our academy. They will have a lot of work to do if they want to catch up to their class mates though..."

"We can do it!" Tayuya shouted worriedly, "We can catch up to our classmates! Please let us enter the academy!"

"We'll be the top of our classes faster then anyone can blink," Fubuki agreed just as quickly as her panicking sister. "We'll be the top students and exceed your expectations—"

"Whoa, whoa there little ones," Hiruzen chuckled waving a passive hand at the two panicking girls. "I said you _can_ enter the academy. I'm not too worried about your grades, I know you both will do well and become two of our best kunochi's yet."

"What'a bout me?" Sakura asked as she peaked around Fubuki with wide curious eyes. "Can I get in the academ-ty too?"

"You'll have to wait until you're a little older Sakura-chan," Hiruzen said with an amused smile at the girl. "Your three, most don't enter the academy until they're six."

"But I wana be with my sisters," Sakura whined looking up at her mother pleadingly

"You'll have to work on your speech," Mebuki said as she kneeled and patted her daughter's head gently. "And your writing and reading will have to improve too, all of that takes time. Especially if you want to pass the entrance examines, that takes a lot of studying too."

"I can do it," Sakura reassured her mother, looking back at Hiruzen with her best puppy dog eyes. "Pweelse let me try,"

"Alright," Hiruzen chuckled, giving into the youngest pinkette's big watery eyes. "I'll give you a year to prepare. If you don't make it when you're four you can try again when you're six, okay?"

"Whys not agwain next year?" Sakura asked curiously, tilting her head to the side. "Whys I wait two years to try again?"

"You're very smart," Hiruzen smiled. "Because that's when other's your age will be entering the academy, don't you want to be with kids your own age?"

"No," Sakura answered bluntly "I wana be with my sisters."

"We'll just have to see then," Hiruzen chuckled at the pinkette. "We'll see how you do on your test, if you get ninety percent, we'll allow you entrance when you're four, okay?"

"But lord Hokage," Mebuki call, worry in her green eyes. "Sakura-chan will be four in three months..." Sakura giggled cheerfully, Tayuya cheered shouting how smart her new baby sister was and Fubuki just smirked knowingly at Hiruzen, amusement shinning in her bright green eyes.

"Oppose..." Hiruzen sighed and resisted the urge to rub at his nose, his three council members turned to glare irritated at him, undoubtedly already thinking of things to call him when the family left.

"You prowmissed!" Sakura shouted with a wide smile. "A prowmiss is a prowmiss! I enter when I'm four and take the test! If I pass I can enter the acadam-ty with my sisters!"

"And if you fail you try again when your six," Hiruzen reminded the girl

"I won't fail," Sakura said with a wide smile and bright eyes. "That a promise!"

…

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><p>…<p>

Two weeks after their adoption, Tayuya and Fubuki entered the Konoha Academy for their first exam. An hour later, the two all but skipped out of the academy waving their tests at their parents proudly. Tayuya had gotten a passing 78 percent while Fubuki had gotten the highest score in the exam—a whopping 95 percent.

"Nice job Nee-chan!" Sakura cheered as Fubuki and Tayuya stopped beside her

"It's all thanks to you Sakura-chan," Tayuya cheered as she swept the smaller girl into a tight hug. "I couldn't have passed if you didn't help me with my reading."

"I couldn't have passed if you didn't make those flash cards," Fubuki agreed as she patted Sakura on the head. "You'll defiantly pass the exam when it's your turn. Study hard while we're at school okay?"

"Okay!" Sakura giggled cheerfully, knowing her own examine would be in two and half months. "It's a promise!"

…

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><p>…<p>

It had taken some time to find a new house for all five of them, but they did find one that was close to the academy. The house was wooden and beautiful in every meaning of the word; the three girls never noticed how both Mebuki and Kizashi had shared a knowing look when they first saw the house. It had a large back yard with several large tree's and the house was two stories with two extra guest rooms plus the three bedrooms for the girls and the main bedroom. The house almost seemed to have been built for the Haruno family, going so far with the circle crest on the staircase and the moldings; unnoticed to the untrained eye. There were flower's carved onto Sakura's door, multiple snowflakes on Fubuki's door and dancing leafs on Tayuya's. Mebuki and Kizashi's bedroom door had dancing butterflies, flowers and leaves swirled into the circle of the Haruno crest.

"Sakura-chan are you okay?" Tayuya called as she knocked on the now familiar bedroom door, she didn't hear anything from the other side and the silence in the early morning was enough to worry her—Sakura was an early riser.

"It's the day of the exam, why isn't she awake?" Fubuki asked as she and Tayuya shared a worried look. Tayuya slowly opened the door to Sakura's room. Inside was a complete mess, which was not natural to Sakura, Tayuya maybe but not Sakura. Tayuya automatically screamed for her adoptive mother, worry and fear projected in her voice making it echo inside their home. Fubuki was much calmer as she entered the room carefully and searched for something that wasn't supposed to be present. Fubuki ignored Mebuki and Kizashi's worried talking as she continued to examine her baby sister's room.

"Got it," Fubuki said, silencing her panicking family as she squatted on the floor before the window, her eyes locked onto a small puddle of blood. "Sakura-chan must have landed a hit on the person who took her; either that or she cut herself again."

"Again?" Tayuya asked as she stepped into the room to examine the small palm sized puddle of blood. "Why dose she do that? It could get infected if she's not careful."

"Don't be silly Tayuya," Fubuki scolded halfheartedly, she rose and pointed at the window rail. "She left us a trail to fallow. This is helpful to us not a hindrance; Sakura is a very smart little girl."

"What are we going to do?" Tayuya asked examining the bloody window pain.

"You go to lord Hokage and tell him what's going on," Fubuki answered as she stepped onto the rail and looked around her for the next bloody drop. "I'm going after Sakura-chan."

"No!" Mebuki shouted automatically but it was too late, Fubuki was already gone and Tayuya was climbing out the window as well. "Kizashi go with Tayuya!" Mebuki snapped as she hurried towards the window herself. "I'll fallow Fubuki, it's better if she has someone with her."

"Alright, be safe," Kizashi called as he fallowed after Tayuya easily. He may have still been a genin when his daughter was taken, but he had taken the chunin examine and passed. He was never going to let someone take his daughter again—any of them.

…

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><p>…<p>

He was listening to his instructor about the test he would have to pass if he wanted to graduate early, but he found something else more transfixing then the Chunin's slow and low grumble of words. A flash of his Sharingan revealed that the disturbance behind the chunin was a man running through the tree's... carrying something small and pink over his shoulder. Itachi found the strange man curious and left before his instructor finished his sentence, disappearing quickly and giving chase to the strange man. When he caught up, he saw that the small pink thing over the man's shoulder was a child, a child with bound hands and unconscious. Hearing a loud wail in the air, he quickly took cover into a low bush. The man must have seen him because he through a kunai at him, he barely dodged in time; the kunai flew past and hit a small rabbit, making it give out a loud ear shattering scream.

"_Amber alert! Amber alert! All shinobi search and rescue one Sakura Haruno! She has pink hair! Amber alert! Amber alert! All shinobi search and rescue one pink haired girl!_"

He blinked back at the village wall in curiosity, that voice was slightly panicked sounding and the alarm had gone and frightened the strange man... he hissed and quickly tore after the man as quickly as he could. The strange man was carrying a bound pink haired little girl, he was jumpy and wounded in his left leg. The man had kidnapped one of the children of Konohagakure, weather or not this was a test, he would rescue the little girl quickly and effectively.

No one kidnapped a citizen of Konoha with the thought of getting away with it

When he found the strange man still running through the high treetops, he quickly noticed that the wound in the man's leg had gotten worse; leaving behind a wider trail and a stronger scent. Snapping off a small tree limb (he had no weapons on himself a small branch would have to do) he burst forward with as much speed as he could muster and attacked the strange man. He started with kicking the strange man in the back of the head, fallowed by slamming the sharp end of his twig branch into the man's right leg. The man screamed and fell forward, out of the treetops and releasing the girl he had kidnapped. He burst forward a second time, landing against a tree with the tiny knocked out child in his arm. He looked down at the bound child and saw that her mouth was gagged as well... and that she was about the same age as his little brother. Resisting the urge to wound the man further, he turned and ran as fast as he could, taking to the tree tops where he would come across more of his own fellow shinobi.

A little over an hour later he reached the first wall of his village, he paid the two guards there no mind as he ran past them and continued further into the village. Just as he left the first tree line in the village and landed on the first house he came across, a relieved voice screamed out into the air, drawing his attention immanently.

"Sakura!" Mebuki shouted rushing towards him with a few Anbu's close behind her and Fubuki beside her. "Did that man hurt her? Is she okay?!"

"She appears to be just fine," he answered calmly when the team landed on the same roof and Mebuki swept forward for the girl and calmly held the pinkette out to the panicking blonde and older pinkette. "The man was already hurt when I caught up to him, it wasn't hard to take her from him."

Fubuki snatched Sakura up from his arms and quickly removed her binds, pulling the gag out gently to feel for the girl's breath while tears welled up in her eyes. Mebuki quickly kneeled and held both of her daughters close to her, tears falling from her eyes as she chuckled and whispered her thanks to the gods. The black haired boy stared at the three for a moment before he turned away from them, Just as he was about to jump away, he felt someone wrap their fingers around his wrist and pull him back slightly. Turning to look back at the person holding on to him, he stared down into Fubuki's tearful but smiling face.

"You're Tayuya's classmate, Itachi Uchiha right?" Fubuki asked, to which the boy nodded in agreement. "Thank you for saving my sister, I am in your debt." Fubuki released him and curled her self around Sakura who was still soundly asleep in her arms. "If you ever need anything, just ask."

Mebuki chuckled and patted Fubuki's head, Itachi stared again for a moment before he turned to leave again, only this time he felt someone else grab onto him. Mebuki laughed as she pulled Itachi into their hug, smothering the top of his head with words of thanks and kisses—something only his mother did. The Anbu team that was fallowing them chuckled at the scene, glade that the stoic boy could show emotion—they would have to find new ways to see him blush.

"I'm sorry to interrupt," the captain said as he stepped forward, a smile in his voice. "But where is the man who kidnapped Young Haruno-san?"

"I last saw him in that direction," Itachi said as he pointed in the direction that he had left the strange man. "He has a bad leg and he fell from the trees, I think he's hurt pretty bad."

"Looks like you hit your mark after all captain," the second in command chuckled as the team hurried into the forest. Itachi sighed as Mebuki tightened her hold on him, not letting him fallow after the team.

"Will you have breakfast with us, Uchiha-san?" Mebuki asked as she released both Itachi and Fubuki, rising to her full height. "It's the least we can do..." Itachi was about to protest but his stomach rumbled, the look on the blonde's face told Itachi he no longer had a choice in manner.

"Come on," Mebuki ordered as she grabbed Itachi's wrist and pulled him towards her home, Fubuki chuckled as she adjusted her hold on Sakura. "Let's introduce you to the rest of the family..." Itachi sighed as the blonde dragged him away, not wanting to be rude but feeling a little irritated with Fubuki's amused expression.

"Don't worry," Fubuki said as she ran beside him on the roofs. "She only get's worse if she decides to adopt you."

"I heard that," Mebuki mock-glared at her eldest

"Heard what, mother-dearest?" Fubuki asked with an innocent expression. "I didn't say anything..." Mebuki snorted and continued returning home, with Itachi in one hand while Fubuki held Sakura protectively. Fubuki gave Itachi a victorious smirk, her eyes lighting up like fireworks.

…

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><p>…<p>

**Okay so I know that I have to make the 28th chapter at least normal to the original story line, Team seven gets formed in it, but how do I go about it? Some changes have been made...**

**The Uchiha clan got socializing with the rest of the village and with Itachi taking his sweet time in the academy and taking his time advancing with his team instead of advancing through the ranks as fast as he wanted (forced), Danzo's theory and demands got shot to hell so the massacre never happened.**

**I know that in the 28th chapter should be a time skip of when Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura graduate together with the rest of the rookies; I just don't know if I should basically fallow the time line after that.**

**I know that when they go to the land of waves for the bridge builder... oh crud did I just mess that up? The bridge builder originally went to Konoha because the mist couldn't be trusted right?**

**What reason dose he have for wanting the leaf's help when the mist is ready, able and completely (slightly) sane?**

**I know what I want to write for that particular chapter, but I don't know how to go about it... **

**But I had plans for when they went into the land of waves... I haven't written it down yet but... should I just skip to it?**

**Skip the graduation and bell test and go straight to when Yagura senses Sakura in his land's borders? Should I do that?**

**By the way, how clear do most four year old's speak?**

**Just curious, I'm a little worried that I might have made Sakura too clear...**

**Thoughts are helpful**

**Opinions are wonderful**

**Helpful criticism****is**** lovely! Just don't cripple me okay?**** (Yes someone has actually tried to do so, I was shocked by their review which leads to my next request! **** )**

**Please no cursing!**

**And don't forget to**** rate and**** review!**

**Page 7**


	15. Chapter 15

**There is a reason**

Chapter 15: unexpected changes

Koomahana

**CRISIS ADVERTED! XD**

**I'm not sure why but my computer wouldn't turn on while it was plugged in, but now, at nine in the evening, IT'S WORKING! XD**

**This is an apology chapter!**

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><p><strong>I suggest listening to 'The sky and the dawn and the sun' by 'Celtic woman' for the last portion<strong>

**And yes, it's one of my favorite songs, I couldn't resist **

**I'll give you a head's up on when to start playing it **

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

…

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><p>…<p>

"Are you sure about this?" Hiruzen asked the small boy standing calmly in his office. "You know that you'll get bad feed back right?"

"I understand Lord Hokage," The young boy answered calmly. "I would like to graduate with my year mates. I will talk to my father about the matter, but I already have my mother's support." Hiruzen chuckled, yes he knew that Mikoto could be a force to be reckoned with if she chose to be. Fugaku won't fight with his wife on the mater, not if he wants to have another child... or keep his clan head status. A divorce is not looked well upon in the Uchiha clan.

"You have my blessing child," Hiruzen smiled at the boy, the young heir blinked in surprise at him for a moment before a small shy smile spread on his face. As sad as it was, the boy wasn't expecting a positive answer from him. "Do you have any thoughts on what I should tell your examiner about your disappearance act?"

"You can tell him I had more important business to attend to," Itachi suggested, his smile not faltering in the least. Hiruzen chuckled, his smile widening as he waved the boy away. Promising to relay the message to the examiner, who would most likely not be very pleased with the answer.

"Have a good day, Itachi-kun," Hiruzen said as the boy smiled back at him closed his office door behind him. "Well, what are you going to do now?" Hiruzen asked as he swiveled in his chair to look out his window where the boy's father was standing and listening in on the conversation.

"You watched us spend yesterday with the Haruno family didn't you?" Fugaku asked as he entered the office calmly. Hiruzen only smiled at him, such a silly question; he was worried too after all.

"Mebuki has already decided that he's family. If Itachi decides that he wants to move out of the compound he already has a place to live sorted out. Mebuki has the room for him and she's not about to pressure him into anything. Kizashi is bound to make him loosen up a little... and those girls..." Fugaku sighed as he rubbed at his brow tiredly. "Those daughters are trouble, there's no other way to describe them. Not even an hour after they met Itachi, they demanded he learn how to play the Piano so that one day when they all got to be on the same team they could be the only musical team that Konoha had."

"Forced?" Hiruzen asked with a knowing smile

"Okay so the youngest demanded and the other two ignored her." Fugaku corrected sarcastically, "I guess it's fair in away, Itachi picked a difficult instrument for the girl to learn."

"Did he now?" Hiruzen asked, chuckling at the memory of the scene he witnessed the previous day.

"..." Fugaku sighed again, folding his arms together. "The girl actually said that she'd learn how to play every string instrument she could find—because she didn't know what a violin was."

"Can't say she doesn't have a dream," Hiruzen chuckled. "She'll make a wonderful kunochi don't you think?"

"I would if not for the fact that her sisters are polar opposites, you can't use those two to decide the kind of kunochi that Sakura-an will be." Fugaku answered. "Tayuya spotted and disrupted every genjutsu I laid out in that house; she thought it was a game! And Fubuki was playing with the water in the pond they have in the back of the yard. She did it just to see Sakura giggle at the shapes she was making."

"You think Fubuki-chan has a bloodline?"

"I don't know," Fugaku answered with a thoughtful frown. "It's possible, I couldn't tell if she was just moving it or if she could freeze it too. I didn't want to activate my Sharingan and alarm her parents."

"I guess we'll just have to see what her chakra type is..." Hiruzen said thoughtfully. "Did you notice anything about Sakura-chan?"

"She likes to argue," Fugaku deadpanned. "She likes games too, particularly the difficult ones that are created by the Nara clan. She'll either be a terrifying politician or a horrifying Jonin."

"You don't think she can go any further then a Jonin?"

"It's too soon to know for sure," Fugaku replied, shrugging his shoulders dismissively. "She's intelligent that's for sure. The only thing that's guarantied at the moment is that she'll be a kunochi, what kind can only be determined by the people who influence her."

"Hmmm, interesting girl..." Hiruzen mused looking out his office window to stare at the Haruno house just down the street from the building.

"Lord Hokage," Fugaku called out, bringing Hiruzen's attention back to him. "I think it was a very wise thing for you to make that girl wait another two years to enter the academy."

"Oh? Why is that?" Hiruzen asked, "I thought you like people showing off their talents?"

"Yes, but the last thing this village needs is another Itachi Uchiha or Kakashi Hatake... or another Orochimaru..." Fugaku said lowly, not liking his words. All three men named were considered too be geniuses. Yet it was Orochimaru who defected because of jealousy; Itachi couldn't socialize with anyone his own age if he tried and Kakashi was obsessive about his damned orange books and slept with more women then Jiraya could dream of... well at least he gave off the impression of the later.

"What are you thinking Fugaku?" Hiruzen asked as he studied the man with sharp but tiered black eyes.

"I'm thinking that you saved this village from having another so called genius being socially awkward or... or being tempted... by our enemies..." Fugaku sighed, slumping against the wall, figures that now would be the time when his words failed him. "That girl needs to be with her family, she shouldn't be in the academy until she's older, like all the other children."

"You want to protect her form someone," Hiruzen murmured, "Who are you protecting her from?"

"Someone who's still after my son," Fugaku answered tiredly. "That man is after something and I can't figure out what it is."

"Do you know who this man is?"

"He's at the academy almost every day," Fugaku answered. "He's always watching my son, as if he's waiting for something brilliant to happen. If I can keep my son in the academy for a little longer... I might be able to keep that man away from him."

"But you can't be sure," Hiruzen guessed. "I'll see what I can't do to make sure strangers don't get too close to the academy from now on."

"He's not a stranger," Fugaku warned, "Do you know who I'm speaking about?"

"One of my council members who's stabbed me in the back once or twice before?" Hiruzen guessed sadly. "Yes I know who you're speaking about. I'm not all that surprised by it at all, in fact I should have seen it coming."

"He's one of those men who doesn't leave a paper trail behind," Fugaku sighed. "No wonder you can't get rid of him. Can you even get him off your council?"

"I'll need a reason," Hiruzen sighed, closing his eyes in disappointment

"I can fabricate one," Fugaku offered honestly, making Hiruzen's head snap up to study him carefully

"That wouldn't work," Hiruzen chuckled with a warm smile, relieved that Danzo's words about the Uchiha's betrayal were faults—not that he believed in them to begin with. "but thank you."

"As you wish," Fugaku smiled and bowed his head to Hiruzen slightly, just enough to be respectful. "It's kind of depressing that he holds so much power without even trying. Guess it could be worse..."

"Who could be worse then my old friend?" Hiruzen asked with a raised eyebrow

"Orochimaru could still be in the village and/or his experiments still going on without our knowledge," Fugaku answered. "Truthfully, I'd rather Danzo as a council member then Orochimaru as a councilmember."

"I can never forgive my self..." Hiruzen murmured, depressed by the memory of his once favorite student. "I don't think I would have won back then and I don't think I could win against him now..."

"I doubt that there are many in this world who can handle that man," Fugaku reassured softly, marveled by the third's words. "At least we know that someday we'll have someone strong enough to take him out; If not multiple someone's."

"Fugaku-kun, what are you planning now?" Hiruzen asked with that wiry smile forming on his lips again.

"I'm thinking it's about time our village clans got together..." Fugaku murmured thoughtfully, his eyes distant as he stared out the window behind him. "Minato was thinking about it before... before the Kiyobi..."

"A clan get together?" Hiruzen asked, "How do you plan to pull that off?"

"By throwing a party every month," Fugaku said thoughtfully, it was just a passing thought between them and the details were never hammered out because they soon learned of Kushina's pregnancy and then there was the Kiyobi attack... "Each week it'll be held at a different clan compound, to bring the clan's together. I'll through the first few, just to get the others used to it..."

"I think you should have a talk to a few of the other clan heads," Hiruzen chuckled beginning to like the idea already. "It might do you some good."

"You think they'll actually stop to listen to what I have to say?" Fugaku asked with a frown on his face. "Last time I checked they don't exactly like me."

"You haven't given them any reason to," Hiruzen replied in amusement. "I support the idea Fugaku-kun. I'll send out the invites to the clan heads. Let's have the first one at my estate, are you okay with that?"

"What clan head wouldn't go to the Hokage's mansion for a party?" Fugaku chuckled with agreement.

…

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><p>…<p>

**I suggest turning that song on now **

…

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><p>…<p>

Kakashi sighed behind his Anbu mask, once again another storm swept through the village and, once again, he was sitting in the corner of a pinkette's room; said pinkette sitting in his lap trembling like a leaf. An hour ago, Tayuya had entered fearfully herself; she now leaned against his right side, sleeping softly. Not even five minutes after Tayuya, Fubuki, the over protective mother cougar, stepped into the room worriedly, Kakashi nodded at her and she soon joined them in the corner, on the floor. At least she was smart enough to grab a blanket and wrap it around them before she dozed off to his left. As time passed Sakura's eyes would close and her breathing would calm but with a large boom or a bright flash of light from the storm outside, Sakura would waking instantly. It was amusing the first time, seeing her nearly jump out of her skin, but his amusement soon died when he saw just how afraid Sakura truly was.

"Shh, shh, I'm here," Kakashi whispered when Sakura whimpered, clinging to him tightly. He sighed and adjusted his hold, trying to get feeling back in his arm; Kakashi flinched when a loud boom echoed over head, making Sakura give out a startled cry. He patted her back gently, trying to think of a way to calm the little girl down; he tried to remember what his father did when he was afraid of something as a child. The memory was quick like a flash of lightning behind his eyes, his father's voice deep and soft, singing a song his mother once sang.

"_High is the moon tonight  
>Hiding it's guiding light, high<br>Heaven and earth do sleep, still in the dark so deep  
>I will the darkness sweep<em>

_I will the moon to flight, I will the heaven's bright  
>I will the earth to light<br>Open your eyes with me, see paradise with me  
>Awake and arise with me<em>"

Kakashi shifted uncomfortably between the three girls, not knowing if he was hitting the notes right. He remembered the song the way his mother sang it, soft but cheerful.

"_I am the dawn, I'm the new day begun  
>I bring you the morning, I bring you the sun<br>I hold back the night and I open the skies  
>I give light to the world, I give sight to your eyes<em>

_From the first of all time, until time is undone  
>Forever and ever and ever and ever<br>And I am the dawn and the sky and the sun  
>I am one with the one and I am the dawn<em>_"_

His father sang it differently, low and soft like a lullaby he forgot the words too. While he was making it clumsy and hesitant, his deep voice almost sounding threatening and awkward with the notes. He hummed some words instead of saying them because he couldn't remember all the lyrics to the song.

"_I am the sky and the dawn and the sun  
>I am the sky and the new day begun<br>I am the sky and the dawn and the sun_"

By the time he was finished singing, humming some parts and stumbling over others, Sakura was sound asleep and the storm was over. Looking to his left curiously, he saw that Mebuki was leaning against the doorway to Sakura's room, blankets and pillows in her arms and tears in her eyes.

"Let me help you," Mebuki whispered as she gave him a watery smile. She gently lifted the blanket, pulling Fubuki closer to her as she did so. Kakashi nodded his thanks as he gently pushed Tayuya against the wall, trying to get her to lean against it before she fell on the floor. Trying to rise to his feet with Sakura asleep in his arms was a little more difficult then he would have thought, especially when he had to freeze at the sound Tayuya groaning in her sleep and turning towards the closest thing giving off heat.

Kakashi always wondered why Tayuya looked as if she hit her head daily, now he understood. He flinched when Fubuki soon joined her sister on the floor, yet neither wakened, he didn't know to be worried or impressed. Slowly he turned on the balls of his feet and gently laid Sakura on Tayuya's stomach beside Fubuki's head. It was amusing to see that both girls were using Tayuya as a pillow. Gently Kakashi placed the blanket back over the sisters, gently placing another around Fubuki and a pillow beneath Tayuya's head.

Nodding to Mebuki as he stood, Kakashi quickly left the Haruno house, his mission that came and went with the stormy season finally over until next year when the storms returned. He quickly reported to Hiruzen, skipping his bad singing part, and received his next mission.

It would be another year before he saw the Haruno sisters again and again he would sing them to sleep, slowly growing more confident about the song with each storm that passed through.

…

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><p>…<p>

**Thoughts are helpful**

**Opinions are wonderful**

**Helpful criticism****is**** lovely! Just don't cripple me okay?**

**Please no cursing!**

**And don't forget to**** rate and**** review!**

**Page 7**


	16. Chapter 16

**There is a reason**

Chapter 16: The first Music lesson

Koomahana

**Fubuki was 10 when she met Sakura & 11 when she was taken to the leaf village**

**Tayuya was 8 when she met Sakura & 9 when she was taken to the leaf village**

**Sakura was 3 when she was taken and returned to the leaf village**

**Yagura was 20 when he first met Sakura and 21 when he returned to his body.**

**Yagura is 17 years older then Sakura**

**Fubuki is 7 years older than Sakura and 2 years older then Tayuya**

**Tayuya is 5 years older than Sakura**

**They are now:**

**Fubuki is now 11 ½ years old— (Same age as Shisui and Shikan)**

**Tayuya is now 9 ½ years old— (Same age as Itachi and Hana)**

**Sakura is now 4 ½ years old— (Same age as Naruto and Sasuke)**

**Okay I'm sorry i was sick last week so I didn't update, this is last week's update :)**

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

…

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><p>…<p>

"Fu-nee what are you reading?" Sakura asked as she climbed onto her sister's pale blue bed, dragging her stuffed puppy with her. Fubuki smiled and set her scroll to the side, choosing to pick Sakura up and settle her beside her.

"I'm reading about herbs" Fubuki answered as she pulled her scroll back over to her.

"What's a herb?" Sakura asked slowly, trying to say it correctly

"A herb is a plant that can be eaten," Fubuki chuckled. "They can be used for medicine or for daily meals."

"Hay I know that one!" Sakura said as she pointed at flower drawn in the scroll. "Mommy grows that one in the guardian."

"Yes she does," Fubuki agreed. "Do you know where else you've seen it?" Sakura scrunched her face up in thought after a moment Fubuki decided to have mercy other little sister. "How about in the salads Mom makes from time to time?"

"I knew that" Sakura grumbled, crossing her arms and pouting. Fubuki chuckled and continued reading, when she noticed Sakura trying to read with her, Fubuki wrapped one arm around her and started to read aloud, one finger running accurse the words so Sakura knew what she was reading.

…

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><p>…<p>

"Hurry up Sakura!" Tayuya shouted as she all but picked up her little sister and started running. "We're going to be late!"

"We will be if you don't let me pick up my violin!" Sakura shouted back, Tayuya put Sakura down and jumped back and forth on her feet as Sakura ran back down the street to grab her violin case. When she did she turned ran full tilt back to Tayuya, not seeing the two sets of surprised pale eyes watching her go.

"Hurry up!" Tayuya shouted, grabbing Sakura's arm the second she was within range and ran full tilt up the striate and skidded to a halt in front of the music school where they were begin their first lessons.

"Sorry if we're late," Tayuya said as she opened the door and all but pushed Sakura through first. Pale eyes blinked up the road curiously, a wooden key chain with wisps' of water, snow flakes and a flower carved on it in hand.

"Hinata-Hime, is everything okay?" The shy child jumped at the familiar voice, turning Hinata nodded her head and showed the young man what she was holding. "Well isn't that pretty, are you going to keep it?" Hinata looked up the street then down at her hand, looking back up to her cousin she shrugged her shoulders softly, unsure if she try to return it or keep it.

"How about we stop by a few of those shops and see if anyone recognize it?" Hinata smiled and took her cousin's hand as he led the way up the street, when he stopped at the first store they came too; Hinata shook her head and pulled him towards the one she had seen the two pink haired girls enter. Chuckling, her cousin fallowed her into the music studio; they waited together until the manager was available. However, when Hinata saw a splash of pink, she let go of her cousin and quickly fallowed after the girl, her cousin clueless as he spoke to the manager. Hinata paused at the entrance to large room with multiple instruments strewn throughout the room, curious Hinata stepped into the room.

"Hello," Hinata squeaked in surprise when the voice sounded behind her, turning Hinata stare fearfully up at the taller pink haired girl she had seen in the street. "Are you lost?" The girl asked, pulling her kimono tight in front of her locker. Hinata didn't answer as she shifted uncomfortably, when the girl hissed in realization that she had gotten the ties wrong again, Hinata stepped forward and helped the older girl pull her dress together.

"Thank you," the girl chuckled as she held out her arms and looked down at herself in amusement, impressed that the girl could help her. "How old are you anyways? You don't look much older then my sister..." Hinata shifted uncomfortably again before she held up four fingers.

"Ah, you are the same age as my sister," the girl grinned pointing a down the wall. "She's over there. Neither one of us have worn Kimono's much..." Hinata looked up at the smaller pinkette and watched as she tripped and landed on the ground in a pile of clothes. "Okay make that never before... Kaa-chan unsurely helps Imoto, but she's not here and we're both on our own."

"Ta-nee can you help me?" the younger girl asked as she rose back to her feet. "I don't get it! How can anyone get dressed with all these layers on?" Shyly Hinata fallowed the older girl towards her sister, clutching the wooden key-chain close.

"Hold on," the girl chuckled as she kneeled and tried to help Sakura. "I think it goes like this... then like this... maybe like this?"

"Tayuya-nee how did you get dressed so fast?" the girl asked, Tayuya smiled and looked back at Hinata who was half hiding behind her.

"This cutie helped me out," Tayuya answered. "Strangely she hasn't said a single word to me. She just walked up and started to help me."

"Huh?" Sakura turned slightly to look at the tiny child hiding behind Tayuya; she blinked for a few minutes before she smiled and held a hand out to the shy girl. "My name is Sakura Haruno and this is my older sister, Tayuya Haruno. Thank you for helping her." Hinata smiled shyly as she stepped forward and shook Sakura's hand gently.

"There all done!" Tayuya cheered clapping her hands together; Sakura looked down at her dress and cringed.

"Um... I don't suppose you can help me, can you?" Sakura asked as she undid her sister's work. Tayuya pouted before standing and leaving the changing room, waiting just out side of it for the two.

"Thank you," Sakura said as Hinata slowly showed Sakura how to do it correctly, Sakura memorized every step to the best of her ability. Watching her work, Sakura felt rather dumb for not figuring it out sooner.

"Are you mute?" Sakura asked when the girl was done, Hinata blushed brightly and shook her head. "You just have hard a time speaking, right?" Hinata fidgeted before she nodded slowly, Sakura did something that Hinata didn't think she would do. Sakura grinned and clasped her hands tightly.

"Why don't you take some music classes here?" Sakura suggested, "If you can't say something then you can use music to say it for you. That's the cool thing about music, what you can't say the music can." Hinata stared wide eyed at Sakura, surprised by her words.

_She's the same age as me..._ Hinata thought looking down at her hands in wonder. _Yet she can speak so clearly... why can't I be like that?_

"Hay cheer up," Sakura grinned at Hinata, making the girl blush. "If you're not a student here, you can always ask your guardians. You don't have to verbally ask your question, you can always write it down if you want."

Hinata blinked and nodded in agreement, she would like to return to the school and learn with this strange pink haired girl. Pointing to the bench, Hinata gestured to Sakura that she would do her hair, Sakura grinned and nodded. Taking her seat easily, Sakura pulled her hair out of her way and let Hinata pull it out of her way. Hinata sighed as she ran her fingers through Sakura's long hair; she had never seen anyone with such long hair, even within her own clan. Tugging and pulling at the smooth strands gently, Hinata pulled Sakura's long hair into a low ponytail, similar to a few of her cousins.

"Thank you," Sakura grinned at Hinata, brushing her bangs behind her ear. "I never really thought about tying my hair back, I know nii-tan wanted me too... but I never did..." Sakura sighed at the memory of a boy she could barely remember. It had been so long since she last seen his face and she was afraid that she was starting to forget him. Hinata opened and closed her mouth repeatedly for a moment before she placed a reassuring hand on Sakura's shoulder, waking the pinkette from her thoughts. Sakura smiled at her and before she could say anything both girls heard a high pitch scream from the hallway. Worried and slightly scared, Hinata hid behind Sakura as the pinkette walked towards the exit.

"Nee-chan?" Sakura called peaking around the corner of the dressing room. "What's going on?"

"Stay back Sakura!" Tayuya ordered from where she stood protectively in front of the doorway, one flute in hand and her other thrust out at her side to keep Sakura and Hinata out of view.

"How many times do I have to say that I'm searching for a little girl?" the man in front of Tayuya asked, taking another step forward. "I have to get her back home—"

"You're not taking another step, you creep!" Tayuya hissed angrily. "This is the girl's changing room, get out!"

"But—"

"I said leave or so help me—"

"You'll what? Throw your flute at me?" the man asked sarcastically, "look just let me through—" Tayuya growled as the man took a step forward, before he could continue Tayuya started to play her flute and weaved her chakra through it targeting the strange man specifically.

"Tayuya-nee!" Sakura shouted, covering her ears at her sister's slightly better music. "Stop playing! You're going to make _me_ go deaf!" Tayuya ignored Sakura's jab as she continued focusing on the strange man trying to enter the girl's changing room. The man hissed and clasped at his hands over his ears, growling when he saw that his equilibrium was thrown off by the girl's shrill music.

"Sakura now!" Tayuya shouted, pausing in her playing, "Take the girl and get to a teacher! Tell her a strange man tried to enter the girl's changing room!" The man grunted pulling himself back up again, Tayuya growled and returned to her playing, not bothering to wait for her sister's answer.

Understanding what was going on, Sakura grabbed Hinata's hand quickly left the room through the other door on the other side of the room. Once on the other side Sakura pulled Hinata along with her, shouting for the manager as they both hurried down the hall. When they got to the reception desk, the teachers were already hurrying towards them worriedly. Sakura ignored the man standing at the desk as she recited everything to the adult women, who didn't appear to be happy but not angry either. One of the older women didn't bother listening to Sakura's explanation, she took off down the hall faster then anyone stopped to notice.

"...Pleases help her!" Sakura gasped at last, her hand tightening on Hinata's. "Ta-nee isn't the best musician but there was no reason for the man to be on the ground! Tayuya-nee isn't that bad!"

"Sakura-chan I want you to take your friend and sit here," the woman running the school said as she pushed both girls towards a pair of chairs nearby. "I'll go see if there's anything I can do to help her." the woman was down the hall before Sakura could agree. Turning to Hinata, Sakura tried to give her a reassuring smile.

"Hinata," a gruff voice called, making both girl's jump. "What are you doing here?" Sakura was on her feet and standing in front of Hinata protectively faster then the man thought she could move.

"Who are you?" Sakura demanded glaring up at the strange man dressed in cream-colored robes.

"I'm Hinata's father, Hiashi." The man answered with narrowed eyes, Sakura blinked dumbly at him before she twisted and look at Hinata curiously. Hinata nodded with a small blush on her cheeks, Sakura turned to Hiashi and smiled. Chuckling nervously Sakura relaxed her stance and scratched the back of her head sheepishly.

"Sorry about that mister," Sakura apologized. "There was a strange man demanding to enter the girl's locker room so he could take a girl home with him." Sakura pointed down the hall where the sound of silence had over taken her sister's flute. "Sorry for jumping to con-clue-shians," Sakura frowned when she realized she miss pronounced the word. "Con-clue-shians," Sakura tried again and growled when she got it wrong again.

"Conclusions?" Hiashi asked with a raised eyebrow, Sakura smiled shyly at him

"Yeah, that one..."

"Well how the hell was I supposed to know that?!" Tayuya's voice shouted down the hall, making Sakura flinch at the volume. "He didn't say that! He just said he needed to get a girl to take back to his house! He was gesturing to the locker room! Of course, I assumed the worst! My little sister and her friend were the only ones in there!" Hiashi closed his eyes and took a deep, calming breath as one of his relatives snickered behind him.

"That's no excuse to use such a powerful genjutsu against him," one of the female instructors said as she pulled Tayuya down the hall by her ear.

"A gen-what?" Tayuya asked when the woman finally let go of her, only to point at a chair next to Sakura and Hinata.

"You don't know what Genjutsu is?" the woman asked curiously, one hand on her hip

"Umm..."

"Genjutsu is the art of illusions," Sakura whispered to Tayuya helpfully

"Thanks," Tayuya whispered back, "Of course I know what a Ganjutsu is, it's the art of illusions."

"G_e_njutsu," Sakura whispered to Tayuya. "I said G_e_njutsu"

"Oh... I meant to say Genjutsu..." Tayuya corrected quickly, the woman's unimpressed look said that she didn't buy it. "Am I in trouble?" Tayuya asked giving up her act

"You attached a Hyūga clan member when he was trying to retrieve his charge," the woman said gesturing towards Hinata. "Not only that but you used a powerful sound Genjutsu that possibly did some real damage to his hearing."

"Huh? Tayuya-nee is bad, but she can't be that bad!" Sakura deafened her sister in confusion. Hiashi tried very hard not to show his amusement at the girl's words, 'Tayuya's expression was a mix of insult and thanks. She was thankful that her sister was trying to help, but she was insulted by her sister's choice of words.

"How is he?" Hiashi finally asked, drawing the woman's attention back to his person.

"Hiashi-sama!" the woman gasped, snapping around to address him respectfully. "Yuhi-san and another of my teachers is taking him to the hospital to have his ear's checked. He was unconscious when we found him."

"Is your playing that bad?" Sakura asked Tayuya, "I thought you said you've improved since you got it?"

"I have," Tayuya growled at Sakura, her face red.

"Are you sure?" Sakura asked curiously, "Because the first time you played the flute, you broke mommy's favorite cup, not her head." Tayuya slapped Sakura's head, forcing her little sister to tend to the wound on her head then to ask her embarrassing questions.

"If you're that bad then you really do need an instructor," the woman grumbled looking back at Tayuya thoughtfully. Tayuya bowed her head and sighed in depression

"Hay do you have any Violin teachers?" Sakura asked, trying not to cry at the throbbing pain in her head.

"I do," the woman agreed, looking down at Sakura. "Do you want to learn some Genjutsu's too?"

"No," Sakura answered bluntly, surprising the woman. "I just want to learn how to play the instrument."

"Well that's a surprise," another woman's voice said, flinching both Sakura and Tayuya stared wide-eyed as another woman landed between them and the woman, crimson eyes staring calculatingly down at the two of them. "Your sister is a natural at Genjutsu... I wonder if you are too..."

"Um..." Tayuya and Sakura shared a confused look,

"I'm four and a half," Sakura informed the woman, "I won't be entering the academy until I'm six."

"Then I'll be waiting here for you," the woman said with a smile. Again, Tayuya and Sakura shared an unsure look.

"We're not here to learn any jutsu's miss," Tayuya said, shifting in the chair when the two grown women looked at her curiously. "We're here to learn how to play our chosen instruments. I want to know how to play the flute and Sakura wants to know how to play the violin. That's all."

"That's all?" the red-eyed woman repeated curiously. "Are you sure about that?" again the sisters looked at each other nervously.

"I think we'll worry about those sound Genjutsu's later," Sakura said looking at the strange woman. "Like _after_ we've gotten a good handle on our chakra network..."

"... Sounds reasonable," the woman hummed, she nodded at the head of the school before disappearing again.

"I have to learn how to do that," Tayuya said with a smile shared with Sakura

"You'll have to wait until you're high Chunin," the teacher replied shaking her head. "That's typically reserved for Jonin, but some Chunin can use it." Tayuya grinned down at Sakura again, a determined but cheerful look in her hazel eyes.

"I am so learning that trick,"

Sakura smiled back at Tayuya, knowing that she would have to show her older sister where the library was later

…

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><p>…<p>

**PS: I'm NOT giving away what the content is between chapters 17 and 27!**

**Nice try though **

**I'm having trouble with 28 and I already told you about it!**

**That's about as close to a sneak peak as you all are going to get! **

**Oh yeah I forgot to ask, how do you spell that nickname Sasuke uses to call Naruto?**

**I know Naruto calls Sasuke 'Teme' which means 'bastard' but how do you spell Sasuke's word for Naruto? Is dub or doub?**

**should I kill Zabuza and Haku?**

**Are you mad that I'm taking my sweet time through Sakura's new life with two over protective sisters?**

**Should I change the intro?**

**How about the rating?**

**Thoughts are helpful**

**Opinions are wonderful**

**Helpful criticism****is**** lovely! Just don't cripple me okay?**

**Please no cursing!**

**And don't forget to**** rate and**** review!**

**Page 9**


	17. Chapter 17

**There is a reason**

Chapter 17: the first Sleep over

Koomahana

**Umm... sorry but I forgot to update fifteen when I added sixteen... just so you know!**

**I'm sorry!**

**Oh and I found out when I updated that the lines through the words don't get transferred over... so if it's underlined (like this) then it was scratched off... you'll understand when you read... I think...**

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

…

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><p>…<p>

A week after the music incident, while he was drinking his tea calmly with his wife at his right and his father to his left; Hiashi watched curiously as Hinata pulled out a pencil and a small pad of paper. She wrote quickly on the paper and handed it to her mother, who opened the paper and giggled; handing it to him quickly. Curious, Hiashi raised an eyebrow at his daughter, opened the folded piece of paper, and read what his daughter had written to him.

'_I want to learn how to play music_'

"Why do you want to learn how to play music? Do you have an instrument in mind?" Hiashi asked, expecting his child to speak to him. Hinata fidgeted for a moment before she started writing again, much to her grandfather's irritation.

"Quite you're bloody writing and speak up girl!" The old man snapped, surprising Hinata and making her jump in her seat. "You are the Hyūga clan heir! If you want something you don't write it down, you speak up!" Hinata blinked at her grandfather before returning to her writing, when she was done with the first note she folded it up and started on the second note, she scratched out her words several times before she finished. Hiashi was amused as Hinata stood up, calmly passed one note to his wife and _threw_ the other at his father. Before the old man could reprimand Hinata, the girl turned and ran out of the dinning room, escaping her grandfather's wrath temporarily.

Hiashi hid his smirk as he opened the note his wife had passed on to him.

'_Music can say what words can't'_

Hiashi was so transfixed by the words that he was actually startled when his father slammed his hands on the table and stood. Hiashi and his wife watched as the old man cursed under his breath and hobbled out of the room, curious Hiashi reached over and picked up the crumpled up piece of paper his father left behind.

'_Not everyone is made from ice__'_

'_Some of us can't forget our'_(did she mean 'mistake'?)

'_I'm not like you__'_

'_Please let me have this one _' (was that supposed to be 'freedom'?)

'_You aren't my father__'_

'_...I wasn't asking you_'

Hiashi sighed as he reread the small note, letting his wife slip it from his fingers when her own curiosity got the best of her. Standing from the table, Hiashi ignored his wife's worried look and started for the door.

"I'll talk to her," Hiashi murmured before he left his wife alone at the breakfast table.

…

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Mebuki watched as her daughter's ran around in the back yard, all three had gotten into a water fight, playing with the hose and water balloons and Fubuki actually started dumping water on her sisters by using the pond water, much to the other girl's irritation. Mebuki had been watching her daughter's play together since noon, her husband having been called away by a relative hours earlier. Hearing a firm knock on her front door, Mebuki turned away from the sink where she was cleaning up the lunch dishes and headed for the door.

"Coming!" Mebuki called as she approached the door, peaking through the glass beside the door, Mebuki opened her door slightly and peaked around it. "Oh, hello there little one," Mebuki giggled as she opened her door further.

"Are you lost Hyūga-chan?" Mebuki asked, Squatting in the doorway and smiled at the shy blue haired child on her doorstep. The little girl twisted her fingers and shook her head. "Are you looking for someone?" The girl nodded and held out a small piece of paper, confused Mebuki took the slip of paper and read it.

"Oh!" giggling Mebuki nodded at the little girl. "I have three pink haired daughters, why don't you come in and greet them?" The little girl looked nervously over her shoulder before nodding at Mebuki; she stepped in and slipped off her shoes automatically.

"Come on, I'll take you to the girls," Mebuki said as she helped the girl over the step in the house and led her through her house to the back open back door. They both paused on the back porch, watching as Fubuki hovered to large globs of water over Tayuya and Sakura, Sakura was pointing the hose at Fubuki threatening and Tayuya was ready to throw three water balloons at the same time.

"Girls!" Mebuki called, distracting the three pinkette's from their stand off. "Why don't you come and greet our guest?" Sakura and Tayuya both turned and smiled at the little girl beside Mebuki, their smiles vanished when Fubuki dropped the orbs of water on them.

"Nee-chan!" Tayuya and Sakura shouted together, letting lose on the older girl

"I'm sorry!" Fubuki laughed, holding her hands up in surrender and tried to get away from her two younger sisters. "I lost control! I couldn't hold them up any more!" Mebuki giggled as Tayuya and Sakura both had their fill of revenge on Fubuki, proudly the three girls rung out their clothes as they approached the back porch.

"Hay you're the girl from the music store," Tayuya said with a grin. "It's nice to see ya' again, how are you doing?" The little girl pulled out her stack of paper and wrote on it, quickly showing the three sister's her answer.

"Fu-nee what dose that say?" Sakura asked looking up at her oldest sister, not seeing Hinata's depressed expression

"I think it says 'okay'," Fubuki answered staring at the wobbling character. "But I'm not sure; those lines are pretty wobbly..."

"Enough, no teasing," Mebuki scolded Fubuki, placing a hand on Hinata's head and pulling her close. "Your writing isn't much better."

"At least it's legatable," Fubuki shot back

"You mean 'legible,'" Mebuki corrected with a dead panned look at her oldest daughter.

"See? You knew what I meant,"

"That's because you're my kid," Mebuki smirked at Fubuki. "Come on, it's about time for you two to start working on you're writing anyways."

"And reading!" Sakura shouted with a wide smile

"After you dry off," Mebuki agreed, pulling Hinata aside as the three girls squashed passed.

"I forgot to ask you why you're here little one," Mebuki said as she gently led Hinata into the kitchen and placed her in one the chairs. "Is there something you want?" Mebuki asked as she set a plate of small sandwiches in front of the four year old.

"No?" Mebuki questioned as Hinata shook her head and nibbled on a small sandwich. "Then would you like to help Sakura-chan with her reading? She's the same age as you." Hinata blinked up at Mebuki as the blonde pushed her a little closer to the low sitting table; obviously it was made for children.

"Don't worry; the girl's will be down in a moment." Mebuki said as she poured Hinata a class of water, right on cue a pair of hurried feet thumped against the stairs. Sakura hurried back down the stairs with a bag of books over her shoulder, a smile twisting her face into an eager look.

"Mommy I got the books!" Sakura said as she skidded to a halt and presented the beg to Mebuki.

"Okay, but why don't you try reading with Hyūga-chan?" Mebuki asked as she set the beg next to the table while Sakura sat down next to Hinata. "You can read aloud and I'll correct you if you make a mistake."

"Okay!" Sakura grinned as she pulled out a thin book and settled it between her and Hinata. "Oh yeah, I know you don't like talking, so can you write down you're name?" Sakura asked turning to Hinata. "Do you know how to write it yet?" Hinata blushed brightly and shook her head.

"Oh, well we can't keep calling you 'girl' and 'Hyūga-san'... oh! How about I try to guess you're name?" Sakura asked with bright smile, Hinata blushed brightly and twisted her fingers together nervously.

"Hi-hi-n-na-a-t-ta-a," Hinata stuttered out, deciding that it would be best to speak. Sakura stared blankly at her for a moment, her lips moving in the motions of Hinata's name.

"Did you say 'Hinata'?" Sakura questioned, "You speak so softly I couldn't tell." Hinata's blush brightened and she nodded, making Sakura smile cheerfully.

"That's great! We have a name to call you now!" Sakura cheered wrapping her arms around Hinata's Neck. "Now this book is called the adventures of Torihana, the boy who was born inside a giant peach!" Sakura said as she adjusted herself in her seat and turned the book to show Hinata the cover before she opened it and started to read aloud. Fubuki and Tayuya peaked into the room and giggled as they listened to Sakura read aloud, Mebuki correcting her every now and again. They both grinned and huddled over to the larger table, deciding to do their homework there, out of the way of the smaller girls.

Mebuki smiled as she listened to Sakura, who eventually got Hinata to speak up, slowly getting the shyer girl to read the book aloud. Surprisingly Hinata wanted to keep reading the book until she was as good reading it as Sakura was.

About an hour later and about the fourth time Sakura and Hinata read the story about Torihana, Mebuki heard someone else knock on her door. Curious, Mebuki opened the door and smiled when she found an old classmate standing on the other side.

"Hello Hiashi, how are you?" Mebuki asked with a smile, "I take it Hinata-chan is yours?"

"She wrote her name out?" Hiashi asked, his brows tilting in confusion

"No," Mebuki giggled, finding Hiashi's confusion amusing. "She told us."

"She spoke?" Hiashi asked, surprise filling his voice and making Mebuki confused

"Of course she spoke," Mebuki answered in confusion before she sighed in realization. "I take it she hasn't been?"

"No," Hiashi agreed. _Not since brother..._

"Well now that make's Sakura's earlier words understandable," Mebuki sighed glancing inside her house. "Sakura and Hinata are reading _Torihana_, right now. I think so long as you stay out of sight that they will continue reading. You can listen to them from the dinning room with Tayuya and Fubuki if you want."

"Thank you," Hiashi said entering his old classmate's home calmly. Mebuki smiled and stepped around the corner, silently telling her daughter's to be quite as Hiashi silently fallowed her. Tayuya and Fubuki continued doing their homework in silence, vary rarely asking Mebuki for help and Hiashi only once. Hiashi continued to listen to his daughter's voice as she continued to read with Mebuki's youngest, her voice losing it's stutter and becoming a little stronger as she continued to speak. When Kizashi returned, Mebuki filled him in and patted Hiashi on the back before he went out side to sharpen a few of his tools; preparing for the Jonin examine.

When dinner rolled around, Mebuki made up the small dishes that were more of a snack then a dinner and set them in front of everyone, not letting anyone stop what they were doing. Sakura and Hinata ate together, sharing a book between them, Tayuya and Fubuki eating quickly so they could get back to their studies, Kizashi letting his food cool as he continued to tend to his weapons and Hiashi calmly listening to his daughter's soft voice in the next room as he ate slowly. When both Sakura's and Hinata's voices had drifted off into soft snores, Hiashi rose from his seat and entered the living room where both girls were laying on the floor sleeping together. Hiashi stared at the scene for a moment before looking up to see Mebuki approaching with a blanket in hand and a smile on her face.

"Can... Can Hinata stay the night here?" Hiashi asked as Mebuki stopped beside him. "I'll pick her up in the morning... and I'll bring some extra clothes too..."

"It's fine by me." Mebuki answered shuffling into the room and covering both girls with a blanket and placing some pillows around the girls. Hiashi thanked Mebuki and calmly left her house, returning to the compound to gather a few of Hinata's things and return to drop them off at Mebuki's house. When he returned to his home he spoke to his wife about what happened and agreed to her coming with him when he picked Hinata up in the morning from the Haruno house.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Mebuki huffed as she pulled Hinata and Sakura into her arms, rising to her feet and slowly make her way to the stairs.

"Kizashi," Mebuki called softly when she passed the kitchen and dinning room. "Kizashi, could you make sure Tayuya and Fubuki take their baths please?"

"Yes honey," Kizashi said, placing a kiss to his wife's temple when he passed. Mebuki thanked him and continued up the stairs carefully, she reached Sakura's room and slowly opened the door with her foot before stepping in and slowly settling both girls into the bed and pulling the blanket's over them. Mebuki smiled and kissed both girl's on their heads before leaving the room, closing her daughter's door just enough to leave cracked open.

"Mo~m" Tayuya whined when she entered the second floor. "Do I have to take a bath? I took one earlier..."

"You hogged all the hot water," Fubuki agreed with a yawn.

"Alright Tayuya, you can go to bed" Mebuki chuckled. "Fubuki you can take you're bath and head to bed after."

"Technically I already took a bath," Fubuki smirked sleepily at her mother, Mebuki smiled, stepped forward and pulled a leaf out of her daughter's hair. "Aw man..." Fubuki groaned as she entered her room and gathered her things for her shower. Mebuki chuckled at her eldest as she knocked on Tayuya's door, finding the brown-eyed girl passed out on her bed without removing her clothes. Mebuki smiled and quickly changed her daughter, getting her proper pajamas and settling her into bed easily. When she left Tayuya's room, she saw Kizashi exiting Sakura's room with a camera in and, at her confused look, he smiled and answered her unspoken question softly.

"Sakura's first sleep over,"

"I'll give you a 'sleep over' you'll never forget," Mebuki smiled and kissed her husband, leading him to their room easily. Kizashi smiled and fallowed his wife, neither noticing the degaussed look Fubuki threw them when she left entered the bathroom for her shower.

_If dad is an example of the male race then I'll never marry!_ Fubuki swore to herself, fighting off a shiver.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Hiruzen chuckled as he watched Itachi and Tayuya spar, neither one holding back their punches. Okay so Tayuya was the one swinging, Itachi was dodging her and 'kicking' at her weak points (it was more like pointing with his foot at her openings). The teacher had paired them together thinking it would be a quick spare like all the other ones that Itachi performed in, only he didn't take in account of just who Tayuya's mother was. Mebuki was the queen at using normal items as weapons, including wooden spoons and frying pans. She was also merciless in her daughters Taijutsu lessons, she was bound and determined to make sure her girls could handle themselves against a bigger and stronger opponent.

After ten minutes and Itachi still hadn't landed a hit of Tayuya but the pinkette actually landing a hit on Itachi, the teacher called the match and moved the class on to the next match. Tayuya then pulled Itachi aside and started to talk to him expressively, waving her arms around and eventually drawing in the dirt. It wasn't long before Itachi had grabbed his own stick and they both started drawing in the dirt, which annoyed their gym teacher to no end but because they were coming up with strike attach and defensive strategies, he couldn't do much then to look warningly in their direction.

Snickering to himself, Hiruzen turned his crystal orb to another chakra signature. He watched as a classroom came into view, a smile stretched his lips even wider as he saw Fubuki arguing with the teacher during a test. Apparently, one of the questions wasn't clear and when the teacher tried to explain what the question meant; Fubuki told him that the correct answer wasn't there. Irritated the young man marched over read the question anew, then he tried to tell her that the answer was there—Fubuki then explained how he was wrong.

"_The answer is 47.83!_" the pinkette snapped, finally losing patients with her teacher, "_You're answers consist of 54.3, 37.9, 45.9 and 47.9! How do you get 47.9 out of 47.83?_"

"_It's called rounding,_" the teacher answered with a sigh, trying to calm himself down. "_Next time you come across a question like this, round your answer up and see which answer is closest._"

"_The answer would still be wrong! If that's the case then 47.83 would become 47.7! Being close enough isn't good enough!_" Fubuki snapped, beyond irritated with her teacher "_Are you teaching us how to survive after we graduate or how to fail our teammates? Which is it?_"

"_My job is to teach you the basics,_" the man replied with an unamused look, looking as if he was restraining himself from getting physical with the pinkette.

"_Well how do you expect any of us to survive in a fight if you're not teaching us what we need to know?_" Fubuki asked, _"If I was tied up by the enemy I wouldn't want my teammate to throw his last kunai and miss the rope holding me in place because he rounded his calculated numbers of distance, wind speed, the enemy's skill and power behind his kunai and ended up missing the rope and me and dooming us both! That kind of mistake can get us killed! not saving us!_"

"_Ms. Haruno I'm going to ask you one last time to be quiet and take your test,_" the man snapped at her, irritated with the pinkette. "_Other wise you can leave and wait out side and come back after class, were we can continue this discussion._" Fubuki snarled at him but sat down; in five minutes she stood up again, gave her test to her teacher and walked out of the classroom.

_Smart indeed_ Hiruzen thought as he watched two students in Fubuki's class look down at their sheets of paper curiously. The young Nara and Uchiha shook their heads and finished their tests, when they finished, the Nara five minutes later and the Uchiha ten minuets later) both boys walked out of the room to stand beside Fubuki in the hall. The teacher wasn't very pleased, especially when one of the kunochi's tried to do the same, he threaten the poor girl with a detention, along with anyone else who decided to leave the room without being dismissed.

_I'll have to have her take an intelligence test_, Hiruzen mused as he turned his orb in on the youngest pinkette in the Haruno family. He was surprised to find her sitting beside little Hinata Hyūga, both sharing a book and reading together; Hiashi and his wife in the next room, drinking tea with Mebuki while Kizashi sharpened a few tools on the back porch. Smiling Hiruzen turned his orb off and twisted in his chair to look out over his village, everything was peaceful and it seemed like nothing could go wrong—

"Lord Hokage! That Uzumaki-brat did it again!" Hiruzen sighed and slumped in his chair, one hand rising to rub at his temple. Everything was just fine, right on up until someone made little Naruto mad.

Then everything went to hell

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Hinata sighed as she walked with her parents away from the Haruno house, when she looked over her shoulder she could still see Sakura waving at her with a bright cheerful smile. Hinata wanted to wave back, but both of her parents had a firm hold on her hands. Hinata nearly stumbled when her father let go of her hand, Hinata immanently clutched her mother's hand, shying away from her father. Hiashi barely glanced down at her before he sped up his walking, leaving both of them behind.

"You had him worried Hinata," her mother said calmly, just low enough that Hiashi didn't hear her. "Next time sweetie, could you leave a note behind instead of just running out of the compound?" Hinata looked up at her mother with a pout.

"Yes I know you were mad sweetie," her mother chuckled, "That's no excuse to worry your family like that. If something happened to you, we wouldn't know until it was too late. Do you understand?" Hinata was quiet as they walked, her eyes drifting to look at her father who continued to walk away from them.

"... Like uncle?" Hinata asked softly, surprising her mother. Hinata stopped walking and looked up at her mother with watery pearl eyes. "Did I do something that got Uncle killed?"

"Oh sweetie!" her mother called, dropping to her knees and wrapping her arms around Hinata. "That wasn't you're fault sweetie." Her mother lifted her into her lap, holding Hinata as close as she could. "Is that why you've been so quiet?" Hinata nodded and sniffed in her mother's shoulder, fighting off her tears the best she could. "Have you been blaming yourself this whole time?"

…

"_It's you're fault!" the boy screamed at her, tears running down his face. "It's you're fault my father is dead! It's you're fault! I wish you were never born! Why can't you jut disappear?! It's you're fault!"_

…

Hinata nodded again, letting her tears fall as she wrapped her arms around her mother's neck, finally giving in to the urge to cry. She missed her uncle, he used to visit her during the storms and sing to her. He used to tell her stories and hold her tight when she was scared, and sometimes he would tell her about his son.

Hinata missed her uncle, he was everything her father wasn't and it wasn't fair that her uncle had to take her father's place.

"_It isn't fair!"_ the boy's words echoed in her mind repeatedly until they became her own thoughts. her cousin was once as kind as his father had been. Protecting her from the bullies outside of their compound and teaching her the clan's fighting style in his free time. After Hizashi died, her cousin became cold, blaming her for the death of his father.

"I miss uncle," Hinata murmured softly, surprising her mother. "I miss my cousin... I want them both back mommy..."

Hinata's mother had no words to say, she lifted her daughter into her arms and stood from the ground. Turning to catch up with her husband, she saw that Hiashi had returned to them... and the look on his face told her that he had heard everything Hinata had said. Hiashi reached out to Hinata, but she stepped around Hiashi, shaking her head as she did so. Hiashi's eyes were wide as he watched his wife continue trough the gates of their compound, leaving him behind to stare at his softly crying daughter.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

**Okay I just realized something... what should the coupling be?**

**Yagura thinks of Sakura as a little sister (just to remind you) so obviously they aren't going to be a couple...**

**So here's my thinking...**

**The boys are:**

**Choji**

**Shikamaru**

**Kankuro**

**Gaara**

**Suigetsu (did I spell that right?)**

**Kiba**

**Shino**

**Lee**

**Neji**

**Haku**

**Itachi**

**Sai**

**Sasuke**

**Naruto**

**Kakashi (****obviously ****father figure**** for the girls****)**

**Undecided (Sakura-centric)**

* * *

><p><strong>The girls are:<strong>

**Sakura**

**Tayuya**

**Fubuki**

**Karin**

**Hinata**

**Ino**

**Temari**

**... did I forget anyone?**

**I feel like I'm forgetting someone...**

**Suggestions for who should go with who would be nice! **

**I already figured that Naruto and Hinata would end up being a couple but I haven't really figured anyone else out yet**

* * *

><p><strong>T<strong>**houghts are helpful**

**Opinions are wonderful**

**Helpful criticism****is**** lovely! Just don't cripple me okay?**

**Please no cursing!**

**And don't forget to**** rate and**** review!**

**Page 11**


	18. Chapter 18

**There is a reason**

Chapter 18: Time skip! First day of school!

Koomahana

**Fubuki was 10 when she met Sakura & 11 when she was taken to the leaf village**

**Tayuya was 8 when she met Sakura & 9 when she was taken to the leaf village**

**Sakura was 3 when she was taken and returned to the leaf village**

**Yagura was 20 when he first met Sakura and 21 when he returned to his body.**

**Yagura is 17 years older then Sakura**

**Fubuki is 7 years older than Sakura and 2 years older then Tayuya**

**Tayuya is 5 years older than Sakura**

**They are now:**

**Fubuki is now 12 years old—(Same age as Shisui and Shikan)—Genin**

**Tayuya is now 10 years old—(Same age as Itachi and Hana)**

**Sakura is now 5 ½ years old—(Same age as Naruto and Sasuke)**

****Updated **Chapters**

**3, 4, 5, 18, 20, 22, 23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,39,40,41,42,43**

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

…

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><p>…<p>

Hinata giggled as she ran ahead of her parent's towards the shinobi academy and to a waving Sakura. Hinata was dressed in a white dress with short bell sleeves and Sakura was dressed in her navy blue long sleeve shirt with the three slits in her sleeves and black skirt that brushed against her knees. The Haruno family was gathered together, the Uchiha's standing beside them calmly. Hinata and Sakura collided, laughing and smiling brightly as they tumbled to the ground. Over the two years since they first met, Hinata and Sakura had gotten closer together; the monthly clan celebrations that happened mostly in the largest park in Konoha had only drawn the children of the clans closer together.

"Easy there you two," Fubuki chuckled as she helped both girls onto their feet, she was dressed in a pair of black shinobi pants, a dark gray vest, a dark maroon-red shirt with bell shaped sleeves ending just passed her elbows and a high collar—all out lined with the graceful white circles of the Haruno crest.

"You don't want to give the teachers a bad first impression do you?" Fubuki asked as she kneeled and dusted them both off easily, ignoring Hinata's parents who had stopped beside her.

"You did!" Sakura chimed at Fubuki with wide eyes and a bright smile.

"That wasn't my fault," Fubuki chuckled as she pulled Sakura's bangs to the side, deftly hooking them behind her ear.

"Con-grad-u-la-shins," Hinata said slowly, pouncing the word with care.

"Thank you," Fubuki smiled at Hinata brightly, one hand brushing her almost new headband. Fubuki had graduated two months before the new school year, earning two teammates by the names of Shisui Uchiha and Shikan Nara in the processes. The two boys stood beside her through out her time in the academy, especially when she got into an argument with one of their teachers (Which happened often, much to Shisui's amusement and Shikan's irritation; like all Nara's he liked his naps). As she had promised to the Hokage, Fubuki was the top of her class in every subject.

Having both Shisui and Shikan on her team was a little over kill considering her own bloodline—she still didn't believe that it was a bloodline, water had always came naturally to her. If she could turn it to ice easily then she would consider it to be a bloodline, but that was difficult for her—coupled with their own, but in the end, Fubuki and her family didn't particularly care.

The two boys became apart of the Haruno family easily enough.

"Ita-nii will you be coming over after school?" Sakura asked, turning her attention to the tall black haired boy standing beside Tayuya with his own little brother clutching his pant leg.

"No!" Sasuke snapped, glaring at Sakura. After their first meeting during one of the first clan celebrations, Sasuke and Sakura didn't get along very well. They worked together beautifully when they were forced to work together to reach the same goal, but other wise they ignored each other or argued over Itachi.

"I wasn't asking you!" Sakura snapped back at Sasuke, some of her bangs falling in front of her eyes again.

"Nii-tan is helping me with _my_ instrument after school!" Sasuke replied, still glaring at Sakura.

"Then why don't you come over too?" Sakura asked, tilting her head at the boy. "We can all practice together, Hinata-chan too!" The pale eyed girl grinned and nodded her head in agreement, when it came to the Haruno's Hinata no longer asked her parents if she could go to their house. She just left a note on her door and walked out the front gates.

"That sounds like fun," Mikoto giggled, earning a devastated look from Sasuke. "Oh come now Sasuke-kun," Mikoto giggled at her youngest "Mebuki and I have things to discuss, I'm sure Hinaka wouldn't mind joining us." Mikoto winked playfully at both women, earning smiles and giggles from the two.

"I'm sure Hiashi wouldn't mind a spar between Fugaku and me," Kizashi agreed wrapping an arm around Fugaku, smiling when both men shot him a glare. The parents all laughed when the academy bell rang, startling the children.

"Come on Hinata-chan we're going to be late!" Sakura shouted as she scrambled to her feet, pulling Hinata with her and quickly ran towards the building. A glaring Sasuke right behind them, Tayuya laughed as she fallowed with a smirking Itachi beside her.

"Later mom!" Tayuya laughed as she waved at her parents at the entrance to the academy, Itachi briefly mimicking her.

"She's planning something," Fugaku murmured as he wrapped an arm around his wife

"Which one?" Hiashi asked linking arms with his own wife Hinako.

"Both of 'em," Kizashi chuckled kissing Mebuki's cheek affectionately. "My girl's are going to make one hell of an entrance!"

"Is that good or bad?" Fubuki asked with a mischievous smirk at her parents, earning worried looks and nervous chuckles.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"Hinata-chan over here!" Sakura called, pointing to a window seat in the second row. Hinata smiled and fallowed after Sakura easily, once they were both sat down they immanently went into their own world. Hinata told Sakura about how she was going to be a big sister soon and how her father was going easer on her during the lessons and as such she was progressing faster. Even her grandfather started saying less and less mean things to her, giving her tips in the form of orders. Sakura told Hinata that it was her grandfather's way of encouraging her in her lessons. Neither one noticed just when someone else sat down next to them silently, they only quieted when the examiner entered and handed out the tests.

"Alright everyone," the young man called out with a kind smile to everyone. "I want you to space yourselves evenly with you're neighbors, that means three to a row and answer the questions on your test to the best of your ability. That means if you can't answer a question, then move on to the next and return to that question when you're done, understand?"

"Yes sir," the children chimed together, quickly doing as they were told, a few children moving out of one row to sit in another. Sakura and Hinata quickly switched seats and waited until their teacher told them to start the test.

"Everyone ready?" The teacher asked with a smile, "Go!" Sakura smiled and flipped her paper easily, grabbing her pencil and answering the questions easily. When she got about half way through she noticed the boy beside her was struggling with the questions, not sure how to answer them correctly; he was beginning to panic.

"Number three," Sakura said staring at the question he was fretting over, the boy blinked and slid his eyes over to her curiously as if he wasn't sure if she was speaking to him or not. "Draw four squares and add seven more, how many squares do you have?" The boy blinked and quickly drew out the number of squares, after which he counted them.

"Eleven?" he asked softly, making sure the teacher didn't hear him. Sakura smiled at him and continued doing her work, marking the ones that he might have trouble with as she went.

"Try you're best," Sakura said when she flipped her paper over to the other side and he was glaring at the sixth question. "If you don't know the answer then guess the most likely one, okay?" the boy smiled at her nodded his head in agreement.

"Naruto Uzumaki are you cheating?" the teacher asked with a tone of disapproval that made several of the children behind them chuckled at the blonde.

"N-no sir," Naruto answered blushing brightly. "I'm just having some trouble reading the characters..."

"You can't read?" one of the girls behind them asked with a sneer, earning a furious glare from Sakura

"When I'm done can I help him? I won't give him the answers, I'll make sure he works for them. I promise." Sakura said standing up from her seat and surprising everyone in the room.

"Give me your paper when you're done," the man answered, "We'll talk then, okay?" Sakura smiled and quickly finished her test, jumping over the desk she handed the sheet over to the man. "It's been ten minutes since we started," the man grumbled as he went over the paper with a red pen quickly.

"Alight Haruno-san," the man sighed handing the paper back to Sakura. "You can help Uzumaki-san now, but you can't give him the answer's okay?"

"Would you like it if we both sat here beside you?" Sakura asked pointing to the table beside his desk. "This way you'll know for sure that we're not cheating."

"Alright," he agreed, waving Naruto closer. The blond got up and tried to ignore the snickers that fallowed him as he settled at the front of the class beside Sakura. Sakura purposefully placed her back to the rest of the class, making Naruto sit closer to the teacher. Twenty minuets later Sakura was still helping Naruto calmly, using extra sheets of paper to help him understand the question.

Sasuke soon stood up from his seat and started down the stairs, when he reached the last step Hinata quickly stood and hurried to the desk with her paper in hand. He pouted slightly as he had to wait for the teacher to finish grading Hinata's before doing his own. While she waited, Hinata stepped behind Sakura and listened to what she was explaining to Naruto, when he didn't get it Hinata spook up using an example of her favorite fruits. Naruto called Hinata a genius and quickly wrote down his answer for the question, making the teacher smirk at the three who worked together so well.

"Here you are Hyūga-san," the man said passing Hinata her paper, "You can go or continue helping Uzumaki-san if you'd like."

"You can go and come back," Sakura suggested from her seat as she pointed at a question for Naruto to read.

"I'm sure our parents are anxious to see our scores." Hinata replied, slipping Sakura's paper from under the pinkette's elbow. "I'll come back soon."

"Thank you," Sakura said smiling at Hinata as she left the room calmly. "Okay you get this one or do you need help?"

"Obviously he needs help," Sasuke said as he handed his paper to the teacher. "He can't read—"

"What was that you jerk?!" Naruto asked snapping to his feet and glaring at Sasuke

"Can't handle facts?" Sasuke asked casually

"Sasuke Uchiha you will be quiet or so help me I will tell Ita-nii on you." Sakura threatened making the teacher and the boy flinch at the threat, "You know full well he doesn't like bullies and you're being one right now!" Sasuke blushed and turned away from Sakura, glaring at the floor in the other direction. "Naruto-san you can sit down now, Sasuke won't say anything more if he knows what's good for him." Slowly Naruto sat back down and returned to working on the test, using scratch paper to slowly work his way down to the last question. By the time he got to it, the class was empty and the teacher had actually turned towards them and started to help Naruto, but largely left it up to Sakura.

About twenty minuets after the class had emptied; Naruto had answered the last question.

Shouting out in delight, Naruto wrapped his arms around Sakura's neck and thanked her repeatedly as the teacher took the paper and graded it easily. Naruto may not have gotten a perfect score like Sakura had, but it was still passing.

Naruto Uzumaki was in the Konoha Shinobi Academy, now he just needed to work at staying there

Sakura laughed as the blond bounced around the room and then quickly ran out of the building to tell his grandfather. Sakura stood to leave as well but the teacher stopped her before she could get too far.

"Sakura-chan, you did well today," the teacher smiled at her, pride shinning in his eyes. "I know of your sisters, you have big shoes to fill in."

"I'm gonna make my sisters proud!" Sakura cheered, smiling brightly at her teacher

"Of course," he chuckled as Sakura tore out of the room, laughing as she ran down the hall. "I expect great things from you, little Haruno."

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

By the time Sakura caught up to Naruto, they were in the courtyard where several families were still lingering around with their newly made academy students.

"Hay Uzumaki-san!" Sakura called out waving her arm and catching everyone's attention. "Wait up I wan'a talk to you!"

"Yeah, what is it?" Naruto asked he slowed to a stop, ignoring the stares and whispers.

"Why don't you come home with me?" Sakura asked, shocking several adults who stared at her horrified. "I want to help you with your reading. You can't do everything on your own ya' know."

"It's okay," Naruto said shifting nervously. "Jiji is helping... sometimes..."

"He doesn't have a whole lot of time does he?" Sakura asked taking a step forward to stand beside Naruto. "If he did your reading would be better. Why don't you come over today, if you don't learn anything new you don't have to come back, Deal?" Naruto glanced around himself nervously, trying to find someone who was related to Sakura and confirm his fears.

"Are you afraid of them?" Sakura asked tilting her head to point at the parents around them "It's okay Uzumaki-san, you don't have to be." Sakura said linking her arm with his, making him blush brightly, "You should only be around people who support you. People who don't support you aren't worth your time." Gently Sakura tugged Naruto towards the exit of the academy grounds, pulling him calmly towards her parents.

"Sakura-chan," Mebuki greeted as she kneeled before her daughter and pulled her into a tight hug. "How'd you do on you're test? Was it hard?"

"Nope, the test was easy!" Sakura giggled, she reached over and took hold of Naruto's hand, preventing him from sneaking away. "I spent the rest of my time helping him. Mommy can he come over to learn how to read? I don't think his guardians are doing a very good job of teaching him."

"Hello little one," Mebuki smiled, turning her attention to Naruto. "Would you like to come to my home and learn with Sakura-chan?"

"Y-you're okay with it?" Naruto stuttered, surprised by the older blonde

"Of course!" Mebuki smiled at Naruto, "Everyone should be given a chance to learn. Don't you think?" Naruto nodded slowly, too surprised to speak "You can even stay the night if you'd like. Do you know where you live? We can give you're guardians a heads up if you'd like."

"Um... Unaki-san," Naruto mumbled softly, nervous about telling the strange woman but liking her all the same. "Sh-she runs the or-pha-n-age..."

"Shikanta Unaki?" Mebuki asked with wide eyes, "that crazy old bat is still living? I was sure she died years ago!"

"You know her?" Naruto asked curiously

"Well sure," Mebuki smirked and winked at Naruto playfully. "Us orphans should stick together, don't you think?" Naruto's eyes widened and a bright blush crawled up his neck to settle on his face, Mebuki giggled and settled Naruto on her hip, Sakura taking hold of her free hand.

"Well let's go get some lunch!" Mebuki laughed as Sakura pulled on her hand, towards her favorite place. Kizashi chuckled as he fallowed, sweeping Sakura into his arms as he did so. Mikoto giggled as she fallowed with Sasuke in hand, Hinata pulled her mother's hand to fallow the Haruno's. Fubuki had left for team training, Fugaku had to go to the office, Hiashi was called away by a relative and Tayuya and Itachi were still in class.

They were all people that Naruto would meet later and soon after realize that not everyone in the village hated him, other then his 'Jiji'.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

After two months at the academy, problems started to arise between Sakura and several other girls in the school. Naruto had made friends with a few of the other boys in their class and was often at their side during academy hours. Hinata and Sakura had few classes together and the ones they did have together had the both of them sitting on different ends of the room. After four months the problems Sakura had with a few of the other girls got worse, Hinata would often find Sakura in the back of the academy trying to tend to her wounds in secret.

After six months, things went too far for the little pink haired girl

One day during sunset, Sakura hadn't returned home, she went straight to the Hyūga compound; the guards had gotten used to the little pinkette showing up randomly and demanding to see Hinata. This time Hinata was practicing in the family Dojo close to the gate, when Sakura entered the compound she ran full tilt towards Hinata. Hinata took one look at Sakura and ran straight for her, ignoring her father and a few other clan members watching her spar with her father.

"Sakura!" Hinata shouted colliding into the pinkette and holding the sobbing girl close, "What happened?" Hinata asked patting Sakura's head and was horrified to find that it wasn't her imagination; someone had forcefully cut Sakura's long hair until it just barely brushed her shoulders.

"Who did this to you?" Hinata asked trying to get a good look at her bruised friend, "Sakura, answer me." Hinata ordered pushing Sakura away so she could get a good look at the pinkette's bruised face. "What happened?"

"Th-the-ey c-cut i-it!" Sakura sobbed, rubbing her wrists against her face, trying to remove the burning tears only to have more replace them. "Wha-what am I gonna do?" Sakura asked, fat tears rolling down her cheeks.

"H-how i-is Nii-ii-t-tan g-going t-to f-find m-me now?" Sakura covered her face with a wail, not looking at her friend. Hinata sniffed and wrapped her arms around Sakura, rocking the pinkette on the floor of her family's dojo; knowing that Sakura must have been really distressed if she spoke of her secret older brother in front of adults. Hiashi walked over and examined Sakura carefully with his Byakugan, making sure she didn't have any internal damage.

"Come on Sakura," Hiashi said softly, patting Sakura on the back gently. "Let's get you cleaned up," Hinata nodded in agreement and slowly pulled Sakura to her feet, Hinata looked up when she saw her grandfather move towards them with a frown on his face. She made eye contact with him and her bloodline was suddenly pulsing around her eyes as she glared warningly at him.

Some things were more important then a spar

The old man watched in a mix of shock and curiosity as Hinata and Hiashi slowly walked out of the dojo and towards the main house. Shaking his head he called for two other relatives to spar against each other, the two quickly complied and the day continued; no one asking about the strange crying pinkette that Hiashi ended up carrying to his daughter's room.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

**Sakura**

**Gaara 2 (W/big brother)**

**Haku 2**

**Itachi 2**

**Fubuki**

**Shisui 2**

**Haku 2**

**Hinata**

**Naruto 2**

**Karin**

**Suigetsu 3**

**Gaara**

**Ino**

**Sai 3**

**Chōji 2**

**Kiba**

**Tayuya**

**Kiba**

**Neji 2**

**Shikamaru**

**Itachi 2**

**Temari**

**Itachi**

**Shikamaru 2**

**Tenten**

**Kankuro 2**

**Sasuke 2**

…

…

**Thoughts are helpful**

**Opinions are wonderful**

**Helpful criticism****is**** lovely! Just don't cripple me okay?**

**Please no cursing!**

**And don't forget to**** rate and**** review!**

**Page 10**


	19. Chapter 19

**There is a reason**

Chapter 19: the Sister's plan together

Koomahana

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Hiashi rubbed at his brow with a sigh as he left his daughter's room, Sakura had cried herself to sleep after Hinata had covered her with bandages and some of the families healing cream. Hinata treated Sakura like the older sister she never had, and there was some things you don't do to an older sibling. Hiashi had no doubt that when Hinata found Sakura's bullies that those bullies would regret targeting Sakura and hurting her like that.

Like a true Hyūga, Hinata was possessive of what she deemed to be her's.

_I better give the Haruno's a heads up,_ Hiashi sighed as he walked down the hall, intending to get his wife to spend the rest of the day with the girls while he went to tell Sakura's parents what happened.

…

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><p>…<p>

Fubuki was silent as she listened to Hiashi's words, Tayuya was unnaturally quiet beside her but that didn't mean her fury was so well hidden like Fubuki's was. Tayuya's eyes were hard and her hands were fisted into her crimson skirt, her legs trembling with the effort to stay in place. Itachi was quiet from where he leaned against the living room wall, Sasuke staring wide-eyed beside him.

Today was supposed to be when everyone gathered to practice, everyone was worried when Sakura hadn't returned home. They had tried to practice without her but the notes didn't sound right without her violin, no one could focus.

"Do you know who did it?" Tayuya asked with a trembling voice, her eyes glaring at her feet from where she sat on the couch beside her sister.

"Hinata had been talking about a few girls that were being 'mean' to Sakura a few days ago," Hiashi answered. "Unfortunately she didn't say any names, so I don't know."

"Thank you Hiashi-san," Fubuki said, waving her small white fan towards her face calmly. "If you want to listen to what the boy's know so far, you can go to the basement with them. I'm sure they wouldn't mind letting you listen while they practice." Hiashi blinked at the oldest child in the room, it took him a moment to understand what Fubuki was suggesting. When he did get it he smirked and fallowed a smirking Itachi and a confused Sasuke down into the basement where their instruments laid waiting for them.

"Tayuya calm down," Fubuki ordered when she saw her younger sister all but jump to her feet the second Hiashi was out of sight

"What? How do you expect me to be calm about this?! We swore to protect her!" Tayuya snapped around to glare and shout at Fubuki; who sat on the couch with one hand fisted into her skirt with the other waving a fan in front of her face.

"It doesn't have to be tonight," Fubuki said calmly, opening her eyes to stare at Tayuya. Tayuya flinched and took a step back when she saw just how fridge and hard her sister's eyes were, they looked like chips of ice; hard and unyielding, unforgiving in every meaning of the word.

"Our vengeance doesn't have to be tonight" Fubuki clarified calmly, making Tayuya blink in confusion at her. "The best kind of vengeance is the kind they don't see coming."

"What do you have planed?" Tayuya asked wirily, it was never good when Fubuki spoke of vengeance—hell on earth was guaranteed.

…

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><p>…<p>

Mebuki sighed as she lifted her sleepy daughter from the ground beside Hinata and her mother. She had been out on a mission the previous day and her husband was in a meeting with a few other clan members. So neither one of them were home when Hiashi arrived at their home and had informed their daughters of what had happened instead of them.

"Thank you," Mebuki whispered, shifting her hold on her still teary-eyed daughter.

"It's a shame," the woman whispered patting Sakura's back comfortingly. "She had such long, lovely hair..."

"We hadn't cut since she was a toddler," Mebuki chuckled, her eyes swimming with the need to cry at the los for her child. "When Sakura saw those scissors she just cried and cried. She was so afraid of them, Kizashi and I promised her to never use them on her hair again."

"I see," she chuckled softly, "looks like you'll have to break that promise. Those children did a bad job of cutting her hair."

"I know," Mebuki sighed tightening her hold on her daughter. "Sakura loves long hair... especially her own..."

"She took good care of it," the woman agreed, waving when Mebuki decided to leave. Hinata was at her side, watching as Mebuki and Sakura faded down the street, she didn't move away from the gate until they were out of sight.

"Hinata-chan," her mother called softly, pulled on her daughter's hand gently. Sighing Hinata turned and returned to the compound, her eyes lost in thought as her mother led Hinata back to her room.

"Hinata-chan, do you know who did that to Sakura-chan?" her mother asked, sitting beside her daughter as she tucked her into bed.

"Yeah," Hinata answered softly, staring dully at the ceiling.

"Can you tell me?" her mother asked softly, brushing her fingers against her daughter's forehead.

"... It's no one mama," Hinata answered, rolling over onto her side. _At least she won't be_

_Troubles brewing..._ the woman thought as she stood and left her daughter alone with her thoughts. _I pity those girls..._

…

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><p>…<p>

Tayuya walked Sakura to the academy, hand in hand, heads held high. Tayuya's long hair was pulled up into a high ponytail, she was dressed in a short skirt with leggings, a black blouse with long sleeves and a bright red lose T-shirt that housed the Haruno crest on her chest and back proudly. Tayuya may have been ten but she could look older if she wanted to, and today was one of those days that she _wanted_ to look older.

Sakura was dressed in her normal long sleeved shirt that zipped up her front and buttoned at her shoulder and neck. The sleeves rested just past her elbows with three slits in her upper arms. Normally Sakura's shirt would be blue but today it was crimson with the Haruno crest resting proudly on her back and showing proudly on her front in the form of her buttons. Sakura's skirt black silk that brushed her knees with black tights and her normal navy blue sandals.

Tayuya ignored everyone just outside of the academy who stopped and turned to watch them approach the academy. She knew full well that with her partly developed body, her outfit and Sakura beside her that she looked like either a very pissed off older sister (which she was) or a woman planning a horrific murder (that remained to be a possibility).

Sakura's hand tightened briefly and Tayuya reflexively scanned the crowed, her eyes taking in only the negative expressions of the children. Making eye contact with a particularly tall girl with a glare twisting her features, Tayuya straightened her shoulders and smirked viscously at the girl. She snickered softly when the girl narrowed her eyes and took a step back, one arm rising reflexively into a defensive posture.

"Tayuya," Sakura murmured warningly, not looking up at her sister

"Head up," Tayuya replied smiling affectionately at Sakura "Walk as if they have no effect on you." Sakura's eyes widened in wonder, Tayuya's smile widened and she gently tugged at their joined hands, pulling Sakura passed the crowd and into the academy. Tayuya walked Sakura to the hall where her classroom was and left her there in the hall, winking playfully at Sakura, Tayuya turned and back traced her way to her own hall. She almost made it to the corner when she heard a voice call out her beloved little sister's name, turning she saw that same tall girl approach the hall she left Sakura in. Tayuya smirked to herself as she saw that the girl had two girls on either side of her, all three of them glaring at what she assumed to be her sister.

"Excuse me," a board voice called, pulling Tayuya from her thoughts "You're in our way." Looking down at the speaker, Tayuya stared at two little boys standing together, one rather large and shy looking and the other lanky and—and familiar. Tayuya couldn't help smirking at the boy who most likely spoke up first, his unsure look only made her 'smile' grow.

"You're a Nara," Tayuya said pleasantly, remembering Fubuki's lazy teammate

"...yeah..." the boy agreed hesitantly, not sure if he should have answered positively because Tayuya's smile widened in a not very nice looking way.

"Can you use you're families Shadow possession jutsu yet?" Tayuya asked, the boy was defiantly on guard when she asked, that meant he could. "Good I need you're help."

"No," he answered with narrowed eyes, now sure that she was up to no good

"Let me put it this way brat," Tayuya pulled out her flute teasingly, her vicious looking smile never dropping. "I specialize in sound genjutsu; if you don't want your little friend there to go deaf, I suggest you help."

"...What do you want?" He asked with a glare and clenched teeth, taking her seriously mostly because she was older then them and her threat could very well have a good foundation.

"I just want you to trap those three girls down there," Tayuya answered returning her flute back in her pocket out of sight. "Not the pinkette but the other three standing together. If you can do this, I'll never bug you and your friend ever again. I'll even go so far as to walk on the opposite side of the street as you, deal?"

"A-are you g-going to hurt th-them?" the shyer boy asked as his friend stepped forward. Tayuya's smile fell as she looked back at the boy, worry efferent in his voice and on face. Either he used to get bullied or he was just the kind of person who worried over others uselessly.

"Not in the way you're thinking," Tayuya answered, softening her look at the shyer boy. "They hurt my little sister, so I'm going to pull a prank on them in return. You don't have to worry about them; the most damage done to them will be their bruised egos."

"...Promise?" the Nara boy asked, still not trusting Tayuya. Tayuya chuckled amusedly at them, she held out her pinky, slowly the boy hooked his finger around hers.

"Pinky promise, I won't hurt anything but their pride." Tayuya swore, the boy shook her pinky and nodded in acceptance. Together they advanced on the hallway not too far down, Tayuya was almost afraid that they were too late but she relaxed when she heard the three girl's voices.

"Not the pink haired one?" the boy asked, Tayuya nodded in agreement. "Okay, here it goes," the boy sped around the corner, sliding into a kneeling position and captured the three girls Tayuya wanted.

"Wha-what's going on?!" the tallest girl asked loudly just as Tayuya stepped around the corner, the boy turned his head to look behind him, forcing the three girls to mimic him. Luckily, his position was too far behind them for the three to get a good look at him; not that he really cared, the girls were busy glaring at Tayuya.

"My name is Tayuya Haruno," Tayuya said as she approached the three girls with a cruel looking smirk. "And I'm very over protective of my little sister."

"Tayuya-nee," Sakura grumble from where she stood, Hinata standing stiffly beside her. "What did you do?"

"Oh just threaten a brat or two," Tayuya answered cheerfully, ignoring the exasperated look Sakura gave her. "Are these the brats who cut you're hair?"

"Uh-huh," Sakura nodded, not looking at the three furious girls.

"And their reason?"

Sakura shrugged her shoulder, indicating that she didn't know

"She's ugly!" the blond snapped out, angry that she got caught by someone she couldn't see.

"Ugly?" Tayuya repeated dumbly, the three girls nodded in agreement. "You... you think, that my little sister is ugly?" Tayuya asked, laughter dancing in her voice, making the three glare at her. _If only you knew how rare we truly are..._

"Okay that was the worst lie that I have ever heard," Tayuya said, amusement lighting her face up. "What's the real reason behind you're stupidity? Jealousy? A boy?"

"Nee-chan there's no one in this school to be jealous of," Sakura said in confusion, "I honestly don't know why they would cut my hair. I just know that they did."

"You're always mean to Sasuke-kun!" the taller girl snapped at Sakura, her face red and her eyes hard.

"Sasuke..._kun_?" Tayuya asked in amusement as understanding fell on her, "You guys like that little brat Sasuke Uchiha? Oh tell me you're joking!" Tayuya laughed, to which the girls growled and glared at Tayuya, their bodies trembling. "You're not joking! That's hilarious! He's a brat! What could you possibly like about him?!"

"Tayuya-nee!" Sakura whined, "Don't let him hear you! I'll have to deal with his temper later!"

"Alright! Alright!" Tayuya laughed, whipping a tear from her eye as she straightened. "Hold still brats, this shouldn't hurt too much," Tayuya smiled viscously at the three pale looking girls. Before any of them could so much as make a sound of protest, Tayuya lunged forward and slapped a glowing palm against their chests, forcing her chakra into their bodies. The three girls collapsed when the boy finally lost control of his jutsu, Tayuya waved the boy away with a smile. He glared at her and hurried down the hall to his friend, most likely to take a different root to their classroom.

"Wa-what di-did yo-ou d-do?" the taller girl asked pushing herself up with one hand as she clutched at her chest with her other.

"It's a simple tracking jutsu," Tayuya shrugged, waving Sakura and Hinata into their class. "Don't bother trying to remove it, you don't have the chakra control to do it and no one else can either because they're a foreign chakra signature themselves. They might be able to find it, but innless their chakra control is on the same level as Tsunade of the Sanin's, they can't remove it either."

"What's the point of this?" The brunet asked, glaring up at Tayuya from where she laid. "Why not just hurt us now?"

"Now where's the fun in that?" Tayuya asked with a smirk, her eyes promising pain and destruction. "I fully intend to get you back for what you've done to my little sister, I promise not to be gentile about it either."

"Why are you telling us this?" The tall girl asked with a snarl, "How do you know that we won't tattle on you?"

"Because," Tayuya said, crouching to place her finally manicured finger under the girl's chin and lift it up slightly. "If you tell anyone what I told you, you're punishment is going to be so much worse then what you have coming. You see I wanted to put you brats in the hospital, but my lovely pain the ass associate doesn't agree. So if you tattle, then I get my wish, get it?"

"Got it," she snarled in understanding, "We'll keep quiet."

"Good girl," Tayuya grinned and patted the girl on the head. Hearing someone begin to open the door, Tayuya put her training to good use and disappeared from sight.

"What's going on here?" the teacher asked as he stepped out from the room and stare at the girls on the floor. Tayuya smirked when she landed just around the corner, right were she was hoping to land. "Are you thee okay?"

"Yeah sensei," the tall one answered begrudgingly, "We just tripped..."

"Well if you three say so..."

Tayuya straightened and took a step forward only to stop when she realized that she wasn't alone in the hallway. Looking up she stared dumbly at the two boys she encountered a moment before, then she looked up at the boy's older counter parts.

"Wow that's trippy," Tayuya mumbled as she leaned against the wall with crossed arms. "I take it you brats told your daddy's?"

"Nope," the Nara boy smirked at her, "they were around the corner." Tayuya closed her eyes and fought back a groan.

"Okay I can't really use Genjutsu, of any kind. I was lying because I needed the brat's help." Tayuya said turning to look at the Nara father. "If he told me no I was going to hit in the head with my flute and leave."

"Seriously?!" the boy asked with a gaping mouth and wide eyes, "You tricked us?!"

"No just you," Tayuya corrected with a pleased smile. "The art of shinobi is deceit, brat. I'm ten, you can't seriously think that I know jutsu as advanced as Sound genjutsu, do you?" The boy glared at her before he turned away, sighing in answer.

"I'm not that strong," Tayuya chuckled. "I can't even climb trees like Nee-chan. The strongest jutsu I know is the ninja dash, to which I just performed and if you didn't notice; I can't go far and it wipes me out."

"...Please refrain from threatening our children," the giant red head grumbled, Tayuya stared dully at him, a tiered smile twisting at her lips.

"I recall telling them that I would avoid them at all costs from now on if the brat did what I asked." Tayuya replied, "Speaking to them would require being in front of them and making contact. I told them I wouldn't do that... aren't you two going to take me to the principal and scold me and demand I get kicked out or something?"

"That's something our wife's would do," the older Nara grumbled with a sigh. "You didn't physically or emotionally harm our sons, so no need to get you in trouble."

"But I'm to avoid any other Nara I might come across?" Tayuya asked with a raised eyebrow, "Sorry red but I don't know you're clan."

"Akimichi," the taller man answered her. "I am Chōza Akimichi and this is my son, Chōji Akimichi."

"I'm Tayuya Haruno," Tayuya said nodding at the boys and their fathers. "I only knew he was a Nara because one of Nee-chan's teammates is a Nara."

"Ah, you must be Fubuki-san's little sister." the Nara man said thoughtfully, regarding her in a different light. "This is Shikamaru Nara, my son and I am Shikaku Nara."

"Pleased to meet you," Tayuya smiled at them tiredly. "Now if you guys don't mind I'm late for class."

"Can I ask you what you plan on doing to those three?" Shikaku asked as he pushed his son forward and fallowed Tayuya down the hall, leaving Chōza to walk the boys to class.

"Not a clue," Tayuya answered, surprising the older male at her side. "My sister is the one coming up with the plan to get back at them."

"Academy students don't normally attach graduates," Shikaku said thoughtfully. _Not that I'll get involved... regardless of how curious I am_

"They didn't go after Fubuki-nee," Tayuya chuckled. "They didn't come after me either. Those brats went after Sakura, our younger sister."

"...hmm, just what did they do to her?"

"They cut her hair," Tayuya answered crossly, turning down another hallway with a glare on her face.

"...You forced your chakra into their bodies because they cut her hair?" Shikaku asked with a raised eyebrow, clearly thinking that there was more to it. Tayuya paused in her hobbling to look up at Shikaku irritated.

"Sakura's hair was as long as she was tall," Tayuya informed him with a raised eyebrow, "Our parent's never cut her hair. She's had long hair for as long as she can remember, those brats loped her hair off just below her ears. It made her cry, _no one_ makes my sister's cry."

Tayuya continued down the hall to her classroom, leaving behind a shocked Shikaku

"Tayuya Haruno, huh," Chōza said, patting Shikaku on his shoulder. "Funny, I only recall Mebuki-chan being pregnant the one time..."

"Yeah... I was just thinking that..." Shikaku replied, turning to leave the academy, Chōza beside him. _Yoshino should know what's going on, she and Mebuki still keep in contact..._

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

**Thoughts are helpful**

**Opinions are wonderful**

**Helpful criticism****is**** lovely! Just don't cripple me okay?**

**Please no cursing!**

**And don't forget to**** rate and**** review!**

**Page 9**


	20. Chapter 20

**There is a reason**

Chapter 20: don't screw with a pinkette

Koomahana

**Fubuki was 10 when she met Sakura & 11 when she was taken to the leaf village**

**Tayuya was 8 when she met Sakura & 9 when she was taken to the leaf village**

**Sakura was 3 when she was taken and returned to the leaf village**

**Yagura was 20 when he first met Sakura and 21 when he returned to his body.**

**Yagura is 17 years older then Sakura**

**Fubuki is 7 years older than Sakura and 2 years older then Tayuya**

**Tayuya is 5 years older than Sakura**

**They are now:**

**Fubuki is now 12 ½ years old— (Same age as Shisui and Shikan)—Genin**

**Tayuya is now 10 ½ years old— (Same age as Itachi and Hana)**

**Sakura is now 6 years old—(Same age as Naruto and Sasuke)**

****Updated **Chapters**

**3, 4, 5, 18, 20, 22, 23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,39,40,41,42,43**

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

…

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><p>…<p>

Tayuya smiled proudly at Fubuki and Itachi, the three of them were gathered behind the academy during Tayuya's lunch break. Itachi was leaning against a tree with his arms crossed and staring at Tayuya blankly, Fubuki was standing between her and Itachi with a blank mask.

"Idiot!" Fubuki snapped, slamming a fist into Tayuya's head.

"Damn your poker face," Tayuya groaned, rubbing at her head as tears prickled the edges of her eyes. She had told them about everything she had done that morning, including the incident with the two boys helping her capture the three girls.

"I told you _not_ to make contact!" Fubuki hissed at her, holding one fisted hand at Tayuya threateningly. "What if they tell a teacher or their parents? You'll get kicked out of the academy and I'll get suspension from active duty at best!"

"You don't think they'll do anything to me?" Itachi asked with a raised eyebrow, both girls looked at him with blank expressions. He had actually over heard when they were going over the plan, inserting himself just as they had started, becoming apart of their vengeance easily and with little resistance.

"You're the Uchiha clan _heir_," Tayuya reminded Itachi as if he was an idiot

"The school couldn't touch you if they wanted too," Fubuki agreed waving a dismissive hand at him; Itachi smirked at the two in amusement.

"So, you going to fill me in on the plan?" Tayuya asked eagerly, turning to her sister with brightly shinning curious eyes.

"No," Fubuki answered pulling out a fan and using it against her face with a board look, for some reason she never could stand the summers of fire country, he was always more comfortable in the snow. "You've ruined it, now it'll take forever for them to lower their guard."

"Not forever, just longer," Tayuya corrected with a smile. "This way they'll be stressing over when we get them."

"...and thinking up of all kinds of things that we could do to them," Fubuki grinned, caching on quickly. "You know if I didn't know better, I'd think you were a genius in disguise,"

"Thanks!" Tayuya grinned at Fubuki "Hay wait a sec! That wasn't nice!"

Itachi watched in amusement as Tayuya lunged at Fubuki, intending to get into another fistfight—to bad Fubuki had always been better at their mother's Taijutsu then Tayuya ever was.

…

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><p>…<p>

Sakura and Hinata watched as days turned into weeks and the three bullies were nearly jumping at every sound that was too close. When all three skipped a day of academy only to return the next day with not very pleased looking parent's, Sakura and Hinata knew that it was almost time. Tayuya came across them during lunch, to which the girls gave a dead line as she passed them. Neither saw the vicious smirk on Tayuya's face as she left the cafeteria, Itachi close behind her.

Yes, those girls were in for a whole lot of trouble when they finally relaxed

…

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><p>…<p>

One week after their return the three bullies finally relaxed, believing that with the psychopath of an older student had forgotten about them. Surly an older student would be more concerned with the coming up exams... right?

Wrong

That night Fubuki, Itachi and Tayuya stalked the girls to their various homes and took them in the middle of the night. When they regathered in one of Itachi's favorite places, they placed masks over the girl's faces so they wouldn't wake because of a strange smell.

The best part of their plan?

The next day was picture day

…

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><p>…<p>

Tayuya gently laid the tall girl in her bed and left out the window, closing it after herself easily. After ten minutes of roof hopping, something Itachi and Fubuki had stopped to teach her before the prank, Tayuya returned home and swung into her bedroom through her still open window. Landing softly, Tayuya quickly changed out of her black cotton clothes and hid them in the loose floorboard under her desk.

Tayuya quickly changed into a pair of her favorite pajamas and grabbed her flute before she tiptoed towards her door. Opening her door softly, Tayuya peaked out and looked both down and up the hallway, grinning when Fubuki peaked out her bedroom beside and across from her and Itachi peaked out of his at the very end of the hall.

Tayuya called Itachi's room the guardian room, because it doesn't matter how you pass it, you still end up waking the occupant in the room; Itachi's horrendously light sleep didn't help.

Grinning together, Itachi smirked, the three tip toed out of their rooms and climbed onto the ceiling to avoid the squeaky floorboards in front of Itachi's room. They then swung back down onto the floor properly and tip toed down the stairs, through the living and hallway, down the stairs of the hidden door to the basement. Once the door was closed softly behind them, the three went down the stairs as quietly as they could and turned on the basement lights as they went. Seeing that they still hadn't been caught yet, they went to the far wall and pushed the bookshelf aside.

After Tayuya and Fubuki were through the entryway behind the bookcase, Itachi reached out from behind the bookcase and turned off the lights from the light switch next to the bookcase. They then walked down the small hall and entered the sound proofed room they used for their music lessons. The room was fairly large and pale, letting the low light of a candle light up the entire room. There were several comfortable and squashy chairs and pillows strung threw out the front half of the room, with a table set to the side with cups and snacks on it's surface. The other half housed large uncomfortable chairs and large string instruments, including a large piano sitting in the corner.

Once the door was closed, Tayuya threw her hands up and shouted loudly, glad to express her giddy cheerfulness of her first successful mission. Fubuki soon joined her, wrapping her arms from behind Tayuya, Fubuki swung the both of them around in a circle laughing and spinning until she was too dizzy to stand. Itachi chuckled as he sat in a nearby cushy chair and watched as the girls laughed and rolled on the floor, overjoyed at the success of their prank.

"They're going to flip in the morning!" Tayuya laughed, tears falling down her eyes as she wrapped her arms around her stomach.

"No not in the morning," Fubuki said as she pushed herself up from the pale floor of the music room. "When you play your flute tomorrow before school starts, that's when they'll flip."

"Huh? Why would I play the flute at the school?"

"Claim to be practicing," Itachi reasoned. "Say you got kicked out of your normal practice spot, so you played..." Suddenly Itachi's eyes lit up and he smiled at the girls. "Sakura-san laughs when you play the flute, right?"

"Yeah," Tayuya agreed with a pout, sometimes Sakura still laughed when she missed a note or moved between the notes too quickly

"Then say you were trying to cheer her up," Itachi suggested with a smirk

"Oh no Tayuya, I think we're rubbing off on him," Fubuki laughed, pointing exaggeratedly at Itachi and stage whispering to her sister. Itachi smirked and passed the older pinkette a cup of juice, shaking his head when Fubuki continued to stage whisper to Tayuya teasingly. The three stayed up for a few hours laughing and joking, in the morning they were curled up together sleeping soundly.

Mebuki was the one who found them in the morning, with a wicked smirk she took a quick picture of the scene and silently made her way to the piano. Grin widening, Mebuki set her camera to video and set it to view the three preteens, once that was done she slammed her hands against the keys of the piano effectively waking all three at the same time.

Itachi jerked away from the two pinkette's, landing in a crouch at Fubuki's feet with his Sharingan spinning and kunai in hand. Tayuya had some how managed to flip herself into a hand stand and land in a low crouch, one hand against the floor beside her extended foot and her right arm pulled up into a fist beside her chest as if ready to punch at the closest thing. Fubuki actually went from laying on her side to a protective, four legged crouch between Itachi and Tayuya, the liquids from the cups at the table flew into the air and formed threatening, floating spears over all three of them.

Mebuki was to busy laughing on the floor to notice their rather violent reactions

"That's not funny mom!" Tayuya whined, lowering herself out of her crouch to sit on the floor childishly.

"You're right!" Mebuki laughed, tears dropping from her eyes as she pushed herself up from the floor, "It was hilarious!"

"...at least we're up on time," Itachi said as he deactivated his Sharingan and put his kunai knife away. Tayuya and Fubuki glared at him before they picked up a pillow and threw it at him, he dodged rather easily; making both girls mad enough to try again. Mebuki watched from the floor in amusement as the three had a pillow fight, Tayuya and Fubuki tag teaming Itachi for all of five minutes—then it was a free for all.

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Sakura and Hinata watched curiously as Tayuya pulled them to the large tree in front of the academy, the doors hadn't opened just yet but everyone was waiting just out side the doors anyways. Fubuki and Itachi were standing nearby, Sasuke clinging to Itachi's pant leg and glaring half-heartedly at Sakura. With a wink at Sakura and Hinata, who sat before her, Tayuya smirked at Fubuki before she raised her flute and started to play the simplest song she knew—no chakra added. Everyone gathered turned to listen, watching as Sakura and Hinata leaned a little closer together. After a moment of listening, even Sasuke actually walked forward to sit next to Sakura, other children soon stepping forward to sit before the pinkette and listen to the calming notes.

Tayuya was playing the simple song for all of five minutes before a horrified scream tore through the air interrupting her. Feeling annoyed, she rarely got play in public, Tayuya lowered her flute and glared in the direction the scream came from.

Tayuya could honestly say whole-heartedly that she had forgotten all about the three bullies—she remembered them now

All three girls were staring horrified at each other, their hair was needle straight and about as pink as any cheery blossom. Their hair was pinker then even Sakura's and Fubuki's hair, which was hard to do considering both had rather pale pink hair. The three's hair wasn't just pink like the Haruno sister's, their hair was screaming _neon_ pink, a shade of pink that lit up a dark room and blinded people in sunlight.

Tayuya was very happy that she wasn't the only one who fell over laughing; the girl's parent's weren't very merciful to them. Well the tall one's mother gasped in horror and quickly covered her daughter's head, pulling her away from the crowed quickly and returning home almost as fast any ninja.

"Who ever did that is the best!" Kiba shouted from where he was rolling on the ground beside his friends.

"Kiba be nice!" Hana shouted from where stood trembling with a wobbling smile on her face "How would you feel if someone did that to you?"

"I'd laugh my ass off then punch 'em!" Kiba grinned up at his sister.

It would be fifteen minutes before anyone could stop laughing, Sasuke included, and then the whole academy was talking about it for days after words.

The three newly made pinkette's were horrified to find out that no amount of hair dye could save their hair—it only made everything worse.

The darker the dye the brighter the pink became

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A few hours later

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"Tayuya! Fubuki!" Mebuki snapped when both of her daughters returned later the same evening of the prank. Both girls poked their heads around the wall of the entrance to look into the living room, they recognized one of the girl's mother with two other women sitting on either side of her, the school principal and the Hokage sitting around the living room calmly. On the other side was Itachi standing with a bowed head between both of his stone-faced parents—their father was on the floor laughing hysterically, pounding the floor and everything. Taking a closer look at their mother, both girls noticed that Mebuki's eyes were watering at the edges like she was suppressing tears, her lips were wobbly and... and her entire body was trembling with the effort to stay in a threatening pose.

"Yes mother?" Fubuki and Tayuya asked at the same time, stepping foreword and looking guiltily up at her.

"Is it true that you two dyed three girl's hair _pink_?" Mebuki asked as calmly as she could, trying desperately to ignore her howling husband. The two pinkette's didn't answer; their voices being over run by their little sister as she entered their home.

"Mommy! Daddy! I'm home!" Sakura called as she ran passed her sisters and hugged her mother, not noticing her guests right away. "Why is daddy on the floor?" Sakura asked looking down at her father curiously before looking up and studying everyone inside her home.

"S-Sakura," Mikoto's voice was soft as a whisper, the cup of tea in her hands slipping out making Itachi catch it quickly before it spilt on his mother and shattered on the floor.

"What in the world happened to you're hair?!" Mikoto asked, holding her hands out to the little girl hugging her mother. Sakura smiled and skipped over to Mikoto, hugging her as tightly as she had her own mother; letting the black haired woman run her fingers through her pixy style haircut.

"That's right, it happened over the weekend," Tayuya grumbled staring at a ghostly pale Mikoto, "This is the first time you've seen it."

"Seen it?" Fugaku asked with a twitching eyebrow, "what happened to her hair?"

"Some bullies cut it!" Sakura answered, tugging sadly at a short lock that wouldn't get out her eyes. "I like not having to deal with the tangles," Sakura confessed to Mikoto sadly, "but I really liked my long hair..."

Tears welled up in Mikoto's eyes and, with a squeal, she hugged Sakura tightly, lifting the tiny pinkette in the air as she did so. Itachi rolled his eyes and set the teacup aside while his mother tried to suffocate Sakura in a hug.

"Sakura-chan, do you know what these bullies were named?" Hiruzen asked, looking sadly at the tiny six year old in Mikoto's arms.

"Ai Shintaka, Umei Nairuka and Aoko Rushuka," Sakura answered pushing at Mikoto to free up her face.

"The three girl's whose hair turned pink today?" The principle asked with a frown from where he sat between the three mothers—Kaname Nairuka, Shanai Shintaka and Menai Rushuka—and Mikoto.

"Uh-huh," Sakura agreed, glancing at her sisters curiously. "Miko-chan I can't breathe..." Mikoto sniffed and pulled Sakura into her lap, running her fingers through Sakura's short hair and letting tears prickle her eyes but not letting them fall.

"Cutting some hair off gives two children no right to permanently dye someone else's hair another color." Shanai Shintaka, sitting in the center of the couch, said coldly; her eyes staring at Sakura in an almost curious manner.

"Some hair?" Kizashi repeated, his laughter ending abruptly, he pushed himself up into a sitting position on the floor, a frown twisting his features.

"You think your daughter cut of 'some' hair?" Kizashi asked, a brow lifting as he stared incuriously at the woman. "When your daughter cut Sakura's hair, it was long enough to have to be pulled into a high ponytail so it wouldn't get dragged on the ground." The woman stared at Kizashi as if he was an idiot, clearly she didn't think a six year old could have such long hair.

"We never, not once, cut Sakura's hair since she was _born_." Mebuki informed the group as she dug through a desk against the wall by the entrance to the living room. "Sakura has had long hair for as long as she could remember. Then your daughters walk up and cut it for no reason? How is that right to you woman?"

"One's personal opinion dose not matter," the woman said like she was reciting an old family saying. "I fail to see how that has any influence on the matter at hand." Mebuki glared at the woman as she threw a book onto her lap, the words '_The Haruno's memories_' were inscribed in gold on the surface of the crimson book.

"Go ahead and open it," Mebuki said in a tone of voice that was more ordering then suggestive. With a face as calm and board as any stone, the woman set her cup down gently and opened the book. She flipped through the pages, staring dully at the pictures of Sakura and her parents who were soon joined by Fubuki and Tayuya, then joined again with Itachi and his parents, then with Hinata and her parents. In each picture that housed Sakura, she was smiling and happy, with long sweeping cheery locks and a bright smile.

On about the twentieth page, the woman paused to study the two single pictures on either side of the book. On the left housed Hinata and Sakura dressed in pretty matching kimono's and sitting on a stage, string instruments in hand; both girls where smiling serenely with closed eyes as they played side-by-side. Sakura's hair was pinned up in loops and curls; Hinata's hair was still short, barely long enough for a low ponytail.

In the picture across from the elegant and beautiful picture of the two girls was another that was far from elegant and beautiful. It showed Mebuki carrying a sleeping Sakura down a street at sunset or passably sunrise. Sakura was dressed in blue khakis and a long sleeved dark blue shirt, her clothes were dirty and torn, bandages laced up and down her legs and arms, stretching beneath her clothing. Her head was rested on Mebuki's shoulder, showing her face that was bruised and still bleeding, her eyes were sullen and red, clear signs that she had been crying. However, the biggest difference in this picture was Sakura's choppy short hair that looked like someone had pulled her hair up and cut it off with a kunai knife instead of a pair of scissors. Even in the picture, Mebuki herself had her eyes closed and her face tilted into her daughter's short locks, a single tear slipping passed her eyelashes to run down her cheek.

The woman snapped the book shut and rested it on the table calmly, her eyes locking onto Mebuki's dispassionately and coldly

She was unmoved by the pictures shown to her

"I've noticed that you don't have any pictures of Tayuya and Fubuki from when they were young," the woman said, startling the family. "Are the two girls even yours?"

"Of course they are!" Sakura snapped at the woman, her face twisting into confusion and irritation. "Fubuki and Tayuya are my sisters! No matter what you say you can't take that away from me!"

"Sakura-dear," Mebuki chuckled, patting her daughter's head reassuringly. "No one is going to take your sister's away."

"...Promise?" Sakura asked, fear lacing her words and worry etching across her face

"Promise," Mebuki chuckled, a sad look entering her eyes. "But I need you and your sisters to do something for me okay?"

"What?"

"I need you and your sisters to go down stairs and practice, okay?" Mebuki asked smiling at Sakura, "It's about time you start your practice anyways."

"...Okay," Sakura sighed jumping down from Mikoto's lap and joining her sisters at the doorway. Fubuki gave Mebuki a sad smile and nodded her head, Itachi shared a look with his father and soon joined the sisters down stairs, his mother fallowing behind him. Mebuki waited until she heard the door to the basement click shut and counted to ten slowly before she blew up on the woman sitting in the center of her couch.

"What in the seven hells is wrong with you?!" Mebuki asked, rounding on the woman with her voice raised and hands fisted at her sides, not seeing how a shadow near the entrance of the living room jumped with the sound of her voice. "Don't you know how to be subtle? You don't ask a question like that in front of said children!"

"I was unaware of it being a secret," the woman replied calmly, unimpressed with the fury echoing in Mebuki's emerald eyes like a flame.

"My daughter was kidnapped just over three years ago," Mebuki gritted out, surprising the three women. "If not for Tayuya and Fubuki then my daughter would have died long ago. When they came to visit her, I adopted them and made them apart of this family. They are my daughters just as much as Sakura is."

"I fail to see—"

"It means that Fubuki and Tayuya were _there_!" Mebuki snapped at them, her voice echoing in her home. "They were apart of the slave ring too! They were the same as Sakura! Taken from their homes and forced to be a slave just because they _looked_ different! Fubuki is from the land of snow, she watched as the slave traders murdered her entire family before they took her away! Tayuya was all but raised as a slave! She was a wondering orphan before they found her in land of rice patties!"

"Those two girls are our daughters," Kizashi said as he pushed himself onto his feet, wrapping an arm around his wife. "You might not understand Lady Shanai and honestly I don't expect you too. Just imagine yourself in our shoes, How would you feel if your daughter was suddenly missing?"

"She ran off to one our relatives," the cold woman answered bluntly.

"And what if she didn't? What if she was taken away from you? Forced to live the life of a slave?" Mebuki asked

"We are getting off subject," Shanai answered. "What dose this have to do with the matter at hand?"

"Sakura believes with her whole heart that Fubuki and Tayuya are her god given sisters," Mebuki sighed, slumping against her husband. "Thankfully she doesn't remember the kidnapping incident," Mebuki added softly glaring to the side thoughtfully. "I'm asking you Lady Shanai, don't say such frigid words in front of my daughters again. The last thing they need is a reminder of what happened to them."

"Are you telling me that because they are kidnapped children who where safely and legally adopted by you that it made their actions to _my_ child acceptable?" Shanai asked her face stone cold and her voice bland of any emotion. Mebuki sighed rubbing tiredly at her face, a soft 'no' escaping her lips.

"I'm beginning to see why your child acts out," Fugaku said bluntly, drawing everyone's attention instantly. "You're even worse then Itachi is at _his_ worst. The difference being that he can actually make his voice and eyes sound and look warm, where as you don't appear to care for anything. Not even for your own child—your just here to make a point."

"And what point is that Uchiha-san?" Shanai asked, blinking dully at him

"That you're embarrassed about your child's looks," Fugaku answered just as bluntly as the woman. "You said and did very little when things concerning your daughter took place. So long as things didn't get too out of control, you didn't appear to care. Yet when little Ai get's a new hair color you march over here seeking away to undo what the Haruno girl's _supposedly_ have done."

"Those two girls are no more Haruno then I am," Shanai replied calmly, unaffected by Fugaku's words. "And neither is your son, who was also involved."

"My point is that you noticed right away that the dye used on your daughter isn't a normal dye" Fugaku continued, ignoring her comment. "You noticed with a single look that the dye was tampered with by chakra, that's why you covered Ai so quickly right? You covered her and went straight to your home. You didn't even bother going to the store and buying hair dye did you? You simply waited for these two to confront you before all three of you walked over here."

"...What's you're point?"

"I had to activate the Sharingan to notice the chakra added to the dye," Fugaku said, his eyes flashing crimson before returning black once more. "How did you notice the difference without panicking like the other two beside you?"

"... How did this become an interrogation about me noticing that there was something wrong with my daughter's hair?" Shanai asked avoiding the question bluntly, "I believed we three have come to the Haruno house to punish those responsible for the damage done to our daughters."

"Please answer the question Lady Shanai," Hiruzen said from where he sat next to the couch but close to Fugaku. "Even I was unaware of the chakra coursing through the girl's hair. How did you, a civilian with _no_ shinobi training, notice with a single look?" Shanai stared at Hiruzen for a moment, silently studying him; knowing he was doing the same.

"...Ai's hair changed with the girl's flute song," Shanai answered at last, reaching forward for her cup of green tea. "I was addressing my daughter when it changed color. I was so surprised that I was speechless and ended up staring at her up until Lady Nairuka screamed when she caught sight of her own daughter's new hair color. It wasn't hard to figure out that since it was activated by the girl's flute that it was most likely chakra based and if that was the case no amount of dye in this world would make it wash out."

"...that's a very reasonable answer," Hiruzen murmured his eyes sharp and keen onto the woman in the center. "Your intelligence is impressive..."

"You are too kind," Shanai murmured, the corner of her lip hooking up into a small smirk that was barely hidden by her cup of tea.

"Dose this mean that Tayuya Haruno, Fubuki Haruno and Itachi Uchiha will not be punished for what they've done to our daughters?" Kaname Nairuka, the woman sitting to Shanai's right, asked in a hard voice drawing attention to her person.

"No," the principal said at last, startling the three mothers. "I can't possibly punish three children with no proof other then your daughter's words and those three have lied to my face before. How do I know that they hadn't done it to themselves and lied to get Tayuya and Fubuki Haruno into trouble? Why did they pick them anyways? I was under the impression that they were angry with little Sakura-chan because she spends so much time with Sasuke Uchiha."

"But—" Menai Rushuka, sitting to Shanai's left, started up with a face twisted into confusion

"Besides I can't punish Fubuki Haruno," the principal said, interrupting the woman to Shanai's left. "She is a shinobi and there for under lord Hokage's jurisdiction, not mine. And Itachi Uchiha is the heir of the Uchiha clan, you can't possibly believe that I could actually do anything to him."

"Then punish Tayuya Haruno," Kaname hissed, glaring at the principal. "_Severely_,"

"Why?" he asked in return, making the blonde's brow twitch in irritation. "There is no proof of what your daughter's say other then the evidence of their hair, the only thing the girls have in their defense is their words. Words that don't weigh much when taking in consideration that they've spoken lies since they entered the academy. I have no reason to believe your daughters over the Haruno girls."

"So the Haruno girls get off scot free?" Shanai asked calmly

"I have no proof that the girls did anything wrong," the principal agreed

"Very well," Shanai murmured rising from her seat and sweeping out of the living room, only to pause in the entrance to house, both women standing on either side behind her. "Haruno-san, I suggest you keep a close eye on your daughter. Trouble is brewing between that girl and mine; I will not be responsible for the consequences."

"I should hope that's not a threat, Lady Shanai," Mebuki replied with narrowed eyes. "Us Haruno's don't do well with threats. We have a bad habit of making the threat-er eat their words."

Shanai smirked over her shoulder at Mebuki, her bangs just long enough to cover her eyes from view. The violet haired woman said nothing in response; she stepped out of the house with her head held high and her face placid and calm. Kaname and Menai hurrying after her, Menai in worry and Kaname angrily; making Shanai's calmness echo in the after noon sun and shadow the other two women easily.

Shanai wasn't worried, not angry, just calm

She was too calm and it made Mebuki worry for her daughters.

"A storm is brewing," Kizashi murmured as he placed a hand on his wife's shoulder, watching the three women walk, stumble and march away. "Perhaps we should up the girl's training?"

"I fear you might be right..." Mebuki agreed sadly. "Their music lessons will have to be put on hold for now."

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**Okay I couldn't help it, I know I said I wouldn't give you sneak peaks but these next pieces are so far apart I just had to add this for you.**

**It's a sneak peak at some future chapters.**

**Please don't hate me, I'm just interested in your reactions **

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"You found her," it wasn't a question; it was spoken as if it was a fact

"...Yes,"

"...You were planning on telling me no,"

"...yes..."

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"Vengeance," he whispered, "I'll get vengeance for you... little brother..."

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"What's wrong with her? Why isn't she responding?"

"You don't want to know"

Someone was crushing her heart, she couldn't breath

"...Will she live?"

"...I don't know"

Her soul is splitting... no one could survive such agony

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**Thoughts are helpful**

**Opinions are wonderful**

**Helpful criticism****is**** lovely! Just don't cripple me okay?**

**Please no cursing!**

**And don't forget to**** rate and**** review!**

**Page 14**


	21. Chapter 21

**There is a reason**

Chapter 21: Time Skip: a spring Birthday

Koomahana

**Fubuki was 10 when she met Sakura & 11 when she was taken to the leaf village**

**Tayuya was 8 when she met Sakura & 9 when she was taken to the leaf village**

**Sakura was 3 when she was taken and returned to the leaf village**

**Yagura was 20 when he first met Sakura and 21 when he returned to his body.**

**Yagura is 17 years older then Sakura**

**Fubuki is 7 years older than Sakura and 2 years older then Tayuya**

**Tayuya is 5 years older than Sakura**

**They are now:**

**Fubuki is now 13 years old— (Same age as Shisui and Shikan)—Genin**

**Tayuya is now 12 years old— (Same age as Itachi and Hana)**

**Sakura is now 8 years old—(Same age as Naruto and Sasuke)**

**Just so you don't get confused **

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

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Hinata walked down the long twisting halls of her family home, it had been 2 and a half years since she first met her first and best friend Sakura Haruno. As time passed and Sakura stayed the night with Hinata, eventually Hiashi gave Sakura a room beside Hinata's. While in the Haruno home Hinata and Sakura virtually shared the same room, the Hyūga main compound was big enough to give Sakura her own room. The Hyūga clan guards eventually stopped questioning Sakura's presence at their gates and the clan itself grew used to seeing the giggling bob of bright pink floating through their compound.

"Sakura-chan are you ready?" Hinata asked as she stepped into the pinkette's room, smiling softly when she saw her friend pressing a lock of pink hair irritably against her forehead.

"You're not even dressed," Hinata giggled, closing the door and approaching her friend; her own blue long coat swished against the tatamati floor in a soft whisper. Hinata was dressed in her clan's signature pale tan, her kimono edged in violet and blue butterflies; her obi was white with bright sky blue flowers and a snowy white cord. Her coat that she chose to wear over her kimono to keep her warm for the winter was as deep a blue as her hair with little violet butterflies fluttering against it, making the coat look like a stream at midnight from a distance.

"I'm sorry Hinata," Sakura grumbled, looking up at her blue haired friend. "I've brushed and brushed my hair a hundred different times but it still won't do what I want it to do."

"Trying to braid your hair again?" Hinata asked with a grin, Sakura pouted up at her. "Let me try, then we can get you dressed."

"Thank you Hinata-chan!" Sakura squealed wrapping her arms around her friend. Since the hair cut incident, Sakura and Hinata had made a deal: They would grow their hair out together. Hinata was surprised when the three girls responsible still had neon pink hair even after six months, looking as if they've always had pink hair. After a year she was completely impressed with the special die that had yet to leave and seemed to tint the roots as they grew out; after two years with no changes, Hinata was convinced that Tayuya and Fubuki had somehow managed to distort the gene in the three's hair.

"Fishtail or normal?" Hinata asked as she pulled a comb through Sakura's hair. After two years both girl's hair ended just above their elbows, Hinata figured that Tayuya and Fubuki had a hand in their hair growing so fast (it had to be the home made shampoo the two were boosting about a few months back, there weren't any other options).

"Can you do a fishtail?" Sakura asked curiously, obviously wondering if Hinata knew how. Hinata smiled at the mirror in front of Sakura, easily raking her fingers through the soft strands of the pinkette's hair and separating them just as easily. Hinata hummed softly as she folded strips of Sakura's hair over each other, pulling and tugging gently. In record time for Hinata, Sakura's hair was braded, leaving only her shorter bangs to frame her face annoyingly. She had tried to pull them out of Sakura's view, but some strands are more stubborn then others, as it was she had managed to pull Sakura's bangs back in a gentle sweep, intertwining what she could into the thick braid.

"Thank you!" Sakura shouted, jumping to her feet and hugging Hinata tightly

"Do you need help with the kimono?" Hinata asked, laughter dancing in her pale eyes

"Nope," Sakura grinned at Hinata, remembering the first time they had met "I remember how! I can finally do it myself!" Hinata smiled and waved a hand out towards Sakura's hanging kimono, waiting patiently to be used. It wasn't that different from Hinata's in terms of design, Sakura's was just red with flowers instead of off-white with butterflies.

"I have to thank your dad," Sakura said as she pulled the first layer on, a smile twisting her features "I didn't know anyone could make my clan crest look so beautiful," chuckling Sakura lifted her sleeve for Hinata's view. The white flowers wove together with little green leafs and a deep dark red that was supposed to look like the limbs of a tree. The deep maroon curls of the branches, the gentile swirl of silver leaves and the beautiful whirls of the white flowers all formed large and small circles, hidden well with the elegant design. It was something Hinata knew her father had wanted to give to Sakura; she was one of the few people he trusted with his daughter outside of the clan. He no longer picked Hinata up at the Haruno house; he simply left a note at the Haruno house the nights that Hinata didn't come home, telling Hinata when to return and to do so safely.

"Happy seventh birthday," Hinata smiled, Sakura gasped and snapped around, her eyes wide as she tried to fight a smile from her face.

"Is that what he was trying to tell me earlier?" Sakura asked, letting her whimsical smile stretch wide into a bright and blinding smile that Hinata had steadily grew used to. Hinata nodded in agreement, not surprised that her father had tried to tell Sakura but ended up not saying the words he wanted to. Hiashi was just as impaired with showing affection as Hinata was at speaking in front of large crowds, she rarely spook at a normal volume when she wasn't with Sakura.

"You missed a tie," Hinata grinned at Sakura, stepping forward and quickly fixing the mistake.

"I hadn't gotten there yet," Sakura grumbled at Hinata. She raised her arms anyways, when Hinata got into the habit of fixing something, she typically didn't let anyone help. Hearing a soft knock on the door, Hinata turned as it opened, revealing her younger sister Hanabi and her elder cousin, Neji.

"Are you ready, Hinata-sama?" Neji asked coldly, still mad at her for the death of his father. Hinata flinched at the tone of voice and nodded, she opened her mouth to speak when she saw her little sister stumble forward.

"Sissy!" Hanabi giggled, smiling as brightly as any two year old could. Hinata smiled softly and hurried forward to catch her wobbling little sister, her mother wouldn't be happy with her if she let Hanabi get hurt. The thought hurt but not nearly as much as the thought of disappointing her deceased mother, who died trying to bring Hanabi to term.

"Sakura-san are you ready?" Neji asked politely, turning his milky white eyes on the pinkette.

"Yes I am," Sakura smiled, her answer surprising Hinata. Turning from where she held Hanabi's hands steadily, Hinata stared at the obi that was wrapped tightly around Sakura's waist, the golden rope in place.

"That's strange Sakura-san," Neji said, tilting his head to the side curiously, "You usually have trouble with the belt."

"Well I didn't this time," Sakura pouted at him, her shoulders slumping slightly.

"Then if you're both ready," Neji said turning away from the three so that he could return to the party taking place in the gardens. "Please hurry, everyone's waiting for you."

"Turn and let me see," Hinata ordered when Neji was out of sight, Sakura grinned and did as she was told, revealing the crocked back piece.

"See? I can tie my own belt!" Sakura said cheerfully, turning to go out the door.

"Not," Hinata commented, turning Sakura back around and fixing the belt properly, "How are the ties?" Hinata asked turning her friend back around and examining the front piece critically.

"Hinata-chan are you dressing me up like a doll again?" Sakura asked with a smile, when it came down to it, Hinata was more of a girl then Sakura was at times. When it was time for the both of them to get dressed up, for the plays at the academy, the performances of the music school or the monthly clan get-togethers, Hinata often dressed Sakura up. When Sakura had asked Hinata one time about it, Hinata informed her that Sakura was like the perfect doll when she wanted one.

"Only on days like today," Hinata agreed with a smile, pulling a loose strand back into the kimono, hiding it from view. She gently tugged and pulled at the edges of the kimono, making sure it was tight enough to stay in place but loose enough to let Sakura breath. The last time the kimono was too tight, the pinkette passed out on the stage in the middle of a performance. Luckily, Hinata and Sakura had been placed at the edges of the second row in the performance, close to the curtain. Hinata had literally pulled Sakura off stage too fast for most people to notice, the only exceptions being their relatives, the other musicians and those in the audience who had a very good eye.

"Sissy!" Hanabi whined from where she sat on the floor, glaring up at Sakura, "My sissy!"

"Of course Imoto," Hinata chuckled glancing back at her sister as she picked up Sakura's crimson silk coat, nearly identical to her own but again with flowers instead of butterflies. Hanabi pouted as Hinata wrapped the coat around Sakura's shoulders, showing her how to wear it with the long sleeves of her kimono.

"There all done," Hinata chimed, stepping back from Sakura as Hanabi cheered. Sakura giggled, raising her hand to brush back a lock of hair. She froze when she saw something dangling from her wrist, she didn't remember putting it on.

"Come on Hanabi, ups-a-daisy!" Hanabi giggled as Hinata pulled her to her feet, smiling she turned to see that Sakura had noticed the bracelet she slipped on her earlier. It was a simple silver chain with little trinkets evenly spaced on it: there was a crimson teardrop, a silver flower, a snowflake, a crimson cat eye, a silver crescent moon and a tiny yellow sun.

"Thank you!" Sakura cried out, wrapping her arms around both Hyūga sisters, tears dropping from her eyes and splashing on Hanabi's head, making the younger girl slightly panicked. "Thank you, thank you so much Hinata-chan."

"It's your birthday today," Hinata sighed, patting Sakura on the back and whipping the tears from her cheeks. "That was our gift to you, a gift from the Hyūga clan."

"I'll never forget it," Sakura whispered holding her wrist close. "I'll wear it always, I wont ever take it off."

"You will on missions," Hinata laughed gently pulling Sakura towards the door. "After we graduate, we can't wear bracelets like that. Especially on missions, it'll get ripped apart."

"Then I'll find away," Sakura grinned stepping out of her room, holding one of Hanabi's hands while Hinata held the other.

"You two ready?" Hinata and Sakura jumped at the voice, looking up the hall they saw Neji leaning against a nearby corner. "Took you both long enough, I'm supposed to escort you both, remember?"

"S-sorry," Hinata apologized lowering her gaze in apology to Neji.

"Glad to see you're feeling better," Sakura grinned when Neji frowned at her in confusion. "Come on Neji, it's a party! Loosen up!"

Neji rolled his eyes and lifted off the wall, silently telling them to fallow. Hinata sighed and Sakura grinned, together they both made their way down the twisting halls and to the garden. All three girls flinched when the door opened and fridge cold hit them hard, they pulled their coats tighter and followed the older boy closely. Neji lead the way to a close group as if the cold air that brushed against him didn't affect him.

Itachi and Sasuke were huddled together behind their parents and Sakura's siblings (Fubuki, Tayuya and Naruto) were huddled close together just behind Mebuki and Kizashi. Although the Haruno's didn't legally adopt him, Naruto had his own room beside Itachi's in the Haruno house and spent more time with them then he did at the orphanage. Much to Fubuki's irritation and Tayuya's occasional joy, Tayuya and Naruto often went out and pulled pranks on anyone who happened to make Naruto mad or sad or if someone said something mean about their family. It was the only thing the two had in common, when they weren't working together to wreck havoc on some unfortunate soul, they were found arguing loudly.

"Uncle, we're here," Neji said as he walked passed, not stopping as he spoke. Hiashi sighed as Neji continued into the garden, heading towards the far corner where he could watch everyone present in silence.

"Father, we're ready," Hinata called as she stopped before Hiashi, smiling when Sakura launched herself at the man laughing as he stumbled.

"Thank you for the dress!" Sakura grinned up at Hiashi, a bright blush staining her cheeks. "And the bracelet too! Do you know of everyone who helped with it? I want to thank them!"

"Unfortunately I don't know," Hiashi answered with a pointed look at Hinata, not sure if he should be happy that she told Sakura about the dress and curious about the bracelet that Sakura spoke about, he wasn't aware about the bracelet Sakura spoke of.

"Well then I'll just have to thank everyone here!" Sakura said cheerfully, extracting herself from the man and turning to her mother. "Mom is my violin here? I don't remember if I brought it."

"It's by the table," Mebuki answered with a smile, "You want me to get it?"

"Not right now," Sakura answered shaking her head, "Before everyone leaves, I would like to play a song for everyone..." Sakura trailed off as a thought occurred to her. "Fu-nee can I ask for your help? I can't sing..."

"Sure what song do you want?" Fubuki asked, smiling at Sakura. "Is it 'butterfly' again?"

"Maybe..." Sakura answered thoughtfully, "I was thinking the 'I am' song that mister sings..."

"I think the 'butterfly' song would be a better choice," Tayuya giggled, shivering beside Naruto.

"Plus you can play it by your self," Naruto chimed with watery eyes and a wobbly smile, Naruto had always loved the snow but he hated it when it got his clothes wet and dragged him down; like now he felt like he was fighting off a particularly bad cold. "It's a violin piece; you don't need anyone up there with you." Sakura thought about it for a moment before she nodded and smiled at the blond boy cheerfully.

"Great idea!" Sakura grinned, nearly bouncing in place. "Before everyone leaves I'll play that piece for everyone! Thanking everyone for both the party _and_ the bracelet!" The group laughed, Mebuki stooping to lift Sakura high into the air. It was pure luck that the day of the clan celebration just so happened to land on Sakura's birthday and that the Hyūga clan was housing it this time around. The Haruno's gathered together, laughing together with the grinning Hyūga's and chuckling Uchiha's; all unaware of the pair of pale eyes watching from afar.

Neji sighed as he watched the group tighten around each other, their children in the center, the smaller ones being held by their parents. He crossed his hands inside the sleeves of his own Kimono, trying to keep his hands warm. Neji stiffened as the fingers of his right hand brushed against something small and square in his left sleeve, pulling the small object out Neji glared at the little yellow box that was hidden in his sleeve pocket. Glancing up at the group, just to make sure they didn't notice the red bow on top of the box, Neji twitched as he locked gazes with a pair of pure white eyes staring at him over the shoulders of her father. Neji glared at Hanabi warningly as he stuffed the tiny box back into his sleeve, hiding it from sight. Hanabi pouted at him and turned around in her father's hold, looking at the others surrounding her.

Hanabi had seen him buy the present a month before, he didn't know if she still remembered it, but he knew she knew that he had planned to give it to the pinkette as a birthday present. He had told her to be quiet about it, that it was a surprise, she giggled and quickly agreed—with the condition that he buy her a new stuffed animal. So far, she hadn't said anything to anyone about the present (either of them, her stuffed animal counted even if it didn't go to the pinkette) and Neji figured that Hanabi had simply forgotten all about the little yellow box.

…

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A few hours later

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Neji glared out his bedroom window, the party was a success as both a clan celebration and a birthday party. However, he didn't get to give his present to the birthday girl. Neji's glare increased as he watched the pinkette leave the compound with her parents, sleeping on her father's shoulder. She had played a violin peace before the party was over, surprising everyone at the party.

After words, Neji decided to give his gift to her as she approached the gift table with Hinata and Hiashi on either side of her; he ended up behind her when she made her declaration.

…

"_So only the people I know gave me presents today?" Sakura asked Hiashi curiously_

"_That was the plan," Hiashi agreed, brining a smile to Sakura's face_

"_That's great!" Sakura said not noticing the boy standing behind her, a present in hand. "Presents from strangers are creepy!_

_Neji turned right around and marched away from the girl, he swore that the adults were laughing because they saw him approach and then promptly leave after her declaration. Tayuya and Fubuki all but fell over as they laughed, a few nearby adults were grinning and chuckling together, a few others were shifting nervously and some were glaring at their feet or the person next to them. They properly didn't know the girl but had gotten her presents anyways and after such a declaration they didn't know if they should give it to her and be misunderstood or not give it to her and possibly get scolded by their wives._

…

Thinking back, that was a very logical way of thinking. Accepting things from strangers could be dangerous, especially to children who don't understand the double meaning behind some people's presents.

"Neji are you there?" Neji turned at the sound of his mother's voice, he quickly closed the box he had been toying with and quickly stuffed it under his pillow; straitening just as his mother opened the door.

"Have you been up here the entire time?" She asked leaning against the doorway tiredly

"No mother, I went down stairs for a while," Neji answered as he hurried towards his mother, supporting her weight as she swayed dangerously. "You shouldn't be out of bed, you need your rest."

"Don't be silly," the woman giggled, fighting another yawn, "You're father used to make me get up and walk around the house all the time."

"You were pregnant with me," Neji reminded his mother with a sigh

It was rare in the Hyūga clan but some members were just naturally weaker then the others. Some, like his mother, were so weak that they were lucky to make it to their twentieth year. His mother was pushing forty; he wouldn't be surprised if she passed away in her sleep soon. It'd be sad but not surprising, his mother was the only reason he hadn't moved in with his uncle yet. When she was gone, there was nothing to keep him in the branch sector of the compound; his uncle would properly ask him to move in with him and his family. He had asked before, saying that his mother could move in as well, that she'd get better care in the main house but Neji reminded him that the main house was not only far away, too far for his mother to get to without passing out or getting worse, but also further away from the doctor and even the hospital, where she needed weekly check ups.

"Did Sakura-chan enjoy her present?" his mother asked as she climbed into bed, smiling as Neji pulled the blankets up to her chin. "Did she like the bracelet?"

"She loved it," Neji smiled at her, glad that he had snuck it to Hinata with a small note to give it to Sakura. "Claimed that she'd never take it off."

"Hmm... dangerous for a kunochi," She mumbled sleepily "I can't wait for next year... think I'll be stronger next year?"

"Maybe," Neji smiled at his mother, "What do you have planned?"

"A necklace," She yawned tiredly, her eyes closing sleepily, "To... go wi-ith... th-thos ear-rings..."

Neji sighed as a soft snore escaped his mother's mouth; he swore that she hadn't seen it when he was trying to wrap it the previous day but then again, she did give him the box for the earrings along with the bow and string. He slowly rose to his feet and quietly left his mother's room, closing the door and walking down the hall silently.

_I'm sorry mother_, Neji thought as he entered his room and flopped on his bed. _I don't think you'll see her next year..._

Neji pulled out the box from under his pillow and flipped it open. Inside was a pair of simple pure silver crescent moon earrings, they weren't expensive at all but were of high quality. Neji didn't understand why he had the sudden urge to buy them but he did and there was no going back on them now.

He would just have to try again next year

…

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><p>…<p>

A few months later

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><p>…<p>

Mebuki and Kizashi chatted softly with Fugaku and Mikoto all four waiting outside the Academy doors beside the only tree in front grounds of the academy; Sakura, Hinata, Sasuke and Naruto beside them chatting cheerfully. The bell rang and the two families snapped to look at the academy doors, the final bell hadn't stopped ringing before the doors burst open and Tayuya ran straight for them grinning widely with Itachi close behind her.

"We passed!" Tayuya screamed out, wrapping Sakura and Naruto in her arms as she skidded to a halt, Fubuki, Mebuki and Kizashi soon joining in the dog-pile of hugs. The Haruno family laughed together, faces glowing proudly and voices ringing together in laughter. The Uchiha's weren't much better then the Haruno's, Itachi had stooped to lift Sasuke into his arms and Mikoto had simply wrapped her arms around all three of her boys, the only Uchiha in the group mimicking the Haruno's beside them almost perfectly.

"Who're your teammates?" Naruto asked excitedly

"Yeah Nee-chan, who are your teammates?" Sakura asked, bouncing excitedly in her sister's arms.

"Well... I'm sure you can guess one of them," Tayuya said glancing over her shoulder at the Uchiha's there.

"Itachi?!" Naruto and Sakura asked together, bouncing excitedly

"Ita-nii is on you're team?!" Sakura asked loudly making Tayuya laugh as she leaned back, trying to brace herself with her palms pressed against the ground.

"Is he really?" Naruto asked a smile splitting his face in half.

"Yup!" Tayuya grinned when both children in her lap cheered for joy, leaping from her lap to dance in circles together; quickly making Hinata join them before dragging Sasuke into the dance when Mikoto let go of Itachi so he could put Sasuke down.

"Who's you're third member?" Fugaku asked, scanning the crowd curiously, Tayuya and Itachi shared a look, one that said that neither one of them were practically happy with their third teammate.

"Another girl," Tayuya grumbled, nearly whining to her parents. "I thought it was supposed to be two boys and a girl? Why dose our team have to have two girls? Almost three?!"

"Who are you calling a girl?" Itachi asked with a warning look to the pinkette still sitting on the ground; Tayuya didn't look at Itachi, choosing instead to turn away and chuckle humorlessly at no one in particular.

"Cut your hair and no one would mistake you for a girl," an amused, cocky voice called out, stilling the two families. Fugaku turned with a lifted eyebrow (he did have long hair but not nearly as long as his wife's or son's), watching amusedly as both Tayuya and Itachi glared at the approaching kunochi.

"I'm Hana Inuzuka," the girl grinned at Fugaku and Mikoto, before glancing down at Tayuya, "and I was talking to you pinky."

"Why you-you" Tayuya jumped to her feet a snarl on her face, Tayuya stopped her angry shouting to look down at her side. Sakura, Naruto, Sasuke and Hinata were all paying very close attention to what she was going to say next; likely memorizing everything happening at that moment.

"...I _hate_ you," Tayuya growled out instead, ignoring the growling of the three almost puppies standing just behind a very smug looking Hana.

"Not that thrilled about you either," Hana smirked back, canines glinting. She knew Tayuya couldn't say anything to curl in front of her parents and especially not in front of her siblings.

"Hana be nice to your teammates," Tsume scolded as she approached with Kiba behind her, riding her own wolf. "I should hope you're not doing anything to set our clans on edges with each other."

"No, just our children," Mebuki chuckled, pulling Naruto and Sakura close, letting Hinata hide behind her while Sasuke scurried to his parents. "It's been awhile Tsume, how have you been?"

"I've been well," Tsume answered nodding politely at the blonde, knowing that Mebuki meant well but was still distrusting of Kuroon, her black wolf partner. Mebuki never did forgive him when he accidentally turned on her when they were young; the scar on her upper right leg only strengthened her reason for putting space between the children and Kuroon. Tsume understood and couldn't find it in her to be irritated, even Kuroon was still trying to show Mebuki that he regretted what he did to her.

"Cute kids, funny how they all look like their father." Tsume grinned as she pointed at her hair, winking amusedly at Mebuki. "But they have your eyes. I'm surprised, Green eyes are pretty rare."

"Pink hair just as much so," Kizashi agreed smiling at his wife as he pulled Fubuki and Tayuya close, showing just how close their hair truly was. "How's you family doing? The pound alright?"

"I can't tell if that was an insult or not," Tsume replied calmly, physically frowning at him but mentally grinning; she always did like making him squirm.

"...I didn't mean for that to sound like an insult," Kizashi answered, scratching the back his neck nervously.

"Mebuki, why did you ever choose him over my brother?" Tsume asked with a smirk, cocking a hip and raising an eyebrow at the blonde. "You do know that he still likes you right?"

"Wait what?!" Hana's voice cried out, stilling the parents as everyone turned to see her slightly panicked expression. "Mom are you saying that there was a chance for me to be related to that?!" Hana asked pointed at Tayuya meaningfully.

"Move your hand before I bite it off," Tayuya growled out, snapping her teeth for good measure. Hana jerked her hand back fast enough to nearly slap herself, her wolfs were growling and it wasn't long before Hana was doing the same.

"Now she'd make a great Inuzuka!" Tsume laughed, wrapping one arm around her stomach, "No questions about who her mother is, that's for sure!" Tayuya smirked up at Mebuki, then frowned when she saw that both of her parents were frowning at Tsume in slight confusion.

"You're not planning on having your son woe my Tayuya are you?" Kizashi asked with a raised eyebrow and pointed look at the disgusted look the eight year old had on.

"Mom! Please say no!" Kiba whined to his mother, his eyes wide with the memory of what happened to Ai and her friends flashing behind his mind's eye. _Anyone but that maniac!_

It's been two years since the die Jutsu was performed on the three bullies' hair and it was just now starting to fade away. It didn't just end like most hair dye did when the roots started to grow, for an the past two years the three girls had to live with the fact that their hair had been genetically altered to that specific shade of neon pink. Once this year was over and Tayuya's chakra had faded from their hair, the three girl's original hair color would started to show again, after another year the three would be able to cut their hair so that the pink no longer showed. Unfortunately, the short dark locks of their original hair color would be so short they would look completely ridicules; in other words it would take about two more years for them to have their normal hair back

"Don't worry you're too young," Tsume replied ruffling her son's hair reassuringly, "I was thinking about one of your cousins."

"Absolutely not!" Tayuya shouted, looking horrified at a different Inuzuka standing with his parents on the other side of the grounds, as if to reinforce her disgust the boy turned to the side and launched a logy into another girl's hair as she passed, at least his parents started punish him for it. "I'd rather marry Itachi then him!" Tsume glared at Mebuki, who was looking at the Uchiha couple warningly. Kizashi was chuckling and clapping Itachi on the shoulder, saying loudly that he already had his blessing; much to the boy's confusion.

"I recall a certain woman saying something similar years ago," Tsume said staring pointedly at Mebuki.

"It was a long time ago," Mebuki said coughing to clear her voice, "Let's not make any comparisons now, it might not happen..."

"You said that a long time ago!" Kizashi laughed hugging his wife and pulling Tayuya close as well, "Look what happened after fifteen years of trying!"

"Do I want to know what these three are talking about?" Tayuya asked Fubuki, who was smirking amusedly at her.

"Properly not," Fubuki answered, glancing at Mikoto mischievously. The older black haired woman was grinning at her in a similar fashion; clearly, plans were already forming in their heads.

"Mother please don't," Itachi sighed beside his parents, Sasuke looking up at him curiously.

"Too late~" Mikoto chimed, leaning into her husband's side, grinning like a cheesier cat.

"Why do I feel like I just signed my own warrant?" Tayuya asked tilting her head to look at her older sister. Fubuki snorted and quickly wrapped a hand around her mouth, the corners of her eyes watering with her determination not to laugh.

…

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><p>…<p>

**Thoughts are helpful**

**Opinions are wonderful**

**Helpful criticism****is**** lovely! Just don't cripple me okay?**

**Please no cursing!**

**And don't forget to**** rate and**** review!**

**Page 13**


	22. Chapter 22

**There is a reason**

Chapter 22: the Chunin exams

Koomahana

**Fubuki was 10 when she met Sakura & 11 when she was taken to the leaf village**

**Tayuya was 8 when she met Sakura & 9 when she was taken to the leaf village**

**Sakura was 3 when she was taken and returned to the leaf village**

**Yagura was 20 when he first met Sakura and 21 when he returned to his body.**

**Yagura is 17 years older then Sakura**

**Fubuki is 7 years older than Sakura and 2 years older then Tayuya**

**Tayuya is 5 years older than Sakura**

**They are now:**

**Fubuki is now 13 ½-14 years old— (Same age as Shisui and Shikan)**

**Tayuya is now 12-12½ years old— (Same age as Itachi and Hana)**

**Sakura is now 6 years old—(Same age as Naruto and Sasuke)**

**Yes there will be some major time skipping in this chapter, with luck I'll remember to label each one accordingly **

**It'll also be longer then normal, tell me how you like it **

****Updated **Chapters**

**3, 4, 5, 18, 20, 22, 23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,39,40,41,42,43**

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

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><p>…<p>

"You're pouting," Fubuki said bluntly, staring amusedly at her sister. Sakura glared over the book in her hands, she was sitting in the open window seal, letting the morning son heat her skin and the airflow through the house easily.

"I'm not pouting," Sakura replied, returning to her book; moving the edge of her skirt to tuck itself under her leg and adjusting her bright red vest to stop choking her.

"You read when you pout," Fubuki reasoned, a smile on her lips, "Are you still mad that you didn't graduate with Tayuya?"

"If not for that one damn class I would have passed the academy already!" Sakura whined to Fubuki, thumping her book on her knees and her head on the wall behind her. "I'm beginning to think that Mizuki-sensei _hates_ me! He always does those horrid paper tests of what we should do in certain situations and then after he grades them, we always have practice runs! He dose it every time, without fail!"

"Mizuki-san doesn't hate you," Fubuki replied calmly, rolling her own scroll up and shaking her head amusedly at Sakura. "He's just preparing you for life's challenges, that's his job remember?"

"I think you made him mad one too many times," Sakura grumbled lifting her book again. "Did you and Tayuya always have to argue with him? Seriously, I swear that man is taking his frustrations out on me... and Naruto."

"He's pretty calm around Naruto," Fubuki said giving her sister a skeptical look

"Yeah on the outside," Sakura replied with a thoughtful frown. "But I swear that man is planning something... I just don't know what. Sometimes it's like he's wearing a mask and some times it's like he's not, I can't tell with him. He's one of the few people I know that I can't read; you and Itachi being the other two."

"I'll take that as a compliment," Fubuki chuckled, rolling up her own scroll and placing it in her nearby bag. "You can only study Sakura-chan; if Mizuki-san isn't doing his job correctly then he'll get fired."

"Yeah but _when_?" Sakura asked as Fubuki stood from the table and began to leave the room. "When will someone else finally notice? When will someone else call him out on it? When will he stop favoring people and start treating his students like they're all the same?"

"I don't know," Fubuki answered truthfully, glancing back at her sister thoughtfully. "Everything takes time, you know that." Sakura sighed, her eyes distant as she watched the clouds pass overhead.

"I have to go, the chunin exams await!" Fubuki smiled back at Sakura, trying to cheer up the younger girl with better news, "I'm going to Mizu, I'll bring you something back, okay?"

"Be safe," Sakura sighed, her thoughts scattered, "Don't forget to pack lots of medicine, including the herb book that specializes on wave country's plants."

"You've got that sentence memorized don't you?" Fubuki asked, chuckling when Sakura didn't answer her, "Don't get lost in those clouds, reality can be pretty fun, ya' know."

"Just be safe," Sakura sighed giving her sister's retreating back a small smile. The last time Fubuki went to the chunin exams the team was damn near killed, they were forced to drop out half way through the second round, Shisui had gotten poisoned and it took everything Fubuki had not to lose him while they tried to finish the second round. Technically, they did finish the second round (with flying colors) but because their teammate was poisoned and out for the count—they got disqualified.

"Later Sakura-chan!" Tayuya shouted as she skidded down the stairs, a bright smile on her face and brown bag over her shoulders, "I'm off to the Chunin exam in Mizu!"

"You too?" Sakura asked, straightening from her seat, "You'll be with Fubuki-nee during the exams?"

"What? Fubuki-nee is going too?" Tayuya asked, turning to glare at her older sister who stood by the front door, "Why didn't you say anything?"

"I did," Fubuki sighed slipping her shoes on and slinging her backpack on over her shoulders. "You were too busy having a shouting match with Hana to notice me telling our parents. You better not do that during the test, the other participants will use it against you."

"Keep each other safe!" Sakura hollered after her sisters, waving from the window as they both walked down the street.

_Stay safe,_ Sakura thought, folding her hands together and saying a prayer under her breath. _Stay safe... sisters... stay safe..._

…

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A few days later

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He gasped and slammed into a sitting position, his violet eyes wide; cursing he scrambled out of bed, hitting the floor and slipping. He ignored the two Nin who barged in, asking if he was all right. He waved them away; he took up a pencil and started drawing on the closest paper he could find, sketching what little he could remember of the girl that he had spent the last six years trying to find.

He hated how the Sanbi's jutsu didn't allow him to remember everything that had happened when he was with the spirit of the Sanbi's first host. He remembered the little things, like teaching a child how to speak, how to write, the correct words and sentences, the right way to throw a punch or a kick, tucking long hair behind tiny ears, holding a crying child and spinning in a circle, letting the child laugh shrilly in his arms but he couldn't remember the important things; like the girl's name, her height or age, or where she came from. Now he just waited for those random dreams, where the seal between the first host and the Sanbi became stronger then normal and he could _feel_ the girl's emotions to such clarity that he could almost see her face.

Tonight was one of those nights

Yagura growled as the pencil broke, ruining the picture he was trying to draw. Over the years, he had gotten better, drawing often when he first returned to his body, trying desperately to remember the girl he spent so much time with. The statue in his mindscape created from her memory wasn't perfect and he never remembered her face when he resurfaced, something that agitated him to no end. Not even the Sanbi could be of much help, he never met the girl and didn't have a good memory of his first host to begin with.

"Mizukage-sama?" one of the guards called softly by his open door, "was it another dream? Do you want some tea?"

"Yes," Yagura sighed, rubbing at his temple, knowing that now he had been distracted he'd never remember every last detail he needed to finish the sketch perfectly.

"What flavor?" the guard asked, his blue eyes blinking curiously at Yagura. Each dream had him craving something different, sometimes he wanted something as strong as black coffee and sometimes he wanted something as sweet as sugar. Each dream was something different, leaving Yagura with a headache and craving a strange tasting tea.

"Something floral... or maybe fruity..." Yagura answered, staring out his window thoughtfully, his head resting in his palm. "Something like Jasmine tea... but _not_ Jasmine tea."

"Understood sir," the guard nodded, confused but glad his Kage was doing better. The sweeter the tea the better the dream and that meant that Yagura was in an even better mood. "Would you like sugar with that?" Yagura hummed and waved his guard away, not really paying attention to the man anymore. The Guard sighed and closed the door, calmly walking away with his partner as the next shifted walked towards them.

"At least it was a pleasant dream this time," his partner commented as they passed the next group, nodding in greeting. "It's been a while wasn't the last one a bad one?"

"No, the last one was pretty good," the black haired man answered tiredly, passing one hand through his short pale dark locks. "The last bad one that I can think of was a few years ago, when he destroyed half his room in a blind fury."

…

"_Cut it! They cut it! How can I find her now?! They cut it! All of it! I'll never find her now! How dare they!"_

…

"I remember that," his partner shuddered, "at least _that_ didn't leave his room."

"At least we got a painting out of it," the black haired man chuckled, stopping in the hallway to stare at one of the hanging pictures.

It was black and white, like all of the pictures drawn by the Mizukage, but this one housed a single child wrapped up in heavy chains with her arms bound off to either side. The child's head was bowed as tears dripped from her hidden eyes, short choppy bangs falling and mixing with her tears. Behind the weeping child was a tall shadow, in one hand was a pair of scissors, the other held a fist full of the girl's pale locks. The child was young and dressed in what looked like a white dress but nothing could be seen of the shadow, other then it's too wide white grin of sharp pointed teeth and cartoonish triangular slanted eyes—The child in the picture was done expertly but the shadow was childish and formless.

It was a beautiful picture but it was also confusing.

The Mizukage called it a clue, one of his few clues to finding the reincarnated first host of the Sanbi. The hall going to the Mizukage's room was lined in the black and white pictures, the ones he did let out of his room, telling a story of the girl he was desperately trying to find. His shinobi were trying too, trying to find the girl he so desperately wanted to find, but his pictures offered little to go on. After all he remembered little from his stay with the reincarnated girl, at least nothing that was helpful in finding her. He had tried to visit the other hidden villages, sure that she was apart of one, but the other Kage's held little interest in helping him.

The Mizukage was alone in his search for the girl, not even his shinobi could do much to help him

"I almost pity Mizukage-sama," the man murmured returning to his walk to the kitchens. "Wanting to find someone but not knowing how to go about it, I'm surprised he hasn't lost his mind over it."

"I'm just glade he doesn't shrink his duties to the village over her," his partner disagreed, shaking his own head. "I'm not sure I want to be in the village when she comes passing through—that'll be one hell of explosion on his part."

"I doubt it'd be an explosion But it would be a sight to see either way..." he sighed, glancing out a window in the hall. Remembering the different names that the mist shinobi used to call the girl, 'ghost host' was pretty popular, especially with the younger generation, but he couldn't bring himself to call someone so precious to his Kage a 'ghost host'. He had a different name for the girl, one that, in his eyes, was much more fitting.

_Where are you, child of the mist? Why can't you be found?_

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Fubuki sighed as she and her sister's team rested on the side of the road, barely a day to the hidden mist village, the two teams having been forced to travel together to get to Mizu. Hana and Tayuya were a bad match to put on the same team, both were alphas and both were overly territorial. The only upside was that both had excellent Taijutsu skills and Tayuya finally picked up their mother's battle style, understanding filling her as she took to it with a vigor that had been missing when they were children—now she used it on Hana every chance she got.

"Hana, did one of you're pups eat my medicine bag while I was bathing?" Tayuya asked surprisingly calm, looking in her backpack with a twitching eyebrow. The towel she was rubbing at her wet hair was falling to her shoulders. Tayuya, Hana and their teacher Kaname, and Fubuki all went for a quick dip in a nearby spring, when they returned the boys were ready and headed over to the spring for their turn.

"Why do you automatically think that it was one of my boys?" Hana asked with a low growl, petting one of said puppies reassuringly. "Just 'cause Sango has a sore stomach doesn't mean anything!" Tayuya held up her destroyed violet string pouch with golden leaves swirling into a circle, one end was without a doubt completely destroyed.

"This bag had medicines for infections in it," Tayuya said as she pulled up an identically blue destroyed bag. "This one held fever medicine and this one," Tayuya held up a destroyed red bag "had unknown herbs in it, some of which could be poisonous."

"P-p-poison?!" Hana stuttered out, her eyes wide, barely glancing down at her sick dog. "Why the hell are you carrying poisons? Are you planning on killing us all?"

"Don't be an idiot!" Tayuya snapped, watching from the corner of her eye as Fubuki rose and walked over to the sick dog calmly. "I just hadn't had the time to sort that medicine bag out! Like I said they were _unknown_ herbs! I thought Inuzuka's were smarter then that?!"

"Why do you think it was even Sango anyways?" Hana asked bristling at the other pinkette, Tayuya gave her a look and lifted the rest of her bag, revealing a large gapping hole in the bottom that some large animal had obviously chewed threw. As if to make a point to Hana, several other items fell out of Tayuya's bag crashing to the wet misty ground.

"That doesn't prove anything!" Hana snapped, ready to defend her currently sick partner

"This dose," Fubuki said, cutting Hana off; Turning both girls looked down at Fubuki curiously, in her palm laid several bunches of different colored string, all of which matched the colors of Tayuya's medicine bags and backpack. "I found these fibers in Sango's mouth. You might want to train him out of that habit." Hana's face went crimson as she glared at Fubuki, she was about to say something when the young pup started barfing, finally leaning against Fubuki and whining softly when he was done.

"What's wrong with him?" Hana asked panicking

"He properly ate the wrong combo," Fubuki answered, glancing at Tayuya's destroyed bag pointedly. "The wrong herbs mixed together can be deadly; like foxtrot and willow weed. While used separately as poison cures, together they can kill a small child and can make a grown man as weak as an infant." Tayuya sighed as she bent and picked up a small black notebook, flipping through the pages lazily.

"What about this?" Tayuya asked holding the book out to Fubuki, "From this page on word, are all the plants I've found on this trip. I've drawn up each one as best as I could and wrote some snippets of what I thought it was or knew what it was. Can you name any of them as poisonous?"

"No promises," Fubuki sighed, moving to her own bag's placement when the dog barfed again. "I'll need my own herb book..."

"Whatever! Just cure him!" Hana shouted panicked as she stroked Sango's gray coat, tears prickling her eyes.

"It'll take time," Fubuki grumbled, flipping through Tayuya's notebook and reaching for one of her own books. "Everything takes time... and knowing your teammate and my sensei, we'll be moving soon. We don't have much time before we reach the hidden mist."

"Tayuya I have an extra bag you can use," Kaname said from where he rested in the trees, keeping watch over the camp. "Hana you'll have to move double time while carrying Sango, understand?"

"Yes ma'am," Hana answered with a sigh

"Now you say something!" Tayuya growled at Kaname, "I've already sorted my stuff into what I can and can't keep!"

"So you do carry useless stuff with you," Hana smirked at Tayuya, who glared at her over her shoulder.

"The only one who's carrying useless bagged is you Inuzuka," Tayuya said lowly to Hana and pointed at Hana's large black bag. "You carry a years worth of doggy treats with you!"

"It's not a years worth!" Hana snapped, glaring at Tayuya. _Not even close!_

"But you agree about the useless bags of doggy treats!" Tayuya snapped back, catching the bag Kaname threw at her with one hand.

"Tayuya, Hana be quiet," Fubuki ordered as she rose to her feet and studied the mist carefully, her stance ready and one hand resting just above her hip holster. "Someone's coming..."

"I can't see anyone," Kaname answered from the tree branch she had been sitting in, now crouching and ready to attach. "Stay here, I'll check it out!" Tayuya growled as she and Hana stood back to back, Sango laying on the ground between them panting, Ningo and Shongo taking their places beside Hana. When they had first met and Hana introduced her pets to her, Tayuya thought it was hilarious that Hana had named her dog's one, two and three; she quickly learned that the brunet can hold a grudge.

"I swear Hana if your dog just left me defenseless..." Tayuya warned in a low voice but glad when Fubuki backed up so that her back was to Hana and Tayuya, filling the space at Sango's head.

"You aren't defenseless," Hana whispered back, moving only slightly to cover Tayuya's blind spot and placing Fubuki to her left. "You still have your flute, use it."

"How do you—"

"I aw you and Yuhi-san practicing before we graduated," Hana smirked over her shoulder at Tayuya. "Weave a concealment genjutsu over you both if worse comes to worse, Itachi can see through it anyways." Tayuya rolled her eyes and pulled out her flute from her back pouch, barely glancing down as she pushed one foot back to brush Sango's ribcage, her flute resting at her lips readily.

"If I start to play try to ignore me, if you can't get to the ground as fast as you can." Tayuya warned, the other two girls nodded in agreement and lowered themselves further, kunai knifes suddenly in hand and held at the ready. The moment Tayuya heard an unknown voice she started to play her flute waiting another second; Disrupting their image and hiding them, bouncing the sound of her flute off the forest around them and making it appear as if her 'team' was on the other side of the bushes directly in front of her.

Now if her teammates understood that every move they made was reflected in the false image on the other side then Tayuya wouldn't have to worry to much about a sudden attach.

…

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><p>…<p>

"Kaname-sensei!" Itachi shouted lowering himself back into the water when the woman jumped down from the trees, "Is there something wrong?" Kaname didn't get to answer before everyone heard the soft sounds of a flute, the heavy mist around them thickened making Kaname growl lowly.

"Damn it!" Kaname hissed snapping around to hurry back to the girls, "Hurry the hell up boys!" said boys scrambled out of the spring, tried to dress quickly and fallow after Kaname—it didn't work out too well. A feminine scream tearing through the air didn't help them; Shisui's teacher was gone in a millisecond, leaving the three boys behind.

"I swear Haruno's attract trouble!" Shikan Nara grumbled as he stumbled into the tree line, pulling his jacket on as he went. Itachi only hummed in agreement as he hurried after the older boy, tying his hair back as he hurried away, leaving his panicking cousin behind.

"You guys are so cruel," Shisui grumbled as he buttoned his pants, grabbed his gear in one hand and threw his shirt and coat over his other arm as he stumbled away from the spring. "Don't just leave me here!"

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"Let go of me you creep!" Fubuki shouted as she kicked at the boy who wrapped his arms around her like a snake. The boy had shaggy brown hair, pale skin and a smile that surprisingly enough didn't split his face in half.

"No seriously! Get off!" The more Fubuki struggled to get the boy off her, the tighter his hold on her got. "I can't breathe you idiot! Get off!" Taking a step forward, Fubuki lowered herself to the ground, slamming the boy on her back on the ground harshly fallowed by her elbow in his stomach, knocking the wind out of him. Scrambling back to her feet, Fubuki stood close to Hana and Tayuya, Hana was looking disgusted at the brunet's teammate across from her, Ningo and Shingo barking and snapping at him when he got too close to her. Tayuya was dealing with the other teammate, her earthen snakes rising from the ground to snap warningly at the girl in front of her, keeping the blonde a fair distance away; to the other team it looked like Tayuya's flute was controlling the snakes.

"Calm down you freak!" the girl snapped out, jumping back when one of the snakes lunged for her, "We were trying to catch the idiot! We're on your side!"

"Who are you?" Fubuki snapped out, lowering herself as she readied her kunai knifes at the wheezing boy who tackled her.

"We're from the hidden mist," the girl growled out jumping back again when another snake made for her ankle. "We were searching for something when you attached us!"

"To be fair you did come out of no where without announcing your self," Hana snapped back at her, kunai in hand.

"Enough already!" the boy in front of Hana snapped, kicking one of the dogs away from his person and drawing a kunai in defense against the other. Hana growled lowly at him, holding her wounded dog close. "Mizune! Get Kaien so we can go!"

"Go where?" Kaname asked as she dropped down from the treetops, a young man quickly appeared, snatching 'Kaien' up from the dirt and hurrying to 'Mizune' while the boy in front of Hana spun on his heal and headed for his gathering teammates. Kaname pushed the three girls behind her, ignoring Tayuya who continued to play her flute, wrapping a disruption genjutsu over them.

The Mist Jonin growled at the fuzzy kunochi standing in front of him, the one pinkette was a genjutsu user, easy to take out but only if he didn't get caught in her jutsu to begin with. Making a hand sign the man concentrated on his chakra, pulling it in then forcing it out with a loud 'kai'—it made the mist thicken and the image of the four kunochi's in front of him disappear from sight completely but the flute music didn't stop.

"That won't work," Kaname's voice filtered through the air from all around them, setting the Jonin on edge and making his two-conscience genin step a little closer to him. "It's a sound genjutsu; Haruno-san's music is making you delusional. Perhaps it's best if you don't move around to much."

"Mizune what's going on?" The Jonin snarled as his two mostly unharmed students took a protective stance around their knocked out and wheezing teammate.

"Kaien flipped!" the girl snapped glaring down at the boy in question. "I don't know why but he suddenly tore off towards that direction and latched himself to that girl over there!"

"There are three girls over there Mizune," the man snarled, resisting the urge to smack the blond, "Which one?"

"The older pink haired freak!" Mizune snapped back, glaring at anything that moved around her but didn't throw anything. The Jonin sighed and straightened his posture, recognizing that it was his students at fault and that the kunochi's in question were just defending themselves.

"Please listen to me Kunochi-sans," the Jonin called out into the thick mist. "I apologize for my student's behavior, Mizune is short tempered and Kaien is easily excitable. I apologize for everything on their behalf."

"I'm not sorry," Mizune grumbled, not looking at her sensei as she straightened from her stance.

"I apologize for any damage my students may have done," the Jonin continued, placing a strong hand on Mizune's head, a silent promise of punishment later.

"Dose that include clomping me?" A soft, embarrassed voice asked from the surrounding mist, the man fought the urge to cringe, the voice sounded like it belonged to a child.

"I apologize for..._every_... action my students may have taken towards you," the mist Jonin answered closing his eyes in embarrassment.

_One hell of a first meeting..._ the Jonin thought with a sigh. He twitched when he noticed that the loud whistling of the flute changed into a softer almost hesitant song. He and his students watched in awe as the mist shimmered out of existence and the chill of the mist disappeared to accompany the warmth of the afternoon sun. The bushes to his right rustled, slowly revealing a tall brown haired woman with a green vest, a black long sleeved turtle neck and black khakis—her forehead protector hanging on her neck baring the leaf insignia.

"I apologize for the actions of my kunochi," the woman said stepping forward and giving a slight bow, the three girls from the genjutsu appearing behind her with red faces and a guilty air around them. "The Haruno sisters are quite possessive of each other."

"Wait a moment, didn't all three of them attack us?" Mizune asked stepping over her still knocked out teammate as if she didn't recognize his existence.

"No," the brown eyed and shorter pinkette growled out, her hazel-brown eyes flashing in warning. "It was all me you dumb—"

"Tayuya," Fubuki warned, barely glancing at her sister. Tayuya clamped her mouth shut and turned away from the mist team, watching in irritation as Fubuki's teammates were finally free from her genjutsu and quickly hurried over to them.

"Fubuki-chan you're alright!" Shisui shouted, sprinting ahead of the other three boys to wrap his arms around Fubuki, who easily side stepped him and let him land face first in the dirt. "How cruel~"

"Tayuya, Fubuki are you well?" Itachi asked slowing to a stop in front of the sisters, his hands held out to both of them.

"We're fine," Fubuki said, giving the unasked for twirl, Tayuya quickly mimicking her; letting Itachi examine them closely with his Sharingan. "See? No harm done."

"Why do you treat them different?" Hana whined from behind the sisters, before they all heard something retching; with a gasp, Hana remembered Sango. Hana grabbed Fubuki's shoulder and pulled her away from the mist group, dragging the both of them through the bush to the small clearing on the other side where all of their things still laid in waiting.

"Quick heal him!" Hana shouted all but throwing Fubuki at Sango, her hands waving in the air in panic. "What needs to be done? How do you save him?"

"He needs to throw up everything in his stomach," Fubuki replied, stepping away from the large pile of dog-barf. "If he digests much more of that insane mixture then we'll need to take him to a professional vet in the hidden mist but at this rate, I'll doubt he'll make it that far."

"Great! How do you make a dog barf?" Hana asked glancing at her teacher and teammates

"Not my dog," Tayuya said immanently backing away from the Inuzuka and her large half wolf pups.

"Not my responsibility," Fubuki agreed joining her sister in moving away from the brunet, a glance at the other leaf Nin told Hana that they wouldn't be helping her either.

"You're on your own on this one," Kaname said back away with a twitching Eyebrow, "Didn't your mother teach how to do that?"

"...maybe..." Hana agreed bowing her head and sighing out in depression. Hearing a loud yelp everyone jumped and turned to look at Sango, who was looking like he was trying to barf up a lung, and Itachi who was standing nearby, giving everyone a blank look.

"...Did you just kick my dog?" Hana asked with a dangerous tone in her voice, a whine from Sango seemed to confirm her suspicions and Itachi's blunt words didn't help him in avoiding the punishment of his short tempered teammate.

"He threw up didn't he?"

With a crazed glint in her brown eyes and fury echoing in her war cry, Hana lunged at Itachi

"Your cousin is an idiot," Shikan murmured to Shisui as he took his place beside Fubuki, watching how Itachi learned very quickly to keep on his toes, Inuzuka's don't play fair after all.

"No he's just socially awkward," Shisui corrected as he took his place at Fubuki's other side, flinching when Fubuki slapped them both.

"Lets go," Fubuki ordered, turning on her heal and walking away from the group. Her teammates slowly walking after her while they rubbed the back of their heads and pouting at the eldest pinkette.

"But Nee-chan my things are still on the ground!" Tayuya whined, watching how Fubuki didn't even pause in her step

"Kaname-sensei gave you a bag," Fubuki replied, pointing over her shoulder at Tayuya's stack of items. Tayuya let out a joyful shout and quickly crushed everything she had into the bag, ignoring her teammates she quickly hurried after Fubuki and her team.

"...welcome to your competition for the Chunin exams," the mist Jonin grumbled as he watched the two pinkette's leave, the male Jonin quickly fallowing, leaving the female Kunochi to try and stop her other two students and the two half wolfs still fighting.

"I said calm the hell down! Damn it Hana!" Kaname shouted, slamming a hand into the young kunochi's head and unintentionally knocking her out.

"You're joking right?" Mizune asked, her right eyebrow twitching as she watched the full-grown woman scold the knocked out girl in her fists, shaking the younger kunochi while she was at it. Itachi quickly gathered his and Hana's bag, without looking back at his teammates he continued forward, bowing politely as he passed the stunned mist shinobi.

"...Got any other explanation as to why two genin teams from Konoha are headed towards our village?" the Jonin asked with a sigh, preparing to interrupt the furious leaf kunochi in front of him.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

In the hidden mist village's vet clinic sat team six of the hidden leaf village: Hana Inuzuka, Itachi Uchiha, Tayuya Haruno and their teacher Kaname Nohara, each looking like their respective clans. Hana had her long brown hair pulled into a high ponytail, her eyes closed as she giggled in her seat, a large bump forming on the top of her head where Kaname had hit her. Itachi with his long black hair pulled back into a low ponytail, calmly sitting in his chair with a book in hand, black eyes swiveling down the pages of the book like smoke on water. Tayuya with her long loose pink hair hanging around her shoulders like a silk curtain, legs crossed as she pouted out the window beside her, her tanned cheeks red as a fully formed bump on her head and a perfect handprint on her left cheek threatened to swell. Kaname had short shoulder length brown hair, the purple tattoos of her clan faint upon her well tanned skin, barley an outline after living so long with it but not having any touch ups done like the rest of her clan. She was leaning against the wall beside Hana, her arms and legs crossed as she glared at her students, a silent promise of pain and torture in the form of a team exercise for later.

"Why do you keep giggling?" Tayuya asked turning to glare at the kunochi sitting to Itachi's other side.

"Becau~se," Hana giggled, turning to smile cheerfully at Tayuya, setting the other girl on edge. "I may have gotten smacked on the head, but that mist guy got $itched-slapped to the next county!" Kaname's face flushed red; automatically she slammed a palm onto the younger brunet's head, forcefully quieting her.

After they had arrived at the village gates, Kaname had nearly been sent to torture and interrogation because she had actually knocked the other Jonin out with the one hit—to be fair he did, technically, insult her. She had carried him on her back, just as Hana carried Sango, but that didn't seem to help. The man's genin were unexpectedly evil minded, surprising Hana and Kaname both when they shouted at the gate guards that the leaf shinobi jumped them while they were on their mission. Luckily, the man had woken up and nearly had a panic attach at seeing a stranger's face so close to his own. After stepping away from the Leaf kunochi, he struck his genin cell in their heads and scolded them, then he turned right around and explained everything to the gate guards and the Anbu who surrounded Kaname threatening. When Hana started balling and wailing that Sango (her poor, poor baby) was going to die if he didn't get any help soon, the young Jonin instructor took the team to the nearest vet clinic.

"Shut up ya' weirdo!" Mizune snapped as she stepped around the corner to address the team, turned out her family owned the nearest vet clinic. While Tayuya laughed at Hana's misery (the reason for the handprint on her cheek) it took Mizune's sensei threatening to not submit her into the exams to get her to comply with them using the clinic.

"How's Sango?" Hana asked the blonde immanently, not letting the girl continue. "How's my baby?"

"You need to calm down," Mizune replied immanently, "Can I give her a sedative?" Mizune directed this question to Kaname, ignoring Hana's narrowed eyed look and the threatening growling that her two perfectly fine pups were doing.

"No," Kaname chuckled, as if she was amused by the question

"You sure?" Mizune asked with a lifted eyebrow "I'll give her enough to knock her out for an hour or two not a drop more."

"I'm sure," Kaname grinned at the blonde. "How's Sango? She doing better?"

"He!" Hana said loudly, "Sango is a boy!"

"Yeah he's doing better," Mizune said glancing down at the clipboard in her hand with a frown. "Although he did have one hell-of-a concoction in his system. I tested it just because I was curious; I'm amazed he was conscience for as long as he was. That kind of mixture should have killed him out-right. You're lucky he started barfing when he did, if that red weed and lavadender root stayed in his stomach for much longer there wouldn't have been anything we could do."

"But he's okay now?" Hana asked, using her best puppy eyes on the blonde, "He can get back to training with his bothers and me?"

"Not right away," Mizune said, unaffected by Hana's best kicked-puppy look. "It'll take at least a week for him to get back to normal."

"Just in time for the Chunin exams," Kaname sighed, lifting off the wall, "You're one lucky little heir you know that?"

"Huh?" Mizuki tilted her head to the side staring in confusion as the brunet headed for the door. "What do you mean by 'heir'? This brat couldn't possibly..." Mizune stared at a smug looking Hana in confusion, "You can't be an heir! That boy is one thing but you're another!"

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Hana asked in irritation, not seeing Itachi's and Tayuya's amused smirks. "I'm the first born daughter of Tsume Inuzuka! I'm the heir to the Inuzuka clan! Hana Inuzuka!"

"I'm saying you're not an heir because you're not cool enough!" Mizune snapped, folding her hands over her hips as she glared right back at Hana. "You're too emotional! You're always shouting and making a ruckus! You can't be quiet to save your own life! Much less your teammates!"

"Mizune be quiet," a soft-spoken woman ordered amusedly as she walked towards them from down the hall, a large gray half-breed wolf at her side.

"Sango!" Hana shouted holding her arms out as the dog wobbled into her embrace

"Save the threats and antics for the ring dear," the woman said stifling a yawn, "It'll do you no good getting in a fight out here."

"How'd you know we were in the Chunin exams?" Tayuya asked curiously

"You are foreign shinobi," the woman chuckled, watching in amusement as Sango started licking Hana's tears as she laughed and buried her face into his coat. "There has been an increase of foreign shinobi for the past week."

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Yagura sighed as he sat back from his black and white painting; at least the last dream had a stronger visual then normal. This time he was able to paint a young girl with elbow length pale hair standing with folded hands. Her dress was simple and pale like the rest of her, her pale bangs hiding her eyes from view as she prayed with a smile on her face. He didn't feel like darkening her surroundings that would make her appear sad... not that calm kind of happy. He wanted her to look calm but also happy, like she was happy for one thing but not quiet happy about something else.

"My lord? Are you in?" the soft sound of his only remaining student stirred Yagura from his thoughts, her soft knocking nearly startling him.

"I'm in," Yagura called, "What is it?"

"The Chunin exames are gathering," the soft famine voice answered, "Will you speak now or later?" Yagura glanced out his far window, not answering her as he studied the set of the sun for the time. "My lord?"

"Later Mei," Yagura answered, realizing that he must have been quiet for too long, "Before the third stage... I'm busy right now..."

"Yes my lord, I'll relay the answer." Mei sighed as she stepped away from Yagura's bedroom door and slowly walked down the hall, studying the various pictures curiously. She had known about her sensei's dream, finding out through the guard three days ago, and knew that if he was still 'busy' then he was most likely working on another portrait. She wondered how long it would take him to finish this one, some portraits took only days while others took a month or longer, but most took a week or so to complete.

_Guess I should have someone move the paintings down again,_ Mei thought as she stopped at the end of the hall, her eyes locked onto the picture at the end of the hall, the first painting Yagura had made and released for everyone to view. It was of three people in a bright golden abyss, the only picture that housed color in the entire hall of pictures. One was of a young pale haired boy dressed in a green and black kimono with two swords at his hips; he was smiling and walking towards what appeared to be a large white glowing door. Behind him were two girls, one tall and brunet dressed in a dark blue kimono top and a white skirt; she was holding back a smaller girl who was trying to make her way to the boy desperately. The smaller and younger girl wasn't colored; everything with in an inch of her was colorless making her appear to be glowing brightly, her white yukata tangled in the older girl's hands, long pale hair clouding her features from view.

It was the first painting that Yagura had made after he awakened and it was the only one that was given a name, not just dated like the others had been.

'_Promise'_ Mei read, turning away from the pretty painting and continuing on her way. _He made a promise to find her..._

…

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><p>…<p>

**Thoughts are helpful**

**Opinions are wonderful**

**Helpful criticism****is**** lovely! Just don't cripple me okay?**

**Please no cursing!**

**And don't forget to**** rate and**** review!**

**Page 16**


	23. Chapter 23

**There is a reason**

Chapter 23: shopping spree

Koomahana

****Updated **Chapters**

**3, 4, 5, 18, 20, 22, 23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,39,40,41,42,43**

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

* = is an actual plant but is most likely over dramatized for the story

…

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Sakura giggled as her father picked her up and held her tightly in his arms, for being nine she was still quite small, small enough to fit in her father's arms comfortably, although not for long. She had just ended another play in success; she and Hinata had started to wear selective earplugs, thinking that it would help save their hearing instead of having to make a session with the hospital to repair their hearing after every performance.

"You were wonderful!" Mebuki laughed as Sakura took out the plugs. "I could hear your peace all the way from the back!"

"That's because she's our only violinist," Sakura's music teacher chuckled, stepping up behind the pinkette and patting the girl on the shoulder. "Whatever happened to Tayuya-chan and Fubuki-chan? I never found out..." knowing that she had told the woman two weeks before the performance, Mebuki gave the sly woman a knowing but irritated smile.

"They're off to visit some family in the east," Mebuki reminded the woman. She had several other Jonin's warn her about telling the old woman anything that was related towards Shinobi. So Mebuki told the woman that she was a martial arts instructor (technically that's true, she dose teach her daughters Taijutsu) and that her daughters go to an expensive academy in the village (there were several academy's in the village and all were expensive).

"Aw that's too bad," the old instructor sighed, cupping her left cheek in mock-regret. "I was looking forward to listening to them play... Tayuya's flute songs have gotten better and Fubuki's singing is beautiful."

_Yet you won't give them advanced classes,_ Mebuki thought, gesturing to Sakura and her husband to start walking. "Well if you don't mind Wadere-san, we have to get Sakura-chan home," Mebuki turned on her heal and quickly pushed Sakura out the doors before the old woman or Sakura could say anything.

"You don't like her," Sakura grumbled as she walked hurriedly in her traditional wear, Mebuki having pushed her out before she could change.

"I like your teacher just fine," Mebuki replied, ignoring the matching look her daughter and husband shot her.

"You were so busy about leaving you forgot about Hinata-chan," Sakura said, stopping in her tracks. Mebuki flinched at the reminder of the pale eyed girl, Hinata was supposed to stay the night at the Haruno house tonight.

"Don't move," Mebuki ordered, spinning on her heal and quickly returning to the room they had just left, her eyes searching out the small heiress as she entered.

"You're mom's stressed," Kizashi said when Sakura gave him a questioning look, "...about a lot of things..."

"I don't want to know do I?"

"That's my girl!" Kizashi laughed as he hugged Sakura, making his youngest sigh in irritation

…

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Hidden Mist

…

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><p>…<p>

Fubuki breezed through the first portion of the chunin exam, the 'gathering of intelligence' test, She had accidently passed this portion of her test the first time she took the exams. The next portion of the chunin exam was 'survival' which meant that they'd be signing a piece of paper that pretty much said 'don't avenge me if I die in this test' or 'don't blame the hidden village that I took this test in'. Hopefully the hidden mist wasn't as insane as Kumo was, where her first test had taken place, the people who passed that test were nearly all Kumo nin. The third exam would be the final round, the finalists showing off what they've got in front of hundreds of people, including the daimyos of the five countries and the young lords of the smaller countries.

_Now I just have to wait_, Fubuki thought as she flipped her paper over and leaned back in her seat, ignoring the incredulous stares from the various proctors in the room. She was always done first, Shikan was just lazy and Shisui liked to flirt with the nearest female, hence why she was always done before them. For some reason they got insulted when she'd flip her test over, the two males would suddenly hurry through their tests, trying to finish next. She thought it was rather funny, she even took her sweet time answering it, waiting twenty minutes before she flipped it over. Shikan finished second, finishing five minutes after her and Shisui was last (again) finishing three minutes after Shikan.

_If only those two would take this thing seriously,_ Fubuki thought with a sigh as she turned in her seat to stretch, popping her back while she scanned the rows of students.

_I wouldn't win against them every time if they just stopped being..._ Fubuki stopped her stretching when she saw Shikan thump his head over his test (asleep) and Shisui went back to flirting with the nearest girl.

..._Boys,_ Fubuki sighed as she stretched her other side, being stationed in the center of the room she had a pretty good view of everyone, so long as she made an excuse to do so. Tayuya was busy trying to balance the thick end of her kunai on the tip of her figure, obviously not taking the test seriously, which was pissing off the three nearest proctors. Itachi was obviously done, being seated in the front was the best thing to happen to Itachi, he didn't have to worry about cheating off of someone (he was smart enough) and he didn't have to worry about someone cheating off of him. Hana was forced to sit in the back of the rows because of her three pups, the proctors would have let her sit a few seats away from Fubuki if she had the one dog with her but Hana had three large half-breed wolfs with her.

_THUNK_

Turning in confusion at the sound, Fubuki stared dumbly at the kunai lodged in the middle of her paper.

"Number fifty-four, you're out a here!" A proctor standing front of the room declared, pointing at her with a smug grin.

"I finished forever and half ago," Fubuki replied, raising an eyebrow at him, "How do you figure that I cheated?"

"You looked around the class room," the young man replied with a sneer, "Rather bluntly too. I thought you leaf Nin were smarter then that?"

"I thought Mist Nin knew better then to assume things," Fubuki shot back, returning the kunai and standing from her seat; ignoring the man's glare as he caught the returned kunai. "I passed this round fair and square, don't believe me old man? Ask me any question on this paper; I'll give you the correct equation _and_ answer to every one of them." Fubuki handed the brunet her paper, a smirk on her face, "That's a promise." Tayuya and Shisui shouldn't have made such loud efforts at hiding their snickering, at least Shikan was smart enough to keep his head down and Itachi wasn't even bothering to hide his smirk as he watched them.

"That's fine girly but that's not—"

"Scared I'll win the bet? I thought Mist Chunin weren't scared of anything..." Fubuki snickered with a smirk, placing a hand on her cocked hip. Fubuki spent more then half of her time at the academy pissing off her teachers, she knew how to get under someone's skin. The man glared at her, one brow twitching at the insult.

"Fine," he growled at her, holding her paper behind him out of sight. "What's the equation and answer to number five?"

"The answer is .2," Fubuki answered with a smirk, startling the man. "The first round was by it self, the second and third rows were divided and subtracted together to get 22 and the fourth and fifth rows were added, multiplied, added and then subtracted to get 33. Add them together and you get 56, multiple them together you get 726 but if you divide them by 56 you get 12.96 but then you have to round which would turn it into 13. If you divide 13 by 9 then you get .33 and if you round that number you end up with .2"

"...Did anyone understand her?" Someone behind Fubuki asked curiously

"Yu~p," Tayuya and Shisui answered together with matching grins, Shikan waved his arm up lazily and Itachi nodded his head. Fubuki smiled as she heard several of the others quickly erase their answers, intending to correct it; some got caught and shipped out of the room rather quickly.

"Okay how about ten?" The chunin asked with a raised eyebrow, glancing at the nearest test instead of her paper that he held behind himself

"You didn't give us a question for number ten," Fubuki replied crossing her arms

"Fine answer this next question and I'll ignore your little stunt," the man replied looking irritated at her, knowing that if he didn't figure something out then he'd be forced to let her continue the exam

"Do you have that kind of authority?" Fubuki challenged with a raised eyebrow; the young man glared at her but glanced over his shoulder at the head proctor, the heavily scared man stared blankly at him before nodding in agreement.

"What's the answer to..." everyone blinked dumbly as he rattled of a long, long, _long_ equation. The equation was so long and complex that Shikan lifted his head and stared dumbly at the proctor before he started to write down the equation, on the back of his test and his neighbors (that boy wasn't too happy about his test getting jacked but was too curious to verbally say something), asking the man to repeat himself while he was at it. Fubuki was quiet, her eyes locked onto the mist Nin before her as she tried to solve the equation. Several of the nin around her didn't bother but a few tried to write it down, after a moment of silence the young man smirked and opened his mouth to dismiss the girl and her team from the exams.

"Hmm I just might get this wrong," Fubuki said, cutting the brunet off and making Shikan's pencil led snap on the paper he was using to try to solve the problem. "I'll have to write it down..."

"But Fubuki-chan you're never wrong!" Shisui shouted standing from his seat with a horrified look on his face.

"Clearly you need to sit in on the lessons I have with mother," Fubuki said, walking past the dumb founded adult to the black board behind him. "According to her, I'm always wrong... she claims it builds character but tears down pride."

"But you beat the Nara's at their own games!" Shisui reasoned, his face paling further

"Those games were simple," Fubuki said turning to look over shoulder at the boy, "Imoto loves them; of course I figured them out."

"Don't look at me," Tayuya said when a few proctors looked at her, "There's a third Haruno—pray you don't meet her." _Might as well build a reputation while we're at it..._

"The idiot gave me a complex medical equation Shisui," Fubuki continued, ignoring Tayuya's jab. "You can't seriously think that I can solve that problem without writing it down."

"...I did?" the man asked softly looking at one of the other proctors, they each shrugged, indicating that they had no clue about what the girl was talking about.

"Uh-huh," Fubuki agreed distractedly, her hand running over the board while the other tapped against her leg in habit. "You said 133 ace by 1 Lami. Ace is the abbreviation for thirteen hundred different things in the botany world—"

"Oh holly mother of hell!" Shisui cried out, wrapping his hands around his ears as tears streamed from his eyes comically, "She figured out the answer by using the forbidden art of Botany!"

_How is botany a forbidden art?_ The room thought with the exception of the few who knew and understood what Shisui meant.

"The number 133 is the square root of a *Marine alga called Acetabularia, also known as Mermaid's wine cup." Fubuki continued as if Shisui didn't say anything "Lami is the abbreviation for... um... at least a 100 different species in the Botany world; the number 1 is the square root of only one of those plants: *Laminaria, a pacific Kelp."

"There's no stopping her now!" Shisui whined thumping his head on his desk, "We're doomed! She won't stop until she's explained, _in detail_, how she got her answer!" True to Shisui's word, Fubuki continued, for five minutes, writing out the equation and explaining the different numbers and abbreviations that the (idiotic) proctor had spouted off. She mumbled out long names of plants that were as poisonous as the Calishain seed to a scentless, tasteless herb called Morine.

"...is the square root of the *Easter flower—oh I get it!" Fubuki said blinking in wonder at her advanced (horrifying) equation. "The answer's simple!" Fubuki smiled as she quickly finished her equation, turning to smile at the flabbergasted room when she was done. Tayuya's head was prompted up on one hand (out like a light), Shisui was still crying in his seat, Shikan was glaring furiously at her, Itachi was mentally trying to memorize everything she had written and tried to understand her long equation and the rest of the room just looked at her dumb struck.

"...Simple?" The man repeated skeptically, not believing that after five minutes of thinking that the girl had the answer, much less the correct answer.

"The answer is a suilican solution with twenty b-calisium and forty-three percent Malacania," Fubuki grinned at him, proud of herself, "Basically: a vaccination shot!"

Did the proctor spout off a formula for a poison or disease or something?

"No needles!" Shisui screamed hysterically, surprising several people in the room, jumping to his feet and glaring warning at Fubuki, "You come near me one damn time with a needle and I'll put you in a Sharingan induced coma!"

"I'd like to see you try," Fubuki grinned at him sadistically, "You still can't escape my traps. If the doctor says it's time for your yearly shots—you better take your damn shots."

"Shisui this is one argument you won't win," Shikan said bored from his seat, giving up on the problem. "You know you'll lose no matter what you do. You can't even escape her on missions—she's on your team."

"And I know where you live!" Fubuki said cheerfully, "And all your favorite sleeping places too!"

"Basically: You're screwed," Shikan smirked at Shisui

"Can we get someone in here to check her answer?" The head proctor asked into a mike stationed in his collar, ignoring the bickering in his room. His one proctor sat back down with arms crossed and a glare, not happy that the girl actually answered a random ass question that he made up on the fly.

"Am I the only one still lost here?" someone asked from the back row, the majority of the room reassured him that he wasn't the only one.

"My Nee-chan's sma~rt!" Tayuya giggled, stretching her arms out in front of her and smiling like the cat that ate the cannery.

"Haruno's aren't to be taken lightly," Fubuki agreed with a smirk at Tayuya as she returned to her seat

"Especially us girls!" Tayuya cackled out, "We get our brains from mom!"

"And our looks from dad," Fubuki chuckled, taking her seat calmly

"I wonder if Imoto is going to be as smart as us," Tayuya mused thoughtfully

"There's another one?" the same proctor asked, looking at the two pinkette's as if they lost their minds

"Yu~p" Tayuya chuckled again, returning to her practice of balancing her kunai on her finger, "And she takes so much after us, being the top kunochi in her year and everything!"

"Hai, we raised that bar pretty high," Fubuki agreed stretching out over her desk. _I see... I guess I can play along, for now at least_

"Are you kidding Nee-chan?!" Tayuya shouted across the room, her kunai wobbling dangerously on her finger. "If not for Mizuki-bastard all of us would have graduated _years_ ago! Did you have to argue with him so often? You only graduated when you did because he held you back! He pulled the same stunt with me and again with Imoto!"

"You super clued him to his seat," Fubuki deadpanned to Tayuya, making a few other students snicker and a few proctors sink in their chairs, either from memory or experience, Fubuki couldn't tell.

"That happened once!" Tayuya shouted, rising from her seat to point exaggeratedly at Fubuki

"And she put ink in his tea," Fubuki continued, unaffected by Tayuya's raised voice

"That was hilarious!" Tayuya laughed mercilessly, collapsing in her seat with a red face, "And she didn't even do it! That chalk board eraser to the head and orange paint is Ototo's signature!"

_Oh no, they have a brother?_ Several proctors sighed and tried to focus on the task at hand, finding it difficult with mental pictures of pink haired boys running around pulling various childish pranks on various people and pink haired girls beating the stuffing out of grown men.

The imagery was amusing but also distracting, they had to focus or too many would pass this round

_Note to self,_ one of the participants of the test thought to himself, returning to his test with a trembling hand. _Avoid pink haired girls from the hidden leaf at all coasts._

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Yagura sighed as he listened to the excited jabbering of his top medic, he had been jerked from his room to watch the video recording of the first round of the chunin exams. He wasn't in the best of moods at the moment.

"Yagura-sensei are you listening to me?" Mei whined at him, papers threatening to slip from her fingers.

"No," Yagura answered bluntly, making his only student sigh

"Sensei these are the scores of the two teams from Konoha," Mei aid straight forwardly, holding the papers in her hands out to him expectantly. "You really should look over them."

"What's so significant about them?" Yagura asked as he took the papers and looked over them, freezing at the names given and the scores beside them.

"Those two Konohagakure teams aren't going to be easy to get rid of," Mei answered, straightening her posture. "Fubuki Haruno, the older Haruno there, she's a brilliant medic. She has a real mind for it but she's cold and calculating, she's not above hurting someone if their in her way. The younger Haruno, Tayuya, she's a smart ass but she's nothing to sniff at either. Both girls could have finished those tests a lot sooner then they did but they seemed to be antagonizing their teammates, purposefully being slow in their answering to give their teammates time to finish the test before them. Itachi Uchiha finished first in the entire class, barely even ten minutes after the proctor said start. The Haruno sisters finished seconds apart at twenty minuets. Shikan Nara finished twenty-five minutes and Shisui Uchiha finished thirty minutes after. Shikan and Shisui only finished when they did because they saw Fubuki and Tayuya flip their papers over."

"Interesting..." Yagura murmured not meaning it in the least, spreading the test papers out in a fan before him. "What about this Hana Inuzuka? She scored pretty high but you didn't mention her..." Yagura watched as Mei glanced over at the head proctor and a few of his men.

"We believe that Itachi Uchiha and Tayuya Haruno found away to get information to Hana Inuzuka," the head proctor said, stepping forward as Mei stepped back. "Hana Inuzuka spent most of her time glancing around the room almost in boredom, but every few minutes she'd write down an answer quickly, then go back to spacing out."

"So you don't think she's as smart as her fellow leaf shinobi?" Yagura asked with a raised eyebrow, "That's a dangerous assumption. She's an Inuzuka and a leaf ninja at that. I swear the leaf trains their academy students to get involved in dangerous scenarios and some how survive them. The Inuzuka clan is notorious for being difficult to kill."

"We know," the proctor answered, shifting in his place uncomfortably. "The Inuzuka specialize in blitz attach and tracking, they have bronze not brains."

"What was the point of bringing me this?" Yagura asked with a raised eyebrow at his student

"The Haruno girls spoke of a third sister," the proctor answered, drawing Yagura's attention back to him. "They spoke highly of the girl... claimed she'd surpass them some day." _I really hope not, those two are troublesome enough..._

"...I'm waiting," Yagura said, unimpressed with the information

"What do you suggest for the second trial?" The man asked, raising a scared brow up in curiosity, "I would like to see just how good these Haruno sisters really are; could we put them in one of the more difficult training grounds?"

"Thin out the crowed drastically but test the girls at the same time without being obvious about it," One of the council members mumbled thoughtfully.

"I hope you're not thinking about having the next stage in the 33rd training grounds," Mei spook up, stepping forward to address the much older interrogator. "Most of our own genin would be killed in those grounds!"

"I'll have to agree with Mei on that one," Yagura sighed, "not many of our Jonin can run through it unharmed."

"I was thinking of training grounds 25," the interrogator replied, a cruel smile stretching across his lips. "It's close enough to the village, any mortally wounded genin can return quickly to receive treatment and it's far enough to scare them $&-less."

"The 'pools of death'?" Yagura questioned, a brow raised at the older man in front of him. Mei was rubbing a hand to her face, looking like someone just told her that her sister married a pimp and became a stripper. "I suppose... we'll have to figure out how to get the participants through it..."

"I already have something planned for that," the interrogator answered with a grin.

"Oh no you don't," Mei hissed, glaring up at the man. "You picked out the training grounds, let the rest of us here with a sane mind pick out everything else!" the man glanced at Yagura, he nodded in agreement and waved them away.

Mei smirked in triumph

"Make sure to have plenty of medics there, Mei." Yagura ordered before he left without another word. Mei glared at the smirking interrogator before her, a thousand different curses flying through her mind.

"Don't do anything that'll start a war!" Mei snapped as she spun on her heal and marched for the exit. "And let the other council members have a say before you go ahead with everything!" Mei paused at the council room door, glaring hatefully over her shoulder at the head interrogator, "Make sure to run everything through me and Yagura-sensei before you start anything off!"

_SLAM!_

"You haven't told her that you're already preparing them for that training ground yet, have you?" the old councilmember asked raising a graying brow at the head proctor

"Nope," the man answered cheerfully, taking up the test scores and marching out of the room. "I'll try to make sure Zabuza doesn't kill too many of them..."

"This isn't going to end well," the councilwoman mumbled as the man closed the door behind himself. "Should we have let him take charge of this matter?"

"It doesn't matter," the other one answered rising to his feet. "He'll thin out the teams for the final selection. That's what we want anyways." Both left the council room, ignoring their older then dust council member, the old man having been on the council since their first Mizukage and had some how managed to survive the last three great wars.

_Haruno huh?_ The old man thought as he shakily stood to his feet, his apprentice hurrying to his side awaiting orders. _It's been a long time since I last heard that name... I'm glad to hear they haven't all died away..._ the image of a beautiful young woman with cheery locks and ocean blue eyes smiling brightly at him passed in his mind's eye. Yes, it had been a very long time since he had last heard that name, the name of a woman he once knew long ago...

_I wonder if I can get away with talking to those sisters..._

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

While Fubuki calmly walked down the isles of the weapons shop, Tayuya was bouncing around, looking through the large collection, the magazines and even looking at the small trinkets in the display case. The weapons shop was less of a store and more of a small mall, there was a section dedicated to clothing, weapons and trinkets, it even had a food court.

Each section was split into smaller sections; the clothing was split between men and women, each with sub sections for different age groups it pretty much went: academy, genin, chunin, Jonin and Anbu. Pausing by a high pillar, Fubuki glared at the sign that read 'Jonin', the higher ranked shinobi clothing was blocked off to most people. Apparently, the store walled up each section for the exception of the academy and genin ranked kid stuff. The chunin, Jonin and Anbu sections were guarded and you needed to show ID just to enter them; the manager was either paranoid or Mist was just that meticulous about what they sold to their shinobi. The weapons and trinkets wasn't walled up like the clothing for the higher ranked shinobi was, but Fubuki figured the owner kept the more expensive items in the back that was most likely guarded by high ranking shinobi.

Sighing as she heard a crash in the distance, Fubuki slowly turned around and waited calmly for a familiar voice to sound. When she didn't hear Tayuya's typical defensive shout or the cackle she called a laugh, Fubuki got curious. She took her time walking in the direction of the trinket section; glancing down every now again when something bright and shinny caught her eye. The trinket section that Tayuya tore down when they arrived earlier was defiantly interesting, Fubuki actually stopped a couple times to examine an item and it's price, deeming it good enough and the price reasonable Fubuki would sometimes place that object into the basket on her arm.

"Tayuya," Fubuki called when she caught sight of her younger pink haired sister. "What happened? What was that noise?"

"How should I know?" Tayuya asked turning to look at Fubuki, "Why do you automatically assume that it was my doing?"

"You're a trouble magnet," Fubuki answered with a calm smile, shifting her basket. "Did you get everything that you want?"

"No," Tayuya sighed, looking off to the distance where the manager was quickly approached them but wasn't actually aiming for them. "He won't sell me what I want..."

"Oh? That's surprising..." Fubuki said with a frown, looking up at the marching man. "What is it that you want?"

"They have a pure steal flute," Tayuya answered, her eyes wide and an excitable smile stretching across her face. "It's got silver etchings of petals and leafs and some are swirled together and it looks kind of like our family crest! I want it so _bad_!" By now Tayuya's hands were clenched up at her chest, her hazel eyes were wide and shinning with glee. Fubuki chuckled at Tayuya's so called 'best beggar look'. It was a look that had no effect on anyone but their father, but then again most pouty or teary-eyed looks shot at him made him crumble anyways.

"Alright just stop looking at me like that," Fubuki said waving a hand at Tayuya's puppy dog look, "How much is it?" Tayuya flinched at the question, she retreated from her sister's face and her expression turned regretful as she looked up at Fubuki through her eyelashes.

"About 250,000 ryo," Tayuya answered, knowing that the price was so high was why Tayuya was hesitant in convincing her sister. But that flute all but out right _begged_ for her to play it—she wanted it! She'd work none stop for a whole year under ridicules circumstances if it meant that she could get that flute.

"Just 250,000 ryo?" Fubuki asked with a raised eyebrow, placing a hand on her cocked hip, "That maybe a lot of money but is that flute even worth it? I bet we could find a better and cheaper flute back at home—"

"I buy only the best!" The manager hissed, turning mid step to stride toward the Haruno girls with an irritated glare on his face, forgetting instantly the loud explosion of glass and startled shouts. "That flute pinky—" the manager paused as Fubuki raised an eyebrow at him, realizing that the two must have been related to have the same pink hair, the older man quickly back peddled.

"The flute the girl wants is pure, chakra tempered, steal with white gold etchings," the manager shot an irritated look at Tayuya. "It took me half a year to get that one into this store; it's one of a kind not another like it in the world."

"I'm sure and I pity your bad luck for having to wait half a year for it," Fubuki replied unimpressed with him. "But I'm still convinced that Konoha can supply my little sister with a better tempered steal flute that's more accurate to her special chakra signature."

"Ah but it will be as pretty?" the manager shot back sarcastically, _special chakra signature?_

"Only a seductress cares about such petty things," Fubuki answered with a disappointed sigh, her basket beginning to numb her arm. "Tayuya is a sound genjutsu master, she may be training in the art of genjutsu but with a simple _wooden_ flute she can calm an entire room of fussy children or kill a single man from a crowed and not harm anyone else." Fubuki said irritation lacing her words as she continued to inform the manager, she lifted a hand and flipped a chunk of her cherry locks back over her shoulder.

"What Tayuya-chan needs is a chakra tempered metal flute that doesn't let her lose so much chakra when she does spin out a genjutsu with it. I highly doubt your 'pretty pure steal, white-gold etched' flute is made out for the cut." Fubuki spun on her heal and walked away from the gaping manager, Tayuya close behind.

"That was really mean Nee-chan," Tayuya grumbled as she took the basket from Fubuki's arm and continued following her sister as quickly as she could.

"We need to get you new cloths anyways," Fubuki said ignoring Tayuya. "After that we'll come back to see what other trinkets and knickknacks this place has before we head back to the hotel. I'm sure the boys would like a few new toys and Hana could use some new tools."

"Did you have to tell him all that?" Tayuya asked glancing back nervously at the manager who was still gaping as they walked away, "What if he tells someone? Like one of the other participants?"

"Wait for it," Fubuki smirked down at Tayuya, amusement dancing in her eyes.

"Hay wait a moment," the manager said appearing in front of the girls, startling them. Fubuki was automatically in front of Tayuya, kunai drawn up defensively.

"Easy there tiger I mean no harm," The manager frowned at Fubuki his hands raised peacefully, glancing back at Tayuya almost curiously, "You both are in this year's Chunin exams aren't you?"

"You're point?" Fubuki asked, relaxing her stance but not putting her kunai knifes away. The hard glint in her eyes telling a lot to the older male in front of her, who hadn't seen such a protective automatic reaction in a child since he was young and in the previous war.

"You were a shinobi weren't you?" Tayuya asked, peaking around Fubuki curiously, "You did that flashy-step thing-y just now that our sensei dose." No way in hell was she going to reveal that she could do it too "That means you were a Jonin at some point right?"

"Very observant," the manager agreed with a smirk. "That's right; I was a Jonin of the hidden mist before I retired five years ago."

"Why?" Fubuki asked with narrowed eyes but slipping her knifes out of sight, the manager bet that they were just hidden from sight, not actually gone. "Was it an injury?" Fubuki asked glancing down at his left leg meaningfully.

_Very smart indeed_, the man smirked at the sisters amusedly, impressed that they had figured out his weakness through such a short amount of time. "Something like that, I could have continued on with my career but I _chose_ to retire." He answered, putting extra meaning behind the word so that the girls would understand him clearly: He wasn't forced, he chose to retire.

"Back to what I wanted to say," the manger smirked at the girls, purposefully relaxing his stance for their benefit, "If you brats are in this year's chunin exam, I'll give the flute half price to you if you pass these exams. In other words, become a chunin and you'll get the flute."

"Well we're already half way," Fubuki said tilting her head to the side in thought, "All that's left is the second round and the final round. The final round won't happen until a month after the second."

"You've taken the exams before I take it?" the man asked with a raised eyebrow, amused when Fubuki paled and her eyes took on a scared look to them.

"Kumo is out of their damn mind..." Fubuki answered, lost in memory of her first exam.

"Kumo for your first exam?" the man flinched and hissed in sympathy for the girl, he'd been to Kumo himself for his second try at the exams "I pity your bad luck. So how'd you fail their exam? Was it the rock slide or the underground maze?"

"A poisonous reptile," Fubuki answered, her shoulders slumping and eyes closing, "We made it to the center but because our teammate was knocked out and in need of medical attention we got disqualified."

"Yeah... Kumo always did hate 'weakness' accidents included." The man shook his head, he went to continue on with Fubuki, ready to tell her about his own chunin exam but something shiny in the basket Tayuya was holding had caught his eye.

"You got enough money for that peaches?" He asked, staring pointedly at the various chakra suppressant bracelets, chakra-sensing earrings and a few necklaces that he knew had a few holes to hide a few suicide pills in; none of them were cheep by any means.

"My name is _Fubuki_ Haruno," Fubuki said, not bothering to conceal her irritation at the nickname he gave her. "And yes, mother gave Tayuya and I enough money to rent out the best Hotel for a week and still have enough money left over to get new outfits, tools and other things we would need after we became Chunin's."

"...You're mother is an expectant Jonin isn't she?" he meant that their mother was a Jonin with high expectations, but he didn't think that it came out right

"It's creepy that he's right," Tayuya whispered to Fubuki, her hand tightening on the heavy basket in her hands. "Hay mister, do you have any shopping carts? I can't feel my fingers..."

"You're such a baby," Fubuki sighed, taking the basket back from Tayuya, "I've carried this thing longer then you and it doesn't bother me."

"That's because you repair whatever damage is done to your arm," Tayuya grumbled staring pointedly at her red hands, "And I'm betting that you lace chakra in your arms to give them strength... or at least using it to numb the pain."

"I have a few carts you can use," the man chuckled, turning to lead the two teens towards the nearest cart station "There are a few stationed through out the store, typically at the entrances of each section." Fubuki and Tayuya followed him, empting her basket into the front of the first cart they came across. Fubuki pushed it as she followed Tayuya around the store, eager to get her own share of shopping done, while Fubuki listened to the manager's stories from his glory days. Some times, she'd ask a question and he'd answer it patiently.

After an hour of talking about himself, he asked questions about them. Fubuki answered simply and Tayuya explained each answer in detail to the man, grinning as she bounced from station to station, asking Fubuki 'yes' or 'no' questions about items that she wanted but didn't know if she could get—Fubuki sometimes studied the object and sometimes the answer was a flat 'no', no questions asked. Occasionally the old war veteran walking with them would suggest an item of clothing to Tayuya, Fubuki having already nit-picked through the stock, or a pack of simple weapons to Fubuki. When they were finally ready to check out, the girls were pushing two carts instead of one—Fubuki could admit it, the manager was a smooth talker and he figured out that she liked shinny objects while Tayuya liked pretty clothing.

"Are you sure you both will be able to pay for all of this?" He asked as he rang up their orders, one of his men quickly stacking the bags into another cart for the girls.

"We'll be fine," Fubuki answered absent mindedly as she watched the total continue to steadily rise, "Mother wants us to be prepared..."

"Yeah but Nee-chan... how are we going to pack all of this to the hotel?" Tayuya asked watching as the helper balanced the first half of the bags in his original cart.

"They're call sealing scrolls for a reason," Fubuki answered, not looking away from the digital screen that counted the merchandise while the manager scanned and bagged the various objects. "We'll put the weapons and heavier objects inside the scrolls, we don't want the weapons to tear the bags and scatter all over the street or get stopped by Anbu for looking suspicious then hulled to T&I when they find the weapons."

"Um... Nee-chan I don't know about you, but I don't own any sealing scrolls," Tayuya informed her older sister, "those are expensive ya' know."

"I know," Fubuki agreed still watching the rising numbers, "Why do you think I bought some last year, again before we came here and again, just now?"

"You bought some sealing scrolls?" Tayuya asked blinking dumbly at her sister.

"Hai," Fubuki agreed smiling when the manager stopped with the first basket, ringing the total of Tayuya's share to be 587, 380 Ryo. "Hand the man your wallet Tayuya," Fubuki grinned at her sister, "that's your share, pay up, I'll cover the rest." With a bowed head, Tayuya handed the manager all of her money, all but out right handing him her wallet.

"You're about a hundred short," the manager whistled as he counted the bills in his hand, glancing up when Fubuki smirked and handed over the required money.

"Nee-chan won't that make you short for your share?" Tayuya asked as Fubuki handed her a scroll

"I have more money then you," Fubuki answered, waving Tayuya towards a nearby large table, "Weapons and heavy objects first, I'll be there in a moment."

"How do you have more money then me?" Tayuya asked as she spun on her heal to do as she was told

"Simple, I save money when I can, where you spend it the second you get it," Fubuki answered straight faced, "That and mom gave me some extra cash before we left."

"I'm beginning to think you're her favorite," Tayuya pouted while she unrolled the scroll and laid it out on the table, taking up a good portion of it's length. "You do know I don't know how to use this thing, right?"

"I'm not her favorite, she just trusts me to use the money _wisely_," Fubuki answered as she flipped over her cart to land on the other side, "And I know you can't use that scroll, that's why I'm going to be there in a sec."

"Huh? You aren't worried by the price?" Tayuya asked as her sister dove into the bags and started to sort everything out easily, summoning water to act like a shelf for her as she worked her way up and down the scroll. Putting in more items into each seal then the people watching her knew they could fit in it. She was done with sealing almost everything of Tayuya's share when the manager finished ringing up her order, a whopping 293, 690 Ryo.

"Huh wouldn't you know it Tayuya?" Fubuki grinned at her sister as she paid the manager easily, more money resting in her wallet soundly, "I paid exactly half as much as you, yet I got more then you. Interesting."

"Don't rub it in," Tayuya warned glaring at Fubuki as she pushed the full cart to the table and rolled up the large seal scroll, quickly placing down the next, "And you missed a few items Nee-chan, so don't get smug with me."

"I'm not smug Imoto," Fubuki chuckled, mimicking her earlier actions with the previous sealing scroll. "I did that on purpose, you do have to carry some of your shopping; as a reminder if nothing else. We don't want to spend up all of our money today; we'll be in this village for a while yet."

"You're going shopping tomorrow aren't you?" Tayuya asked watching how her sister sealed the first three circles before filling up the other seventeen patiently waiting seals.

"Not tomorrow but yes," Fubuki agreed whipping a wrist across her brow

"Why?" Tayuya whined loudly, "We bought nearly everything in this bloody store! Why do you want to come again tomorrow?!"

"I told you it won't be tomorrow," Fubuki reminded Tayuya with a stern look, "Besides this store doesn't have everything that I need." Neither saw the Manager's brow twitch or the determination that sparked in his dark eyes, if he's lacking something in his store then he'll just have to fix that "I'm a medic in training Tayuya; I have to restock my herbs and bandages, not to mention my other medicines that I'm running low on. You'd be surprised how often Shisui-san get's hurt; nearly all of my supplies are spent on him."

"Do I have to come with you when you go out again?" Tayuya asked, fake tears forming in her hazel brown eyes.

"No," Fubuki answered sealing the next three circles easily, whipping at her brow again, "You don't know what to look for. As good as you are with the already prepared medicines you're no good at making your own, even I'm not that great at it." Fubuki started panting as she sealed the last five circles at the same time, panting softly she braced herself against the table, waiting for her vision to settle. A ruff hand on her shoulder had Fubuki glancing up at the manager, who was looking at her with a puzzled expression.

"Are you going to be okay walking back to the hotel on your own?" he asked, tilting his head to the side, "Surly sealing so much at one time is tiring. You can take a rest if you want..."

"It's alright," Fubuki sighed with a tiered smile, whipping the sweat from her face with the back of her hand and glancing at the skylight over head. "It's pretty late already, we better get back while we can still can see. Our teammates are properly worried..."

"I can help you carry some of your things," the manager offered, "or one of my workers can help you."

"Thank you but no," Fubuki chuckled, rolling up the scroll quickly and placing it in her back pouch, "We'll be just fine, the scrolls don't weigh anything and there are only ten bags lefts for us. I'm sure we'll be just fine." Fubuki lifted her ten begs, five in each hand, and smiled at the manager before she followed after Tayuya, nodding her thanks to him as they both left the store tiredly but not exhausted.

When they returned to the hotel, Fubuki went straight to the table, dumped the bags atop it, threw the scrolls at her teammates and crashed face first into the nearest bed; passing out almost before her head hit the pillow. Chuckling in amusement Shisui gently removed her shoes and coat, setting them aside before he opened the scroll thrown at him.

"Well at least she didn't stop at the herb store," Shisui chuckled as he rolled the scroll out on the floor, ignoring Shikan's groan as he stood up from the table and headed for the door. "Make sure to bring Kaname-sensei will ya?" Shisui asked staring amusedly at the twenty seals on the scroll, waiting to be opened. "Fubuki-chan needs to be changed but she's out like a light. I'm not interested in getting my head removed anytime soon." Shikan sighed and left the room, quickly stepping across the hall and waiting patiently as Kaname scolded Tayuya loudly.

_Why dose she always shop for us?_ Shikan thought as he just opened the door and stepped into the other room calmly. _Girls are troublesome..._ Shikan ducked with a hiss as a glass object flew passed his head and collided with the closed door, shattering loudly. _Pinkette's and Jonin females are even worse then normal ones!_

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**So I totally almost made the FOUR chapters of the Chunin exams all one big chapter... but then I realized that would be like a hundred pages and I wasn't going to bother with doing all of that work to separate each time skip**

**I do go back through each chapter and reread and grammar check each chapter at least once a week**

**So yeah, sorry but deal with the different chapters **

**Thoughts are helpful**

**Opinions are wonderful**

**Helpful criticism****is**** lovely! Just don't cripple me okay?**

**Please no cursing!**

**And don't forget to**** rate and**** review!**

**Page 18**


	24. Chapter 24

**There is a reason**

Chapter 24: Hell of the second portion

Koomahana

**Fubuki was 10 when she met Sakura & 11 when she was taken to the leaf village**

**Tayuya was 8 when she met Sakura & 9 when she was taken to the leaf village**

**Sakura was 3 when she was taken and returned to the leaf village**

**Yagura was 20 when he first met Sakura and 21 when he returned to his body.**

**Yagura is 17 years older then Sakura**

**Fubuki is 7 years older than Sakura and 2 years older then Tayuya**

**Tayuya is 5 years older than Sakura**

**Fubuki was a genin at 12, Chunin at 14 and Jonin at 16**

**Tayuya was a genin at 12, Chunin at 13 ½ and Jonin at 16**

**They are now:**

**Fubuki is now 13 ½ years old— (Same age as Shisui and Shikan)—Genin**

**Tayuya is now 12 years old— (Same age as Itachi and Hana)—Genin**

**Sakura is now 7 ½ years old—(Same age as Naruto and Sasuke)**

****Updated **Chapters**

**3, 4, 5, 18, 20, 22, 23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,39,40,41,42,43**

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

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"Welcome brats to training grounds 25! Also known as the 'pools of death'!" the man before them smiled crookedly beneath his mask of bandages. Although his voice was laced with sarcastic cheerfulness, his eyes were stone cold and threatened to cut anyone in half if they so much as twitched wrong. "Before I have you enter and die, I need you all to sign out these forms. They pretty much say that whatever damage is done to you, including death, isn't my responsibility and therefore my village can't be held accountable for anything and everything that happens to you in the chunin examines from this point on. Got it?"

"Yes sir," was the soft grumble from the remaining teams, only the mist shinobi shouting their agreement with wicked smirks and excitement leaking from their bodies.

"Good," Zabuza smirked at the croup, watching everyone sign the papers easily enough, some dropping out right there while others butted heads and signed the paper just to prove that they could. Zabuza watched as the two teams from leaf talked together, as if they were weighing the pros and cons of their acceptance of his little challenge.

When it appeared that they were only talking calmly and not arguing, Zabuza let his curiosity get the better of him. Silently appearing in the tree just above them, Zabuza watched as they passed small scrolls to each other, calmly trading information that they've gathered on the other teams and giving out suggestions on different scenarios. He listened as they continued to talk softly, he found it amusing that they were smart enough to talk in code, referring to various teams as 'baritone' or 'soprano'. The only thing he couldn't figure out was who they were calling 'Butterfly' and 'Caledonia', perhaps it was code for something else, he didn't know but he figured he'd find out. He watched amusedly as the children continued to speak softly, even as his water clone called out for the papers—fifteen minutes later.

"Zabuza-sama," a familiar soft voice called from just below him

"I know Haku," Zabuza grumbled, jumping down from his tree to land beside his apprentice and watching his water clone hand the teams a single box. "Keep an eye on them; Mizukage-sama already informed me."

"It's not that Zabuza-sama," Haku said, drawing the Jonin's attention. "Someone's been murdered," Haku held out a torn up and bloodied headband, a headband from what appeared to be from Suna, "A team got replaced by someone else, there are intruders in the examines."

"We can't just isolate those five teams; Suna will claim we played favorites," Zabuza sighed watching how everyone stood at the ready near the water's surface. "We can't postpone this round either. We've waited long enough."

"What do we do?" Haku asked worriedly as Zabuza's water clone shouted 'Go' making the teams rush off into the thick mist

It wasn't long before screams tore through the air

"...We can send in an advanced Black ops team," Zabuza suggested lazily, turning away from the wall of mist and screams, "But I doubt it'll do any good. That mist is miles thick, they'll have to wait to intervene on the other side."

"But that could take days..." Haku whispered following his master without looking back, "Whoever infiltrated this round will get at whoever is their target by the time we can intervene..."

"Then pray they don't do too much damage," Zabuza replied. _I better tell Yagura... he's going to be pissed_

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"Damn this examine!" Hana hissed, clutching her bleeding leg and glaring out at the mist covered waters. Turns out that they had good reason to name these grounds 'pools of death' there were literally _pools_ of dead bodies. Huge rocks stuck up randomly in a circular fashion creating mini-islands, every pool in them was filled to the brim in different corpse; some human and some defiantly not human. And that's not to mention the random 'bugs' that flew around in the mist, occasionally nesting in the taller rock formations where they ate their very unlucky genin. One such bug had actually sprung out of the water and snatched her leg as she ran passed, Tayuya and Itachi learned very quickly to avoid the darker waters.

"I thought Fubuki said that Kumo was insane?" Hana growled to Sango, who sat beside her protectively, his older brothers sticking close to Tayuya and Itachi. "Mizu has got to be—" Hana gasped and covered Sango with her body as a huge blast of wind ripped passed her, forcefully removing the mist from around her.

…

"_Just don't move from this spot," Tayuya ordered lifting her flute, "If you do then the genjutsu can't protect you. I've been working on a advanced concealment genjutsu, basically whoever looks at you too long will suddenly see something terrifying lunge towards them. However, there isn't much I can do concerning the bugs. I can try to hide your scent but your bleeding pretty bad. I have to get Nee-chan to tend to that leg."_

…

_Don't move too much!_ Hana hissed to herself as she straightened to study her new surroundings. Apparently that really tall rock a few feet away had a nest in it and mama bug was royally pissed that someone exposed her nest. Sango whined softly and nuzzled close to her, trying to get her to move away from the danger or hide from it, Hana wasn't sure.

"Shh, boy," Hana murmured watching fearfully how the bug snapped towards them at Sango's soft whine, "Don't make any sounds and don't move. You heard Tayuya..."

"_But..._"

"No buts," Hana hissed watching how the bug's wings lifted into the air, "Quiet" she ordered in a low hiss as the bug lifted into the air, seeking out the person who just exposed her nest. Hana relaxed with a sigh and slumped against the cold stone she was purchased on, keeping her out of the dangerous water. Feeling warm breath that didn't belong to Sango, his head was buried in her armpit, Hana stiffened, freezing her body in place like a well-made statue. She watched from the corner of her eye as something that looked like an extremely slimy, foul smelling version of what look like a heavily scared dragon (from one of the picture books Naruto loves to read) slowly slithered past, it's pale belly nearly touching her as it slid past. It took everything she had not to vomit at the smell of the strange, terrifying creature slithering past, what she assumed to be it's legs were heavily scared like it's body, it looked like it was missing a few toes from each foot... and possibly a leg... or two... how many legs did this thing have?

Once she was sure that the creature wasn't going to crush her before it tried to eat her, in other words it was focused solely on the giant flying bug's nest, Hana shakily stood on her feet, wrapped Sango into her arms and high tailed it as fast as she could away from the out crop of rocks. Glade that the strange creature merely snarled at her but didn't give chase.

_To hell with this!_ Hana thought as she ran head long into the mist, following the soft glow of her pendent around her neck, leading her to her nearest teammate: Tayuya. _I'll suffer with the leg until we get to dry land! Then I'll wait for Fubuki to tend to it!_

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Tayuya's eyes watched the shifting fog with flitting eyes, her heart pounding erratically in her chest. She forced herself to calm down a second time, trying her best to lead Itachi towards Hana, since the later had finally gotten within range of her own pendent. Yes the pendent's Fubuki had bought were sensor pendent's that came in packs of four, amusingly enough they were shaped mostly circular with four matching stones, their chains was what was different.

Itachi's pendent had a silver chain and his pendent had a sapphire, emerald and ruby in it. Hana's pendent had a gold chain and her pendent had a Sapphire, diamond and emerald in it. Tayuya's own pendent had the sapphire, diamond and ruby stones in it, that hung from a dark green but sturdy strip of cloth; making the pendent hang just above her collar bone. Amusedly enough their teacher had the navy blue choker, her pendent holding the emerald, diamond and ruby stones.

When each of them put their respective necklaces on, they found that the pendent's stole some of their chakra to fill their respective stone. Itachi got the diamonds, Hana got rubies, Kaname-sensei got sapphires and (She should have seen it coming) Tayuya got the emeralds. By using the pendent's that housed her teammates chakra's, Tayuya knew just where everyone was and could lead them to each other visually (through genjutsu) if the pendent couldn't do it.

The genjutsu she was weaving with her flute right now was playing a difficult tune that distracted their enemy with what he wanted leading him away in one direction, she was horrified to find that the strange man was after Itachi, while she weaved another genjutsu to lead Itachi away. Her Genjutsu over Itachi was making it look like she was running away from him; it was the best way to get him to go where she wanted him too. When Hana got within range of the pendants, Tayuya did the same thing to her; making Hana run after her false image that led her straight to Itachi and away from danger.

_I will protect you_, Tayuya thought as she monitored her teammates in the back of her mind and focused a new on the strange man attaching them. She vaguely recognized when they were reunited but she was more concerned with the stranger suddenly avoiding the image she painted up for him. Cursing to herself, Tayuya lowered her flute—ending her song abruptly—and turned to run straight for her teammates. They were close together but not close enough and the stranger targeting Itachi was making a be-line straight for them, if she didn't do something then the man will kill her teammates.

…

"_Once you form a genin team, that team is with you for life," Kaname informed the three children sitting before her with dirty pouting faces, having just barely managing to pass her test. "You will grow together, laugh together, kill together and if fate likes you, you'll die together. Get it? You might work on different teams when you're older and stronger, but you never forget your genin team and eventually you'll return to this team, taking missions together and __**standing**__ together."_

"_Okay but why were __**we**__ put together?" Tayuya asked, squinting up at her new teacher, "Nee-chan said that the graduating teams will be balanced out, that each team is—"_

"_Put together for the highest chances of survival," Kaname agreed with a chuckle, "Itachi is the rooky of the year but he's socially awkward. Tayuya you're book smart but not very physically strong. Hana, you're physically strong but not very smart. Get it? Hana's strength covers Tayuya's weakness, just as Tayuya's strength covers Hana's weakness, Itachi's manners covers Hana's rudeness and Tayuya's bluntness, but both of you girls cover for his inexperience with children your own age."_

"_...it's going to take a while to get used to this isn't it?" Tayuya asked rubbing at her temple, she may have been book smart but book smart was all that she was._

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Itachi skidded to halt on the deep waters of the training grounds, Tayuya paused a few steps in front of him, glancing over her shoulder at him curiously but Itachi wasn't looking at the false image of Tayuya. He was staring down at his pendent that was glowing but hovering in the air at a slight angle, the ruby was glowing and pointing right were the image of Tayuya was but the emerald was pointing in almost the perfectly opposite direction.

_Damn this mist!_ Itachi thought as he turned towards Tayuya's direction but didn't move towards her, choosing instead to raise his voice loudly. "Tayuya!" Itachi heard a splash, Tayuya's voice cursing as the sound of her flute ended, he heard Hana's relieved shout, calling out to them desperately. Looking behind and to the left of his position, Itachi could just barley make out the huddled up and wobbling form of Hana as she hurried towards him.

"Itachi!" Hana shouted, tears of relieve in her eyes as she finally caught sight of him, "Itachi! Where's Tayuya? I can't find her!"

"I don't know," Itachi answered watching how the thick mist around them thinned out, a gust of wind pushing it away from them harshly.

"Itachi!" Tayuya's scream echoed in the air, prompting the black haired boy to move just in time to avoid getting cleaved in half by the strange black haired stranger who suddenly decided to attack them. Growling in irritation, Itachi kicked the strange man's knees, hoping to off set him but the man dodged easily. He didn't want to get into a Taijutsu match with this stranger, he was proving difficult enough. If someone could get out of one of Tayuya's strongest Genjutsu's so easily, then they weren't to be trifled with.

As Itachi was forced to awaken his Sharingan to fight with this strange man, he realized that this man was no genin. Audibly cursing, something Itachi never did, he threw his strongest paper bomb at the man and quickly retreated out of range before it went off. Sending both girls to their knees as they tried to concentrate on staying above water, something they learned only recently. Smirking in satisfaction Itachi tried to stand and hurry towards Hana, who was the weakest at water walking even though her pups could do it just fine.

He froze when he realized that he couldn't move, looking down in his crouched position, Itachi saw and recognized the signs of extreme exertion and something else that was delaying his physical movements: the strange man had forced his chakra into his body, delaying it's reaction speed.

"Finally noticed did you?" the strange man asked from within the steam from the explosion, "It's too late!" Itachi actually flinched back as the paler then snow face lunged out at him from the steam with elongated fangs bared threateningly at him.

"_ITA~CHI~!_"

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Sakura laughed at her father as they sat together in the living room drinking tea, she didn't know why but for whatever reason Sakura found herself staring at a picture from when she was four, the day she was supposed to take the entrance examine at the academy but didn't because of her attempted abduction. It only showed Fubuki and Tayuya standing on either side of Itachi who was holding Sakura on his hip with slight smile. Her sisters smiling proudly in their matching plane blue kimonos with the white circles of the Haruno crest, Itachi in his normal black training outfit and Sakura in her Navy blue shirt and black skirt.

It was strange how this morning that picture was perfectly fine but now it had a strange looking crack in it, as if someone threw a strangely round rock at it. The crack was almost perfectly round, fracturing to the inside instead of outwardly...

_Strange..._ Sakura thought as she rose and walked towards the picture, her father following her with his eyes curiously. Sakura raised her hand and brushed her fingers around the edges of the crack, careful not to cut herself,_ why not all of us?_

"That's strange," Kizashi commented lowly, a frown pulling at his normally smiling face, "I've never seen a crack like that before... I wonder if it's a sign..."

"A sign? What do you mean?" Sakura questioned, turning to look back at her now nervous father.

"Ah-ah nothing!" Kizashi said, his hands held up in a peaceful way, as if he expected for her to throw something at him, "I was just thinking that it must be a good sign! Yeah! A good sign! You're siblings are going to come home! Defiantly!"

"I know they'll come back," Sakura said reaching up and taking down the picture from the wall, holding it in her hands. "I'm worried about weather or not they'll come back alive... and what kind of good omen is a nearly perfectly round crack in a picture frame? Wouldn't that be a bad omen?"

"Now sweat heart I didn't say omen, I said sign," Kizashi corrected, trying to lie his way around his daughter, trying to keep her away from the depressing and worrying thoughts that were already beginning to swirl in his mind.

"What's the difference?" Sakura asked holding the picture close to her chest, fear coursing through her and tears stinging her eyes. "I feel like they won't come back the same, like they'll be heavily scared like something really, really bad happened to them and I'll never be able to stand at their side ever again..."

"Shh, Shhh it'll be okay," Kizashi murmured rising to wrap his arm around his youngest daughter, holding her tightly as she sobbed into his chest. "No matter what happens, they'll always be your sisters and brothers." _Those three are stubborn as hell, they won't give up without a fight_

"Promise?"

"Promise"

_Please Kami-sama, protect them! Bring them home to me, safe and alive! Safe and alive... please!_

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Finally, finally after so many years of waiting for the young Uchiha heir to mature, he could finally have the perfect body, the perfect host! He grinned as he launched his head forward, eager to place his curs mark upon the young heir. This way it would be easier to take over Itachi's body when it was time to switch bodies. He heard the ear-shattering scream of the annoying pinkette that had had him running around in circles earlier but he paid her no mind; he was done playing games with the girl, he wanted that body!

He couldn't help but smirk as he felt his teeth sink past the first layers of skin and deep into the shoulder muscles of the neck. He was so excited and proud of his accomplishment, it took him a moment to realize that the scream in his ear was feminine and the long sweeping hair in his face was _pink_ not black.

Hissing in fury Orochimaru clamped his mouth tightly on the girl, quickly yanking her into the air and slamming her down into the icy waters of the training grounds. He released her quickly when Itachi threw some shuriken at him, the three re-gathered wolfs suddenly lunged at him, keeping him away from Itachi as he dove into the waters and swam after the pinkette.

"Little $itch!" Orochimaru cursed kicking the three dogs away from his person and purposefully aiming them to slam into their owner.

"I hope that child _dies_," Orochimaru snarled to the young Inuzuka, not surprised to see her flinch at the venom in his voice and the hatred in his reptilian-yellow eyes. "I can only perform it once a month! How dare she interrupt me!" Orochimaru turned towards the wounded Inuzuka when he heard the girl laugh; soft giggles spilling passed her bloodied lips.

"Looks like pinky is good for something after all," the girl gasped, coughing out a mouthful of blood and worrying her pups, "She stopped you after all."

"That girl will die," Orochimaru reminded the brunet coldly, "Only one in ten children have a chance to survive that seal." The smirk on the girl's face fell, tears threatening her brown eyes as her three pets struggled to their feet, trying to sound threatening as they struggled to stand protectively in front of the girl.

"She'll live," the girl replied, glaring at him as she whipped the trail of blood from her mouth, only to have a new trail seep pass when she spoke. "If its one thing I know about that girl it's that she's stubborn. It's a Haruno trait after all. She swore to protect us—she'll protect us. No matter the odds stacked against her, she won't die. Not to you! Never to you, you monster!"

"Hmm?" Orochimaru grinned mockingly at the brunet, one black brow raised ever so slightly at the girl, "Sounds like you know of me little girl..."

"The Inuzuka clan once held great respect for the snake Sanin," the girl hissed, her dark eyes burning furiously, "Now we're trained to recognize and avoid your scent. You are Orochimaru! You're one of the great Sanin!"

"I suppose I should care that the Inuzuka clan is training their children to recognize my scent..." Orochimaru grumbled thoughtfully. He stared at Hana for a moment before grinning and walking away from her, she was wounded enough she most likely wouldn't make it. Not at the rate that she was spitting out that blood, if she didn't get to a medic soon, she was going to die.

"But sadly I just can't bring myself to care what anyone in that village does," Orochimaru sighed as he walked into the mist, his voice echoing ominously around the poor frightened girl.

_That seal was the wind seal, specialized for those with Genjutsu talent,_ Orochimaru sighed as he continued to walk away from the Mist examine. He wouldn't have another chance at getting Itachi, not now. _Well... the girl did spin some advanced stuff... took ME awhile to notice the inconsistencies..._ Orochimaru paused in his walking, the strange thought echoing in his mind. Glancing back at the genin who were now too far away to see, Orochimaru threw his head back and laughed. Of course, they would have two genjutsu masters on the same team! One for attacking with the Sharingan and the other for defense; the girl was just a diversion expert! That was why she took Itachi's hit when she failed to keep him away!

Orochimaru's eyes glinted and a twisted smile pulled at his face, _What an interesting little development... I wonder if she'll live..._ oh how he hoped the girl would live, what a wonderful little puppet she would be and such a strong genjutsu-est!

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Itachi gasped as he burst to the surface of the water, Tayuya knocked out in his arms as he tried to pull the both of them out of the water. Looking up to spot Hana, Itachi stared dumbly at the brunet a few feet away, his Sharingan was making her a little too bright.

_Figures..._ Itachi smirked and cancelled the simple genjutsu, smiling when the half dead Hana shimmered out of existence to reveal the real Han staring down at him worriedly, her only wound resting on her swollen ankle.

_Even when she took my hit,_ Itachi smiled sadly up at Hana, taking her offered hand Hana helped haul Tayuya out of the water and gently placed her on Hana's biggest wolf's back: Shingo.

_Figures that, even when you took my hit, you still protected us._ Itachi smiled as he and Hana walked out of the mist, Tayuya between them and Ningo and Sango moving to their unprotected sides. _Weaving a concealment and illusion together seamlessly... you've grown a lot in your training..._

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After passing the second round together, Fubuki, Shisui and Shikan were given a surprise visit by a grave looking Kaname. Fubuki felt ice settle in her stomach as the older woman turned to look at her, regret etched on her face and tears brimming her dark eyes. Why would Tayuya's sensei look at her? Shouldn't she be with her—she was Tayuya's teacher and she was on the verge of tears...

"No... No..." Fubuki said, fear lacing through her voice and tears pricked her eyes, Panic was making her eyes too wide and her breathing come to fast. "No, no! Don't tell me!" Shikan and Shisui were stiff beside her, their dark eyes wide with fear and silent pleas to Kaname, begging her to tell them that her silence and the sad-cold-old look in her eyes was because of something else. It wasn't-couldn't be because-because... Tayuya couldn't be... she just couldn't be...

"She's in the hospital," Kaname whispered, one trembling hand fisted at her side, "Tayuya's critical... they don't think... she's going to make it..."

Fubuki let out a loud wail, her voice shattering the air and making everyone snap around to look with wide startled eyes, even the Mizukage was turned towards them slightly. Fubuki collapsed to her knees screaming, her face buried in her hands, tears and salvia slipping passed her fingers to mix with the wet ground below her. She felt Shisui and Shikan kneel beside her, trying to comfort her, but they were just as afraid as she was.

Critical was never good news, Haruno's didn't have good luck with 'critical' occasions—they always ended in disaster

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Nearly two hours after the completion of the second round, they were delayed because of a round of prelims they were forced to participate in, Fubuki and her team were in the Mizu hospital; occupying the hall just out side of the trauma and intensive care unit where they had Tayuya now. Fubuki was walking up and down the hall, chewing on her thumb in worry, tears threatening her vision. Hana was resting on a nearby bench, her right leg in a cast, her three half-breed wolfs were too anxious themselves to keep still—they were pacing beside Fubuki easily. Itachi was curled up into a ball beside Hana, letting her rest her head on his shoulder and Shisui and Shikan were leaning against the wall beside Itachi together, trying to pretend to be anywhere but at the hospital, waiting impatiently for news on Tayuya. Kaname and Aoka, Fubuki's male teacher, were leaning against the opposite wall calmly, directly across from Shisui and Shikan.

"Fubuki you need to calm down," Ao suggested, trying to make his voice sound as if he wasn't worried for the girl who used to throw water balloons at him before she graduated. He honestly didn't miss that but he did miss the good hour run he'd spend after words trying to catch Tayuya and punish her; now that he thought about it, he never did catch that brat.

"Calm? You want me to be calm?" Fubuki asked snapping around to face her teacher, her eyes horrifyingly large with panic and fear. "She's the only family I left and you want me to be calm?!"

"Tayuya isn't your only relative," Shikan spoke up, confusion twisting his features, "You have your parents and Sakura-chan... right?"

"My parents are dead and I'm an orphan," Fubuki said, rubbing a hand against her face; before she could continue the light over the emergency room turned off and a tiered looking red head with tiered blue-green eyes stepped out, whipping sweet from her cheek.

"How's my sister?" Fubuki asked, immanently focusing on the older woman who approached them with a towel in hand. "Is she okay? Will she—"

"I'm sorry," the woman sighed, cutting Fubuki off immanently

"Wh-what?" Fubuki asked, beginning to breathe erratically, "Wha-what do you—why are you—why _would_ you—"

"There isn't anything more we can do for her here," the woman sighed, her expression regretful as she told Fubuki her bad news, "You should take your sister home Haruno-san, there isn't anything more we can do for her. I'm sorry...she isn't going to make it." Itachi and Shisui were there and holding onto her when Fubuki wobbled on her feet, tears spilling from her eyes, the boys barely managing to keep her standing.

"Dyeing?" Fubuki asked in a weak voice, tears dripping down her face, "My sister is dyeing? There's nothing you can do? _Nothing?_"

"He said that she had a one in ten chance of survival," Hana spoke up from her seat, fretfully petting Sango to keep herself calm, "A one-in-ten chance... there's still hope for her, we shouldn't give up yet."

"Who told you that?" the woman asked, frowning at Hana curiously

"Orochimaru," Hana answered sullenly, lost in thought and noticing how stiff everyone was at the mention of the traitorous Sanin. "Orochimaru of the Sanin, he said that there was a one-in-ten chance of her surviving..." Suddenly her eyes lit up and she leaned forward, a smile spreading across her face as she grinned at everyone. "He said he could only perform it once a month!"

"Tayuya has a one-in-ten chance of survival?" Fubuki asked, her breathing calming as she focused on the still grinning Inuzuka, "There's still a chance... she can make it?"

"Even with those statistics, her chances of survival aren't very high," The woman answered rubbing tiredly at her brow, "That seal on the back of her neck is sucking up her chakra quickly, at this rate... I doubt she'll make it back to your village—even if you left right now."

"I'll take her," Itachi spoke up surprising the small group, "I'm faster then sensei _and_ Shisui, I can make it to Konoha in time."

"Itachi it takes a week to get back to Konoha," Fubuki said, frowning at the boy beside her, "I know you're fast but I doubt that even you can make that kind of journey shorten, even if you went none stop. I can make the travel with my ice, I'll fate when I get to the village but I can make it back in a day maybe two."

"I can do it," Itachi reassured, determined to save his own teammate, "We're out of the examines anyways. Trust in me Fubuki-san, let me take Tayuya home, the Hokage can help her if it's a seal doing the damage to her."

"How long do you think it'll take you?" the red head asked skeptically

"Three to four days," Itachi Answered, "I'll have to leave my bag and a lot of my equipment with Hana and Sensei, but I can make it. I won't rest until Tayuya is back at Konoha—that's a promise." Fubuki sniffed and nodded, it wasn't every day that Itachi made a promise and what few that he dose make are always kept. Even if he doesn't make it in his self-given time frame, he'll make sure that Tayuya gets back to Konoha—or die trying.

"Don't do anything stupid," Fubuki said, ruffling Itachi's hair affectionately, "If you do this my debt becomes ten fold—I'll owe you my life, understand?"

"You don't owe me anything," Itachi smiled at her, "She's my teammate and she risked her life for me. It's the least I can do for her."

"I'm not talking these idiots out of this am I?" the woman asked, turning to the two Leaf Jonins, The two gave her tight smiles and shook their heads. "Alright, fine!" the woman said loudly drawing the teen's attention back to her, "I'll bring her out and give you a map."

"Thank you," Fubuki told the woman with a watery smile, "Thank you."

"I still don't think she's going to make it," the woman sighed marching back into the emergency room. "You leaf Nin's are just that kind of idiotic, always hoping and praying for the best result when the chances of it happening aren't very high." Fubuki chuckled in agreement, there was no way she could deny that, it just wasn't possible to denial the truth.

"I'm coming with you," the woman said as she pushed Tayuya out of the room on her hospital bed, "I'm the head doctor here, the patrols won't question me when I lead you out of the village and to the border we share with the leaf."

Tayuya was unnaturally pale, her face sweating and her hands clenched tightly in the fabric of the bed, her clothes were even damp, her eyes were squeezed tightly shut and her teeth were grinding together. The red head ignored the flinching the team made at the sight of her and chose to leave the hospital threw the nearest window. Itachi stepped forward and pulled Tayuya up carefully, gently laying her fevered head on his shoulder.

"Hot," Tayuya mumbled, curling around Itachi half in pain and half asleep, "Too hot, it burns... make it stop, it hurts... hurts..." Fubuki whipped her tears away as she stepped forward, waving one hand into the air she gathered up a ball of water and gently pushed Tayuya's hair out of her way with the other. She stared for a moment at the three almost perfectly strait lines sprouting out from a center of a single black dot; it almost looked like the out line of a three bladed shiriken. Trying to smile at the amusing thought, Fubuki gently pressed the small glob of water in her left hand against the pulsing, glowing lines on Tayuya's neck. Tayuya sighed in relief almost immanently, relaxing in Itachi's arms like jelly. Taking a deep breath, Fubuki blew on the glob of water, letting it freeze around the seal and covering the entire back piece of Tayuya's neck, molding against her heated skin easily. When the last drops of the water glob was flattened out and frozen to Tayuya's neck, Fubuki let Tayuya's hair down and gently petted it before she stepped away.

"Take care of her," Fubuki said with a shaky smile, trying her best to be strong, knowing that there was still a chance of survival for her little sister.

"I will," Itachi promised, pulling Tayuya against him and stepping towards the open window

"Let's go," the woman ordered, not looking back as she jumped from the window, sailing through the air with Itachi hot on her heals.

_Please, Kami-sama, let my little sister live,_ Fubuki prayed, clasping her hands together and praying silently. _Please don't take her from me, I beg of you, let me keep my sister._

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

She sniffed quietly, hoping that the storm raging around her would end soon. Glancing up through her hair she stared out at the storm raging just beyond the safety of the bridge. She could see the wind pushing at the trees til they were nearly flat like the rain, she could see the river water ebb and weave as if straining against the storm trying to reach her. She didn't like storms, they always felt like some kind of monster was trying to eat her alive, like the rain was the monster's teeth, the wind is the agony filled screams of it's past victims and the derbies that were flung around carelessly were chunks of the monster's body waiting to rip her apart.

She's always hated storms

"..." perking up at the strange sound, she tilted her head to the endless darkness across the river in front of her.

"...!..." curious as to what it could be, she slowly edged just a little closer to the river, watching the darkness beyond it for any signs of movement. She flinched as a fridge blast of air hit her right side, making her skid against the wet and rocking river edge, threatening to push her into the erratic and endless depths of the icy waters.

_Help!_ She curled up and closed her eyes; sniffing softly as she wrapped her arms around her head protectively, not wanting the storm to blow her away. _Someone help!_

"..._o!_" she looked up into the endless darkness before her, who was that? She whimpered as a big gust of wind thrashed against her, moving her further along the edge of the bridge, threatening to rip the top right off.

"..._o!_" She looked up, tears blurring her vision, was it her or could she make out a body in the darkness before her? She rubbed hastily at her eyes, eager to double check, examining closely she watched as a dark form began to take shape in the darkness ahead of her.

"..._to!_" She let out a shrill scream as the storm raged even louder and stronger over head, going so far as to lift the bridge up and tossing it aside, lifting her and throwing her into the icy depths of the cold river.

"_Help!_" She screamed thrashing wildly in the river that was suddenly a raging ocean in a storm that she had never seen the fury of before.

Oh how she _hates_ storms

"_Help! I can't swim! Someone! Anyone!_" It was as if her cries went unheard, she struggled desperately, coughing and panting, fighting the furious waters that tried to drag her further down into its nightmarish depths.

"_Help!_" She gave out her last cry, thrusting her hand out before her just before the large wave crashed down on top of her, thrusting her further into the massive ocean, threatening to keep her there for all of eternity.

"..._to!_"

_Someone..._

"..._oto!_"

_Anyone..._

"..._moto!_"

_Help..._

"_Imoto!_" She heard the distant cry as if thick cotton balls were stuffed in her ears and she was thrust into a soundproof room. She opened her eyes in the darkening waters of the vast ocean, she could see nothing but her own limbs out stretched before her... and something small and dark running quickly towards her, unhindered by the angry storm and furious ocean raging around them.

_Who?_ She watched as the dark figure moved ever closer to her, unhindered by the darkening water surrounding her, _Who are you?_

"_Imoto!_" She could see the form a little better now, like the shadow was glowing in the darkness of the ocean's depths. She could see that they were tall and male, long black and green robes didn't seem to hinder his movements as he moved faster and came closer to her. She could even tell that he had a pale head of lime green hair, glowing faintly in the deep suffocating darkness of the ocean.

_Nii-tan?_ She watched as the tall male seemed to gain more speed, as if given an extra push, _Is that you Nii-tan?_

"_Imoto! Don't go! Don't go!_" The boy cried out now just feet away, showing her his wide pink eyes brimming with unshed tears, "_Don't go! You have to fight!_"

_Fight?_

"_Yes fight! Don't give up!_" He sounded so desperate, like his heart was breaking with every panicked step he took towards her "_Don't give up! Come back to me!_" She watched, the darkness seeming to be growing darker and colder, around her, as one hand slowly reached out to him; as if she expected him to save her from the darkness surrounding her.

"_Yes that's a good girl!_" He shouted, a sad smile pulling at his lips as he pushed himself to move even faster towards her. "_Keep fighting! That's it! Good girl!_" He threw a hand out to her, "_keep fighting! don't give up!_" She could feel the warmth from his fingers against her frozen ones, "_Fight!_" She felt his hand wrap around her wrist and she shouted out in relief as he jerked her towards him, collapsing in the darkness.

"_Good girl_," he whispered to her, cradling her in a tight embrace as the darkness around them brightened into pure white. "_Good girl, keep fighting, don't give up_"

"_Nii-ii-t-ta-an_"

"_Shhh, it's alright_," he kissed the top of her head, still rocking back and forth, holding her like a precious glass doll, "_Everything will be okay_."

"_bu-but... the sh-shad-dow m-man..._" he took a deep breath and tightened his hold slightly

"_I will always protect you_," he whispered, kissing her pale forehead and brushing back her pastel locks lovingly, "_no mountain high enough, no valley low enough, no ocean wide enough can keep me from you_." She smiled and snuggled into him taking in a slow deep breath, knowing she was warm and safe helped her relax as she burst into light and dust in his arms.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

She gasped as searing pain blinded her with a whiteout landscape, she could hear loud voices echoing in her ears, feel cold hands pressing against her chest and shoulders. She tried to struggle, moving only her legs uselessly against the cold and muddy ground beneath her; too wide emeralds looked around herself wildly, fearing the worst.

"Shhh, child you're safe, you're safe!" The woman over her said, panic was like a mask on her face but relief was like a blanket in her voice, "you're safe." She tried to speak, moving her mouth repeating with the words she wanted to say but nothing spilled past her white lips. "Shhh, it's okay, you're safe."

_What happened?_ She though turning to look up fearfully into moonlight and lavender, it took her a moment to recognize the familiar eyes of her best friend and her cousin. Hinata and Neji were kneeling beside her, Hinata clinging to him in panic and fear, Neji standing like a statue beside her, his Byakugan pulsating furiously in his moon white eyes.

"You're alive," Hinata sobbed, falling to her knees in the rain that pelted against her like tiny angry fists, "thank the heaven's you're _alive_!" She wanted to ask questions, to know what had happened to make the famed Hyūga clan surround her so, all panicked and fearful and yet ready to hunt down the source of her pain for vengeance. But she was tiered, feeling drained and out of energy, the familiar thrum that used to beat with her heart wasn't there anymore and it made her wonder why she couldn't feel that strange energy that was always so easy to find.

"Sleep child," the woman advised, tears prickling her moonlit eyes, "You deserve a rest for the trouble you went through. Don't worry, I've got you"

"We got you," Neji murmured softly, Byakugan encased eyes still pulsating, "We won't let go, so don't give up." Hinata whimpered her agreement softly, her shoulders still shaking as she hid her face in her tiny hands, not daring to look because she was crying so hard. She smiled at them, still confused as to what had happened but knowing that she was safe enough to take a rest and recover from her wounds.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

He hated how he couldn't remember her, now the only thing plaguing his mind was some weird thought about a perfect mirror reflection. He coughed hoarsely as he opened his bedroom door, pausing in the doorway to stare down at the small pinkette standing there staring wide eyed at the latest image on his wall. Turning he looked at his last picture, a small child dressed in white clothing, bangs brushing gracefully beside her closed eyes and against her jaw beside a soft almost faint smile. Her small hands were clasped at her chest, as if she was praying, a soft breeze pushed slightly at her short skirt, pulling it just passed her person gracefully.

"Can I help you?" he smirked as the girl nearly jumped out of her skin, literally moving to face him with arms raised protectively and legs set beneath her as if she couldn't decide to run or fight.

…

_The girl was small like most two year olds were, but she was also unnaturally pale, making Yagura doubt the girl's health. Her unnaturally long golden hair hid her eyes, revealing only a partial emerald eye to Yagura's curious gaze. Her hair was so long that it threatened to consume her entire body within it's sunshine strands—for the exception of her tiny feet._

…

"I didn't mean to scare you child," he said, staring into the girl's wide apple green eyes, strange how he thought they were the wrong shade of green. "Did you need something?"

"No, I mean, yes," the girl said shaking her head to clear her thoughts "yes Mai-sensei told me to knock on the door at the end of this hall."

"Sensei?" he repeated with a chuckle, "You must be the girl Mei was talking so cheerfully about the other day, her newest apprentice." The girl nodded slowly, as if she still wasn't sure if she should relaxed or run for safety, "Well what did she want?"

"Oh... uh... she wanted me to tell someone named 'Yagura-sensei' that the final rounds will be beginning in two hours." She answered tilting her head curiously at him, "are you Mei-sensei's sensei?"

"Yes," he chuckled, "Do you like my paintings?" he asked gesturing lazily to the wall filled in his finest works

"You drew all of these?" she asked turning to reexamine the long hall of paintings

"Yes," he nodded and moved to step out of his bedroom and close the door after himself

"What made you decide to draw her?" She asked softly, as if she wasn't sure if she wanted the answer

"My little sister," he answered smiling fondly at one painting that showed two small girls sitting together with big smiles and a book shared between them, another large pile resting soundly on either side of the girls.

"Oh..." she looked at the photo for a moment then nodded her head as if she decided on something, turning she hurried down the hall. Yagura smiled at the girl's back before he flinched harshly as suddenly her fleeing back was replaced with another, long pale locks flying behind her like a comment tail, laughter echoing around her like chimes and bells. He reached out to her automatically as if he could stop her from running but the image of his little sister vanished from his eyes replaced by the serious blue-green orbs of his only remaining student.

"Sensei," Mei murmured with a heartbroken expression, he blinked at her, not sure why she should look so broken, "We received a letter from Konoha for Fubuki Haruno, I though you should know about it."

"Why?" Yagura asked with a frown, pulling back from Mei slightly, wondering what he was going to do if Mei hadn't latched onto his hand and stopped him, "What happened in Konoha?"

"Some of Orochimaru's men attached the village, intending to take Tayuya Haruno away from the village," Mei answered, instantly catching his attention. He remembered the names that Mei had been so cheerful with the previous month; he also remembered that Tayuya and Fubuki were sisters and that it was Tayuya who had been attached by Orochimaru and sent back to her village for emergency care. Did the girl make it? Was that why Mei said that Orochimaru's men were still after her?

"Intending?" he repeated, his eyes narrowing slightly, not liking her tone of voice

"They mistook her little sister, Sakura, for Tayuya," Mei continued, "When they realized their mistake they tried to kill her."

"Tried?" he repeated, feeling as if a hundred rocks were settling in his stomach and someone was squeezing the air out of his lungs. What was wrong with him? He didn't know the girls; they were just names on some test papers for crying out loud!

"She was found dead at the scene," Mei said mournfully, "in a panic the medic tried to reassess her, it took a few tries but she was successful. The woman was able to repair the girl's heart enough to keep her steady until she could be taken to the hospital. The girl will live, hospitalized for a few days but she'll live."

"Why are you telling me this?" Yagura asked, now frowning at Mei and trying to ignore the light feeling encasing his body, as if he could float away from the world any second... or go back to his mental mindscape he shared with the Sanbi.

"I'm telling you because Tayuya Haruno had left the day before to arrive here for the final examines," Mei answered. "The sound team was unaware of her leaving the village, Konoha thinks that they might try to take here in Mizu. They've asked for our help in protecting her until she gets to fire's borders where their own patrols will protect her."

"I understand," Yagura sighed, nodding his consent, "make sure they stay out of sight."

"Yes sir"

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

**Thoughts are helpful**

**Opinions are wonderful**

**Helpful criticism****is**** lovely! Just don't cripple me okay?**

**Please no cursing!**

**And don't forget to**** rate and**** review!**

**Page 19**


	25. Chapter 25

**There is a reason**

Chapter 25: the final examine

Koomahana

**Okay just to clear up some future confusion, if any of you have a younger sister who was, at some point, obsessive with dolls, then you know the feeling of trying to make said dolls fly. Either through your siblings entertainment or not is beside the point, I'm sure there are some crazy stories of some evil older sibling torturing their younger sibling and destroying their favorite toy.**

**Now imagine what you could do if you could make water do virtually **_**anything**_** you wanted it to?**

**Some crazy, evil ideas become a possibility right? Okay then! With luck, I've cleared up some future confusion! **

**And yes, this idea came to me because I'm a younger sibling, the youngest actually, and both of my older siblings are the definition of evil incarnates**

**My brother was a pyromaniac and is forbidden from anything that might catch fire and my sister... well she's my sister, what more of an explanation do you need? She's nine years older then me and lived (lives? Haven't seen her in over a decade...) to fight, raising her voice until glass broke **

**Anyways! On with the story! **

**Oh yeah! This chapter is also **_**really**_** long, I think it's becoming a trend **

****Updated **Chapters**

**3, 4, 5, 18, 20, 22, 23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,39,40,41,42,43**

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

It had taken three and half days for Itachi to reach Konohagakure, taking the most direct root and not stopping for anything; He didn't rest, he didn't eat and he didn't stop. When he got to the guards of the east gates, closest to Mizu, he gasped out at the two guards: 'Tayuya wounded-Orochimaru-curse mark-get lord Hokage' before he passed out right in front of them. The men quickly stumbled to their feet and grabbed up both teens before they ran for everything they were worth towards the hospital, ordering a nearby chunin to summon Lord Hokage to the hospital while they ran.

Hiruzen went straight to the hospital, taking his time but wasn't dilly-dallying either. When he arrived at the hospital, the still panicking guards told him that Itachi ran straight there (without rest) to get Tayuya to him. The only thing they understood was something about Orochimaru and a mark, they had taken the two to the hospital because they didn't know how wounded the two teens were.

Forcing himself to take deep calming breathes; Hiruzen ordered one of them to send a message to Jiraya, ordering him to come back quickly. He then went into Tayuya's room and shooed the medics away, telling them that this was beyond their knowledge and expertise. When they were gone, with only the head medic staying behind stubbornly, Hiruzen studied the mark Orochimaru had given Tayuya, noting how it was different from Anko's own mark.

_I better summon Anko_, Hiruzen thought brushing his hands over the mark and was pleasantly surprised to feel Fubuki's chakra clinging to what little of the water was still left. It didn't take a genius to understand that Fubuki must have made some ice to cool the heated flesh around the mark.

Yes, Fubuki was smart; she just might have saved her sister's life with that trick

"You poor girl," Hiruzen sighed, brushing Tayuya's pink hair away from her face sadly. They knew that the curse mark changed the personality of the bearer, if only slightly. Anko was a sweet girl who couldn't curse to save her life; she was a lot like Naruto when she was younger. After she received the mark, Anko was still kind (it was harder to tell) but she had no qualms with cursing, sadism and blatantly harming others. She went from a girl who had a mild curiosity about snakes and a desire to become the best medic-nin, to a woman with an obsession with poisonous reptiles and a master interrogator, second only to Ibiki Marino.

Hiruzen wasn't sure if he should let Tayuya and Anko converse, afraid that Anko might shed some of her personality onto Tayuya, but he knew that both girls would need to stand together. They would need to meet, to talk and to understand each other; after all, they were sisters now.

Sighing heavily, Hiruzen gently pulled Tayuya from the bed and gently laid her on the floor face first. Carefully drawing blood from his thumb, Hiruzen started drawing the characters he remembered using on Anko years ago. Drawing a circle in his blood around Tayuya, formed from ancient words long forgotten, and five strong lines sprouting out from the center connected to each of Tayuya's limbs.

Stepping back and double-checking his work, Hiruzen made sure that Tayuya was asleep before he formed a few hand signs and slammed his chakra coated hands against the bloody seal. He flinched when Tayuya let out a scream, her eyes widening impossibly large, as the crimson words drew up her arms and legs and slid across her face; spinning around the three-pronged seal on the back of her neck until it was condensed enough to settle in place. Three circles surrounding the three prongs with five wobbly lines sweeping out form it—Tayuya was going to be pissed when she saw that the two seals together looked like a rose. Her last name meant 'spring' for crying out loud; she hated it when people made flowery things to symbolize her in their minds.

"Shhh, child, Shhh," Hiruzen murmured when it was done and Tayuya was left sobbing on the floor. "It's a seal to protect you," Hiruzen told Tayuya picking her up and sliding her hair out of her face carefully. "It's only as strong as your will is, so stay strong Tayuya, stay strong." Tears dripped down her cheeks as she listened, biting her lip to keep from screaming out. She passed out in Hiruzen's arms, head lolling to the side and eyes closed. Hiruzen gently picked her up and laid her back down on the gurney, letting the medic hurry over to check the pinkette's vitals.

With luck the extra seal will preserve her life, letting her live through it's agony

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

During the month before the final exam, Fubuki spent her time training with her water element, going to the Mizu library and reading everything she could do with the element, writing down notes and then practicing later that evening near a lake. After a week of nearly draining herself, someone decided that they'd join her—it was not a very happy interruption.

Fubuki let out a shriek as she ducked back words, letting the massive blade side inches above her face, before she spun out on to the water, letting the energy she gained from the escape to draw up a large whip of water, blocking the next strike that properly would have cleaved her in half.

"You!" Fubuki shouted in aggravation at the man who just smiled back at her from behind his massive sword, pushing against the strip of water she held up protectively in front of her. "You were the proctor of the second round! What're you doing here?!"

"It's called a training ground for a reason _brat_," Zabuza answered, pushing against the whip until it broke, forcing Fubuki to jumped to safe distance away from him. "Those were some pretty impressive moves you did brat. What do you call them?"

"What moves?" Fubuki asked rising an eyebrow, "I was just moving the water into various shapes I could use; Imoto loves the different shapes so I was trying to come up with something I could use to entertain her when I get back home."

"That's a loud of bull if I've heard it," Zabuza replied, swinging his sword over his shoulder, "My kid could learn a thing or two from you. You willing to teach him some of those water whips?"

"You were actually able to reproduce?" Fubuki asked horrified, looking at Zabuza like he had three heads, "Was she drugged or mentally unstable?"

"He's adopted," Zabuza growled out, itching to beat the crud out of the smart mouthed girl, "He has a bloodline but not much of a family, his mother died a few years ago. I can't seem to find anyone else with the same ability as him—you're the first."

"I highly doubt that I can do the same thing," Fubuki replied crossing her arms, "I just used to entertain my little sister with the shapes of water I used to make. Now I'm just trying to make those shapes a little more deadly for the exam."

"Ah, now that makes more sense," Zabuza chuckled, making Fubuki roll her eyes.

"He can figure out most of the shapes on his own," Fubuki said stepping back towards shore, "Just put him in a room of fussy children with a bowl or pool of water, tell him to make shapes out of the water and he'll figure the rest out on his own. The children will quiet eventually and he'll learn how to control the water a little better."

"I take it that's what you did?" Zabuza asked, watching how Fubuki flicked her wrist and turned the surrounding mist into a glob of water in her hands.

"My sister used to get bullied," Fubuki said turning to look up at the Jonin calmly, not even watching the glob of water turn into various shapes in her hand, "She'd run to me and I'd turn her tears into a shape, making her laugh in the process. Eventually I just got really good at controlling water, not so much ice but defiantly water. It's second nature to me now."

"...You defiantly have talent kid," Zabuza chuckled, watching how Fubuki made the globs of water turn into icy, perfectly sharp, kunai and some wobbly looking senbon. "How'd you figure out to pull water from the air? Not even Haku can do that..." Fubuki looked at him like he was an idiot, one eyebrow raised and a not quite believing expression on her face.

"The academy," Fubuki answered as if it was simple, "Doesn't your academy teach you about the molecules that form air or even about atoms and cells?" Zabuza's blank but irritated look didn't seem to reassure Fubuki other wise. "...You're an idiot"

Up side is that she learned to avoid Zabuza, down side is that she got her butt kicked by Zabuza

"You better be here at the same time tomorrow _brat_," Zabuza snarled at Fubuki as he walked away two hours later, "Your training isn't over yet."

"_That_ was training?" Fubuki coughed, stiffly rising her head to glare incredulously at Zabuza's back, "I thought you were trying to kill me!"

"That was the point," Zabuza grinned over his shoulder at her before disappearing from sight, "Don't be late!" Fubuki groaned and slumped back in the muddy ground, eyes closing and chest burning.

_He's going to kill me,_ Fubuki thought after a while of laying in the mud, before remembering that Kaname and Hana were beating the stuffing out Shikan and Ao was doing the same to Shisui, leaving her alone to study at the library and practice her water style attacks—that wasn't any of them were interested in getting involved with (they weren't interested in getting hypothermia). _At least I have someone to teach me now..._

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Day of the final exam

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

The day of the finals, Hana was pouting in the front row with her three nin-ken sitting in a row beside her (which angered a few people, when they asked Hana to move them she told them to make her pups move, no one bothered to do so) her foot was still in a cast and her pride was still bruised but Fubuki, Shisui and Shikan were ready for this final round and that was all that mattered to Hana (at the moment).

There were ten candidates in total, counting Fubuki's team, and set up in a one on one system, the winner moving on to the next round until there's only one person standing. Hana understood why there was a month to prepare for this one round, so that the participants could develop new skills that would help them win the match and possibly become Chunin, she just didn't understand why everyone cheered so loudly about one kid all but murdering another.

_The Chunin exams are truly all about 'survival of the fittest'_ Hana thought boredly as she watched the medics remove another contestant from the arena. Shikan had been first and he had purposefully won the round in typical Nara style—waited for the sun to lower to give him more shadow to work with while simultaneously pissing off his opponent, a young kunochi from sand. Shisui wasn't much better, he just flash stepped around his opponent until the boy was seeing double and got slow, then Shisui pulled a Fubuki and kicked him in the chin, knocking the boy half way across the arena and denting the wall when he landed. That's not to say that Shikan's and Shisui's opponents couldn't be chunin, they had the skill, they were just paired up against the wrong person. Shikan liked to see all the cards his opponent had and Shisui was a show off, it was Fubuki that Hana was worried about.

For the passed month Fubuki was gone first thing at sunrise and she came back a few hours after sunset—covered from head to toe in mud, sweet and scratches galore. At one point Kaname was so pissed with Fubuki she fallowed the girl through out the day, that night when Kaname returned with Fubuki, she was pale and looked like she'd been crying for a few hours. Kaname didn't question Fubuki after that and when the pinkette returned to their shared room, Kaname calmly helped Fubuki undress and bathe properly before tucking the pinkette into bed.

"Hay dog-breathe, mind if I sit next to you?" Hana snapped around so fast her hair acted like a whip against the chunin sitting behind her, she didn't apologize to the glaring man as she stared wide eyed at the group of people standing just behind her.

"It's you!" Hana shouted jumping to her feet with a smile

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Konoha

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Sakura sighed as she sat in the Hyūga house, Hinata to her right, Naruto and Sasuke to her left. After the attach launched on her, the entire Hyūga clan specifically ordered the hospital to release her into their care before they decided to cut off the head doctor's chakra network. Her parents had decided to leave to see the final match, taking Sasuke's parents with them. Thus the reason the three children where now being baby sat by the Hyūga family, watching a couple of the older kids practice at beating each other.

"This is boring," Naruto whined loudly, leaning against Sakura before jerking away when she winced and rubbed at her still wore chest, right where the strange boy had stabbed her with a kunai giving her a long thin scare for the rest of her life. "I bet that the girl kicks his $$!" Naruto shouted, eager to distract his friends from his mistake

"Naruto language," Sakura replied calmly, glancing up from the book in her hand, "...it's going to be a tie."

"I think the boy is going to win," Sasuke challenged, making Hinata giggle at his 'superior' look shot at the them.

"I'm goanna agree with Sakura-chan on this one," Hinata said softly, knowing that the two in question could hear them just fine. Naruto's loud voice properly startled the boy when he slipped, now the two teens were eager to win the spar, to prove either Naruto or Sasuke right Hinata wasn't sure, but she knew that the two had been at it for sometime, it wouldn't be long until they were both too tiered to continue.

Hearing the dojo door open softly, Hinata glanced up and locked eyes with pale moonlight, she blinked in confusion and found the door slammed shut.

"Who was that?" Sakura asked glancing at the door curiously; Naruto and Sasuke were too focused on the spar to care.

"I don't know," Hinata answered softly, a frown pinching her lips and tilting her brows down, "I didn't get a good look at them."

On the other side of the door, Neji took a deep steadying breath and turned away from the main dojo. He could practice somewhere else... somewhere where there weren't younger kids watching him like a hawk. Come to think about it, he still hadn't given Sakura that present from his mother...

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Mizu

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Fubuki sighed as she watched the participants go at each other, so far there had only been one death. A boy from Kumo versed the black haired boy from Mizu; the boy from Kumo was good, good enough that Fubuki wasn't sure if she could win against him, but then the black haired boy suddenly pulled out a small sword, his chakra lighting it up like sunlight on ice, and-and just _swung_. The Kumo boy didn't stand a chance, the air rippled and he couldn't block such a strike—his head went flying.

_And I'm next_, Fubuki thought with a sigh as she went against the only Mist nin who hadn't gone yet. So far, his teammates had passed their rounds, even the shy and stuttering one, and this tall boy was so confident in his victory that Fubuki could almost taste it in the air. His sharp teeth and cold dark eyes almost reminded her of Zabuza but Zabuza was kind to children, even though it didn't seem like it, Zabuza did go softer against children. This boy enjoyed killing, she had seen him kill another team of Mist genin in the previous round; the same team they had come across when they first came to Mizu. He didn't bother to even ask them any questions; he just saw the cut on Mizune's leg and removed her head. The cut wasn't even that deep, it wouldn't even have scared; Mizune would have healed with no issues.

"Come on Pinky!" The boy laughed as he jumped over the edge of the wall where the participants of the chunin exam waited, "What's the matter girly, you scared?" The boy laughed a he walked to the proctor, cocky strutting and victorious smirk and all.

He was so sure of himself—it made her sick

"Hay Fubuki-chan," Shisui said patting her shoulder to get her attention. "One: don't be a shamed if you want to give up" Shisui grinned widely at her, trying to make her feel better, "Two: please win and take him out! I don't want to go against him!"

"One more thing Fubuki," Shikan called from his place against the wall, stopping Fubuki from her violent reply to Shisui wrapping himself around her in his display of 'begging'. "Don't hold back on him, go all out—don't give him a chance to stand."

"Hai," Fubuki smirked at her teammates and jumped over the rail to slide down the wall to the ground, not leaving a mark behind.

"You two actually think she'll have a chance?" The only mist kunochi asked softly, concern marring her voice and clouding her hazy blue eyes. "I've never seen him lose..."

"She'll win," Shikan replied, closing one eye against the bright sunlight that pierced the gloom of the over cast sky. "She's been Chunin level since she graduated the academy and she's only gotten stronger. She's always pulling her punches and hiding her best cards. She thinks like a Jonin and doesn't act much differently—she's imposable to predict."

"Ha, ha~ you mean you noticed too?" Shisui asked loudly, not to loudly that the two in the arena could hear but the other participants could; he was going to have some fun messing with their heads. "I always thought that she just didn't want to scare her sisters! Sakura and Tayuya are very impressionable ya' know."

"That's part of it," Shikan agreed, watching how Fubuki calmly listened to the boy's rant before the fight even began, "Another part is that she didn't want to be separated like Itachi was, she wants Sakura and Tayuya to catch up to her—she wants them to stand beside her. She's intentionally lowering the bar for them, keeping them working for the goal without discouraging them."

"In other words, she should have been born a Nara!" Shisui cackled out, laughing at his own joke and Shikan's horrified look

"Can you imagine the destruction _that_ woman could make if she was born into any kekkei genkai clans that _weren't_ the Haruno?" Shikan asked staring at the still grinning Shisui like he was an idiot, "She'd destroy the world!"

"Or take it over!" Shisui laughed, unfazed by the thought

"You guys are nuts," the other Mist Nin commented blandly, watching how both participants settled into a ready stance, "She won't win, no matter her skill."

"What makes you say that?" Shisui asked curiously, tilting his head to look at the boy

"She doesn't have the blood lust," he answered simply sighing and rolling one shoulder, "Kanshaka has lots of it; he won't hold back on her—he won't stop until she's dead."

"I guess that's what separates them then," Shikan smirked at the two, one eye still closed against the sunlight. "Fubuki doesn't need to kill to win the match, she never has."

"This match won't last long," the girl murmured, biting her lip nervously, "Kanshaka won't let it."

"Neither will she," Shikan and Shisui agreed, smiling at the two surprised mist genin

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

He watched in boredom as the contestants stepped out to start the rings. The first was the Nara boy against a Suna kunochi, it was not a promising match of what the other contestants could do. The next match was the Uchiha boy who was still in the village for the final round, his fight was unimpressive and he wasn't sure if he should pass the boy or not, he had skill but he wasn't sure if he had brains. The next round had his only Mist Kunochi in the final round had went and poisoned a boy from Kumo, the next round was her teammate who had beheaded her opponent's teammate after five minutes and finally losing his temper.

Now it was the last fight before the next round, he watched on the verge of falling asleep as his student's student walked out into the arena, taking her sweet time in reaching the proctor and her opponent. He remembered that she spent her mornings with Mei, going over Medic's Taijutsu forms and a few special herbs that grew only in Mizu and then of course Zabuza had informed him that he and his apprentice were spending their afternoons beating said girl into submission. He wondered just how good the girl has become over the past month, guess he should watch and see.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"Begin!" Fubuki jumped back words automatically; glad she did when her opponent slashed out with a long sword. She gritted her teeth when she saw that if she hadn't dodged she would have been missing her head.

"Come on girly," Kanshaka mocked, his dark eyes widening and his face twisting into a blood lusting smirk. He lunged forward again swinging his sword to cut Fubuki in half, she dodge easily, bending at her knees and letting her arms fly out to her sides to keep her balanced. The second the sword was out of sight she was spinning out of range, all of her weight on the balls of her feet, her back straight and hands loosely hooked together in front of her. When she slowed, she swept one foot out, ducking under another swing but not seeing the foot that snapped out at her. Fubuki clenched her eyes and teeth as she felt Kanshaka's foot impact on her chin, forcing her away from him.

Zabuza used the same trick only once on her, right after the first time she insulted his intelligence

"Come on pinky!" Kanshaka mocked when she landed over ten feet away from him, sliding to a halt inches shy of the wall, "I thought you were better then just running away! What's the matter with you? Why aren't you fighting back?"

_I tried_, Fubuki thought staring at the clouds over head, trying to ignore the burning in her jaw. She had meant to punch Kanshaka in the stomach while she was in that low stance but his foot caught her instead.

"Get up!" a voice screamed out, louder then the roaring of the crowds and nearly silencing them and making Fubuki's eyes widen when she caught sight of the girl leaning dangerously over the edge of the rail high above her. "Nee-chan get up! Don't let him win! Kick his _a**_!" tears sprung into Fubuki's eyes as she stared up at Tayuya, joyful beyond words that her sister was still alive.

"Shut up," Kanshaka growled throwing a few kunai at Tayuya, Fubuki's eyes widened when she caught sight of them and she moved without thinking. She flashed stepped in front of Tayuya, blocking the blades with her body and enveloping Tayuya in a tight hug, tears threatening her sight.

"What the hell?!" Kanshaka shouted, glancing down at where Fubuki had been laying seconds before, the dust hadn't even finished settling. _How did she do that? Why hasn't she done that before?_

"You're alive," Fubuki whispered letting her tears drip from her eyes as she tightened her hold on Tayuya.

"Of course I am," Tayuya smirked, returning the hug and burying her face in Fubuki's shoulder. "I'm not so sure about you though," Tayuya grumbled glancing at the kunai stuck in Fubuki's upper shoulder, "Those Kunai are pretty deep..."

"Hmm? Oh them..." Fubuki chuckled her chakra healing the damage and pushing the foreign objects out of her body, "I didn't notice them." Tayuya smiled when the Kunai fell from Fubuki's back, the wounds left behind smoking slightly as they healed in seconds.

"Show off," Tayuya grumbled whipping a tear from Fubuki's cheek, she glanced down at the ring, hearing Kanshaka curse wildly at them. "You gonna let him talk to you like that?" Tayuya asked giving Fubuki a wobbly smile, "He's insulting our family, all of us are pink haired... except mom..."

"I'll take care of him," Fubuki smiled, giving Tayuya one last tight hung before releasing her. "You get back to your team, and don't do anything stupid this time."

"Just win," Tayuya shot back with a grin, her smile widening when Fubuki took a deep breath and made a hand sign. Tayuya made eye contact with the boy threatening Fubuki, once he stopped to notice her amused but proud smirk, she mouthed the words 'you're dead' to him, delighted to see his face color as he snarled furiously at her.

"You know something Kanshaka-san?" Fubuki asked, her voice ringing down to the boy far below her, "There are a lot of things in this world that I can forgive someone for but there is only one thing, that no matter what you say or do after words, that I'll _never_ forgive."

"Oh yeah? What is it?" Kanshaka asked, hands fisted at his sides as he watched Fubuki rise from her crouch on the rail, "Maybe I'll do it just to see you squirm!" Fubuki snapped around, her eyes blazing and face contorted into a snarl, her hands raised into the air on either side of her. Fubuki glared hatefully at him as she fisted her hands in the air, the hazy half mist above the arena thickened, taking strange wobbly forms.

"_Dodge this!_" Fubuki snarled drawing her fists together and forcing them down to the bar she was standing on. The mist wasn't even done forming when it slammed down into the arena, destroying it and anyone inside of it. When the dust was cleared, everyone in the arena stared wide-eyed at the huge chunks of needle like ice that hid the arena grounds in dangerous and deadly spikes.

"Kanshaka-san of the hidden mist!" Fubuki called out, resting one hand on a cocked hip, "If you some how managed to survive that you'll never be a shinobi ever again! You've lost!"

…

"If it's one thing you don't want to do in this life," Shikan chuckled staring at the spikes that were taller then the rail beside him by a few inches. "It's to harm a Haruno, those girls would stop at nothing to protect there own."

"Even just threatening them is pretty bad," Shisui agreed with a chuckle, poking the tip of a chunk of ice and frowning when it cut the pad of his finger easily, "A pissed Haruno is a deadly Haruno."

"She did it," the mist kunochi whispered, hands held to her mouth, her eyes wide and trembling, "She beat Kanshaka! She beat him with one hit! She did it! She beat him!"

"Not yet," the girl's teammate commented, his eyes wide as he stared at the mass destruction before him. "Don't forget about Kanshaka's blood line, this isn't over yet. All she did was piss him off."

"Bloodline?" Shisui questioned, watching Fubuki walk across the spikes of ice calmly, as if they weren't deadly spikes that were undoubtedly piercing the bottoms of her feet—knowing her she was properly melting them when she stepped on them and then reformed the spikes when she lifted her foot. "What are you talking about?"

…

Fubuki was half way to the mostly obscured box where the other participants were waiting calmly together when laughter echoed through the air. A cold chilling laughter that stopped Fubuki in her tracks, her eyes widening as she turned towards where she last saw Kanshaka.

"Well, well..." Kanshaka's voice chuckled from the ice, a slow liquid rising from between the impossibly small cracks in the icy spears. "Who knew you had had a bloodline too..." Fubuki gasped as the liquid started to form a familiar looking boy, white hair and dark eyes glaring mockingly at her.

…

"The ability to liquefy his body," the boy whispered, a shudder racing through his body as his female teammate clung to his arm, her hazy blue eyes wide with fear. "Now that he was forced to use it, your teammate is going to be in hell. He'll take his time killing her."

…

"You see I have a blood line too," Kanshaka grinned at Fubuki, his mostly liquefied arm forcing his sword out of the shards of ice. "I rarely have to use it though, that's why now that you made me do so, I'm going to kill you slowly."

"I'd like to see you try," Fubuki said sliding on the tips of the ice shards like she was on normal steady ground, settling into a stance similar to the famous Hyūga's Taijutsu stance, "That's not the only trick I can do."

"Then show me what you got!" Kanshaka shouted, his liquefied legs pushing him forward like a snake in grass instead of a boy in ice shards.

"Kick his a** brat!" Zabuza shouted from the stands, surprising everyone around him, "Don't let him get close! Use your damn water!"

"I am!" Fubuki shouted back making a fist and swinging her right arm across her body as if she was going to punch the boy from such a large distance; the ice to her right liquefied and reformed, slamming into Kanshaka with a hard icy tip. Before Kanshaka could react to the hit, the liquid reformed around him, surrounding him in a perfect orb of water.

"Water style: Water prison!" Fubuki shouted with a smirk, "Don't bother trying to break it, distance doesn't matter with me."

"Hay I know that trick!" Tayuya shouted at the edge of the wall, smiling at Fubuki and ignoring the stares she was receiving, "That's how Nee-chan fishes! I didn't know she could trap people in it! That's so cool!"

"I've never known anyone who could perform the water prison jutsu without touching it," Kanshaka said, observing his prison curiously.

"I've been playing with water since I was a child," Fubuki said with a grin, a light dancing in her apple green eyes. "I've gotten so good at it that a water source a mile from my position becomes a deadly tool, I can even summon water from thin air. It's not that hard to bend water to my will."

"I'm not sure if I should be impressed or insulted," Kanshaka said starring dully at Fubuki, confusing her. "Have you forgotten that I can liquefy my body?" Kanshaka smirked at Fubuki, his body already liquefying within the orb of water, "You can only control the water you summon but you can't control me!"

"Shut up you over confident baboon!" Fubuki snapped, her second hand rising to settle straight across from the other, "Don't tell me what I can and can't do! I'll prove you wrong!" Her arms shook as she took hold of the orb from such a distance, focusing solely on that one orb, Fubuki struggled to connect her finger tips, taking in a deep breath Fubuki let it out calmly, watching how the outside started to freeze, keeping Kanshaka inside.

"Ice style: forever imprisonment!" Fubuki shouted, pushing her elbows out and pressing her hands together, breathing out over them and watching how the ice thickened around the mist Nin.

"You can't keep me in here forever," Kanshaka growled out from within the icy orb, "You'll run out of chakra eventually!"

"It's funny that you think this takes up a lot of chakra!" Fubuki shouted in return, sweeping a foot forward and tightening her hold on the icy orb, "My chakra control may not be as good as Imoto's but it's still better then yours!" Fubuki ignored Tayuya's shout of 'not me', choosing instead to steadily walk closer to the ice orb, her power over it strengthening, "I don't waist chakra trying to get something done!"

Kanshaka grunted as he realized that she didn't just freeze the outside of the orb, she was creating spikes on the inside of the orb. Cursing loudly, Kanshaka solidified his body, watching how the ice orb shrunk around him, freezing whatever touched him. Suddenly a section between him and Fubuki melted slightly, keeping a clear but thick piece of ice between them, letting Fubuki see his face. She was a lot closer now then she was before, now only one hand held out to the orb in a half fist, fingers trembling with the struggle to close.

"I suggest you give up now," Fubuki said, her voice as cold as ice and her eyes hard, "I'm sucking out all the warmth in that ball, the longer you're in there the colder it'll get. If you wait too long your solid body will become frozen and you'll die. If you try to liquefy yourself you'll only freeze and become apart of my ice dome and you'll die anyway. If you want to live—give up, it's your only chance of survival."

"I'll take my chances," Kanshaka growled out, glaring up at the passive face just inches away from his own. Fubuki's fingers twitched and the spikes grew, slashing through cloth and skin as it surrounded Kanshaka in imposable ankles, keeping his hands from coming together and forming seals.

"...You're words no longer matter," Fubuki sighed turning to look up at the wall just behind Kanshaka, where the Proctor sat lazily watching them. "You are out matched; so long as you're trapped in this ice, you have no hope of beating me."

"Don't you dare!" Kanshaka growled out, _I have to do something! What tools do I have? How can I get her away from the orb?_

"Proctor!" Fubuki called out, ignoring the boy still trapped in her ice, "Call the match!"

"Don't you dare!" Kanshaka screamed, trying to twist in his place to glare warningly up at the proctor, only to find that he could only twist so much before he touched a spike and end up cutting himself. He felt the proctor's chakra fluctuate; beginning to shift so that he could project his voice to everyone.

"I declare this match—"

"Kaienkako come to me!" Kanshaka screamed, cutting the proctor off. Fubuki twitched as she heard a loud scream from far below her ice, where the ground was. Hearing something shatter, Fubuki turned, her eyes widening as she saw that something was breaking through her giant ice shards and was coming straight to her. Growling Fubuki jumped melting the broken shards with one hand while the other kept a tight hold on Kanshaka. The melted shards swarmed towards her creating a platform for her to land on, a weal on the bottom spun lazily, keeping the floating ice from lowering to the ground where there was a new threat.

"What the hell?" Fubuki asked turning in her crouch to stare at the large sword that cut deeply into her ice, just enough to reach Kanshaka.

"Damn him," Fubuki growled lowering her hand. The orb was too dense now to break with a simple swing of a sword, he would have to melt and crawl against that sword to get out of that ice prison. Kanshaka had done just that, he formed his head first taking a deep breath of air, then his arms formed and slowly he dragged his body out of the orb, forming one leg to stand between the sharp points of the ice shards that the Orb sat on, his other soon forming and joining the other.

"Damn girl," Kanshaka grinned tiredly up at Fubuki, his eyes dancing, "You sure did make me work at this, can't say I'll forget about you, that's for sure." _I'll have to thank uncle for giving me this sword, it really dose respond to my chakra..._

"You're like a F~ing cockroach," Fubuki informed Kanshaka irritably, making Tayuya cheer loudly; after all, Fubuki considered cursing to be below her. "Ugly as hell and difficult to kill—but not impossible!" Lowering her ice plat form, Fubuki pulled one hand up to sit in her lap, out of Kanshaka's sight. The last thing she needed was for him to know how much of an effort it took to make the platform, she never tried to float before, she thought about it but never actually put it into action.

_At least now, I know it's possible,_ Fubuki thought, fighting to keep her trembling and panting in check. She cursed when she felt a chunk of ice from behind and below her fall and crash to the ice spikes still in the ground.

"Doesn't look like you've got a good handle on that jutsu of yours," Kanshaka grinned, delighted that she couldn't float for long.

"True, I haven't tried this trick on a human before," Fubuki agreed nodding her head, "Toy dolls are another matter, Imoto loved it when I made them fly."

…

"Again, not me!" Tayuya shouted irritated when she caught a few raised eyebrows pointed her way, "There's a third Haruno damn it! She's the one with the damn dolls!"

"Give it up Tayuya," Hana chuckled from her seat, "It doesn't matter what you say, they won't believe you."

"Why me?" Tayuya asked, hanging her head.

…

Fubuki rose to her feet, watching how she quickly descended towards the ice spikes below her; Kanshaka freed his sword and started running to catch up to her approximate landing place, a manic grin stretching his face.

_Damn it! Think! What were some steady designs? What worked on the dolls?_ Fubuki watched as her ice started to fall below her, memories from years ago flashed through her mind but none of them would work for her, she was two heavy and the wings would be too big for the state that she was in... but if she combined the different designs... putting them at different places on her body...

Smirking at Kanshaka, which confused him when he caught sight of it, Fubuki formed a hand sign, bringing both hands together and closing her eyes, concentrating on _her_ element that surrounded her.

Fubuki heard more then she felt her chakra at work, a delighted smile spread across her face

Kanshaka skidded against the shifting Ice shards, his eyes widened when the patch just in front of him shattered into dust and swarmed around Fubuki like spiraling snow. Deeming himself close enough to Fubuki's falling form he pulled his sword back and swung with everything he had at her. Fubuki flipped mid air, sailing inches passed his blade, swinging passed him towards the far wall. Kanshaka almost let go of his blade in his shock as he snapped around to stare at Fubuki as she swung herself up, passed the audience (though barely) and high into the air above the stadium.

"Bloody show off," Kanshaka grumbled, unable to hide his own smirk as Fubuki tried to gain control of her ice. Unknown to him and everyone else in the arena, that was the first time Fubuki tried to fly with her ice. Good news is that she wasn't dead and it was getting easer to fly, bad news was that Fubuki found out that she was afraid of heights. The color drained from her face as her stomach rolled uncomfortably, it was worse then butterflies and more like her lunch suddenly wanted to revisit her mouth for seconds.

"Never again," Fubuki swore to herself, raising a hand to her mouth to keep herself from throwing up. "_Never_ again..."

"Get down here!" Kanshaka ordered, standing atop the ice spears with his sword at his side. He watched as Fubuki seemed to-to _stumble_ through the air, if that was possible. He had to admit she looked pretty badass up there. She had what almost looked like fairy wings on her back, what looked like wheels on her feet and what must have been stabilizers on her arms; all of which was made from small and large shards of ice, like the feathers of a bird. The Ice even carved up her legs and chest in what had to have been a protective shield. Even her head was covered in a protective shell, a thin clear visor covering her eyes protectively.

…

"Are you sure that girl is a genin?" Zabuza heard someone mumble, making him chuckle in his seat at the front row. Turns out he wasn't sitting that far from Fubuki's little sister and her team, the Inuzuka girl had saved three seats for them, not intentionally but that went unsaid.

"Yeah!" Tayuya shouted turning towards the shinobi who asked, her eyes glaring at the man in irritation. "Nee-chan is used to making _dolls_ fly not herself!" Tayuya turned back to look up at the sky where she could barely make out her sister's form because of the roof. "She can't possibly stay up there for much longer!"

_Dolls?_ Zabuza thought with a frown, glancing down at the eager little boy beside him, watching Fubuki as if he could do everything she could just by memorizing her actions. _She did say to drop him off with little kids..._

…

"Quite playing and get down here!" Kanshaka shouted, growing irritated as Fubuki tried to learn how to fly properly. Apparently, he got his wish because with a shriek Fubuki fell from the sky, aiming straight for Kanshaka, surprising him yet again.

"Don't land _on me_!" Kanshaka shouted turning and running away from where he thought the pinkette would most likely land.

_Splash_

"Huh?" Kanshaka glanced down, eyes widening when he saw that the ice under him had melted to give him a steady surface underneath his feet. It was nice not having to dodge the spikes but Kanshaka had the feeling that he just ran into a trap. With a rumble and a shake, the ice shards shattered into liquid water, quickly forming a large orb around him.

_Damn it not again!_ Kanshaka thought drawing his hands close together as the water swirled around him and an immense pressure made him freeze in place. _Damn it! What is this?_

Meanwhile Fubuki stopped her crazy descent; the wind whistling passed her wings stopping instantly. Smirking, Fubuki held her hands out before herself, concentrating on the water pressing together, the molecules, cells and even the atoms condensing together; making the water gain greater weight and heavier pressure. Kanshaka would be crushed innless he liquefied himself, which Fubuki was betting that he would, it would lesson the pressure on his body but not enough to escape to breathe normally.

Fubuki guessed that when he liquefied his body he could still breathe as normally in water as he could outside of it, it would explain how he was not only able to converse normally with her but also keep a steady train of thought. As she neared and eventually landed on the destroyed and slightly wet ground of the arena, Fubuki saw that the water had turned dark and that Kanshaka was attempting to glare at her but the pain from the immense pressure was making it difficult. There was an almost perfectly solid bottom to the orb, where the minerals in the water gathered and settled because of the pressure. Fubuki was about to open her mouth and order Kanshaka to quite but she saw a shadow land to her side from the corner of her eye. Before she could even blink, she felt pressure on the back of her neck making her world turn dark with the sound of shattering glass filling her ears.

Kanshaka coughed horsy when the dark orb of water broke around him, releasing him from it's pressure. He let his body slide off the half-formed mineral ball that took form during the pressure Fubuki forced on the water. Reforming tiredly, and with help from his teammates, Kanshaka slowly rose to his feet leaning heavily on his teammates as he looked over to the pinkette curiously.

"Mizukage-sama!" Kanshaka shouted, his eyes widening and his knees wobbling with the desire to kneel before the man who was a few inches shorter then himself. At his feet was Fubuki, the Ice covering her body was still in place, although it looked like most of it shattered when she was suddenly forced unconscious.

"Kanshaka," Yagura greeted, nodding his head at the boy with a blank look. He looked away when the proctor and Fubuki's teacher (Ao) landed beside him, the leaf Nin stooping to exam her closely while the proctor checked for a pulse. Handling her carefully, Ao gently rolled Fubuki onto her side, her back was covered in ice so it was impossible to lay her on her back innless he wanted the ice to keep her off the ground, ignoring Shisui and Shikan's worried entrance behind him.

"She seems to be okay," Ao murmured, sweeping a glowing palm over Fubuki's ice encased chest. "Looks like chakra exhaustion... I'll have to thank you Mizukage-sama," Ao said retracting his hand and looking up at the pale haired man a few steps away. "If not for you Fubuki-chan would have continued forcing out her chakra until she passed out. The last time she did that she was out for a week."

"I see," Yagura answered blinking dully at Ao, watching how he carefully pulled Fubuki up to lean against his leg, letting Shisui help in melting the ice from her limbs carefully.

"Move aside Uchiha," Yagura turned at the familiar voice, Zabuza smirked as he stepped forward, his apprentice just behind him. "It'll take you too long to remove that ice and you're in the next round. Let Haku remove it." Shisui glared up at Zabuza but stepped away when Ao gestured for him to, Haku hurried forward and placed his hands on either side of Fubuki's held out arm. Gently pulling his hands down towards her wrist, then to her finger tips, the ice melted and fallowed Haku's silent orders. He repeated the process on Fubuki's back, but the shards were too large for him to simply melt all at once, he had to melt them where they were connected to Fubuki's clothing.

"Enough," Ao said, gently pulling Fubuki into his arms and stilling Haku, "You can finish later, when we're not in the arena." Ao rose to his feet and told Shisui and Shikan to get back to the contestant box, he glanced at Yagura for a moment before he continued towards the exit intending to go to the infirmary. Zabuza and Haku fallowed him silently as Kanshaka's team half-carried half-dragged him after them, ignoring Yagura's silent gaze together.

"Why did you interfere?" A curious voice asked, prompting Yagura to turn to Fubuki's two still present teammates. It was Shikan who had asked the question, his head tilted slightly to the side as he continued to stare curiously at Yagura.

"Why did you stop her?" Shikan asked again, "She was about to tell him to give up, she never would have killed him. Why did you knock her out like that?"

"...Kanshaka never would have given up," Yagura answered calmly, turning to return to his seat above them, "I saved my self the trouble of dealing with his clan." He disappeared before either teen could say anything, leaving the proctor to deal with them as others hurried out to fix the grounds for the next round. He might as well tell everyone that there was going to be an hour intermission for the repair job...

_Curious_, Yagura thought as he sat back down in his seat, placing his hat back over his head. _Watching that girl... I could almost remember..._ it had accord to him that the girl might have been who he was seeking but the Sanbi disagreed, saying they would know if she entered the hidden mist lands.

_Are you safe?_ Yagura thought lifting his head to look up at the cloudy sky that was slowly revealing a blue that was almost unfamiliar to him. _Imoto... it's been so long, have you forgotten me?_

…

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><p>…<p>

Sakura's hands flew to her mouth as she let out three repetitive sneeze that racked through her body like convulsions. She waved one hand out to her opponent, in boredom the four of them decided to have a spare, Naruto and Sasuke barely had time to step into the ring before they went at it. Hinata stood across from her, her stance relaxing as she studied Sakura carefully, knowing that she had to be careful of her friend's chest wound.

"Are you alright?" Hinata asked worriedly, her head tilting the side curiously, long violet needle straight strands were pulled into a high ponytail.

"I think so," Sakura grumbled before she let out two more sneezes, her eyes clenching tight and one foot stomping on the ground. Hinata watched as Sakura shook her head in bewilderment, as if she didn't understand what a sneeze was, and wobbled in her place for a moment.

"Perhaps it's a cold?" the girl's referee asked as she stepped forward and kneeled in front of Sakura, placing one hand against Sakura's forehead calmly. "You are a little warm..." she murmured with a soft frown, before placing a glowing palm on Sakura's chest, hoping that it wasn't her wound acting up.

"I hope not," Sakura grumbled, sneezing again and losing balance in the process. "I've never been sick before..."

"We better get you to bed," the woman said glancing up at the two boys who were still going at it despite their own referee's words. Sighing at the boys—Naruto and Sasuke all but brawling and the young Hyūga boy beside them yelling at them to stop and fight properly—the woman quickly picked Sakura up and held her hand out expectantly to Hinata. Hinata smiled as she quickly followed the woman out of the dojo and into the Hyūga compound, ignoring the shouting going on behind her.

…

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><p>…<p>

**Thoughts are helpful**

**Opinions are wonderful**

**Helpful criticism****is**** lovely! Just don't cripple me okay?**

**Please no cursing!**

**And don't forget to**** rate and**** review!**

**Page 22**


	26. Chapter 26

****Updated **Chapters**

**3, 4, 5, 18, 20, 22, 23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,39,40,41,42,43**

**There is a reason**

Chapter 26: coming home

Koomahana

**Fubuki was 10 when she met Sakura & 11 when she was taken to the leaf village**

**Tayuya was 8 when she met Sakura & 9 when she was taken to the leaf village**

**Sakura was 3 when she was taken and returned to the leaf village**

**Yagura was 20 when he first met Sakura and 21 when he returned to his body.**

**Yagura is 17 years older then Sakura**

**Fubuki is 7 years older than Sakura and 2 years older then Tayuya**

**Tayuya is 5 years older than Sakura**

**Fubuki was a genin at 12, Chunin at 14 and Jonin at 16**

**Tayuya was a genin at 12, Chunin at 13 ½ and Jonin at 16**

**They are now:**

**Fubuki is now 14 years old (had her birthday during the exam)— (Same age as Shisui and Shikan)—Genin**

**Tayuya is now 12 years old— (Same age as Itachi and Hana)—Genin**

**Sakura is now 7 years old—(Same age as Naruto and Sasuke)**

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

…

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><p>…<p>

Neji sighed as he walked down the familiar hallway, he had seen his elder cousin carry Sakura to Hinata's room and call for the medic. Turns out, she had somehow managed to catch the flue; she'd be out for the next week with it. Thankfully, she didn't need to be hospitalized but she did need careful supervision. Now that his mother was gone and he didn't have a choice but to live with his uncle, which was good because his room was across from Hinata's. This meant that he didn't need an excuse for going down the hall, only if he was caught entering or leaving Hinata's room. Peaking around the house without the aid of the Byakugan was a lot harder then Neji thought it would be, the last thing he needed was for a noisy relative jabbing fun at him because of a misunderstanding.

Glade that no one was in the hallway, Neji made his way into his room and quickly grabbed the gift he had meant to give to Sakura when his mother had passed away and he saw her crying during the funeral a few years ago. Neji then stopped by his door and listened carefully before he opened it and quickly entered Hinata's room.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

When Yagura entered the medical wing, ready to inform the group there about the second round, the fist thing he heard was the sound of someone throwing up in the corner over a bucket. He stopped dead in his tracks and stared dumbly at the Jonin Kunochi standing in the doorway to the bathroom with a disgusted look on her face. The Hospital bed that Fubuki Haruno was supposed to be in was empty and she couldn't be seen through the rest of the room.

"The second round is beginning," Mei said not even glancing at the Jonin and the girl with her

"Umm, did Fubuki-chan lose?" Shisui asked as he rose from his seat, his face a little green as he heard his teammate empty her stomach again.

"It was a tie," Yagura answered glancing at Kanshaka and two of his relatives thoughtfully, "Technically they've both lost."

"Technically?" Shikan questioned as he followed Shisui towards the door, Mei following close behind, "So there's still a chance for her to be a chunin? I guess that's good news..." Yagura ignored them as he pushed the bathroom door a little further open and saw that Fubuki had her head in the toilet, still hurling.

"In less you're going to kill me," Yagura flinched as she started to dry heave, how much had that girl eaten? Did he want to know? "Please leave..."

"You've made Chunin," Not what he originally wanted to say to the pinkette but it got her attention

"Are you serious?" Fubuki asked her eyes carved out from dark shadows and sickness; In other words, she looked like hell.

"Yes," Yagura answered with a nod, "There was no reason to prevent you from being a chunin, you deserve the rank. Although you should be a Jonin, why aren't you?"

"An egotistical—" Yagura's brow twitched as Fubuki's face went straight into the toilet again before she finished her sentence, "—sexist jerk from the academy held me back."

"He held us both back," Tayuya chuckled from her seat against the wall near the bed Fubuki must have been sitting in before she made way for the bathroom, "And Imoto too, she's ready to start ripping out hair and pulling a few pranks of her own on him."

"Oh I don't want to see that," Hana snickered in her seat beside Itachi and Tayuya, "That girl as a prankster? Heaven help her target!"

…

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><p>…<p>

Neji then stopped by his door and listened carefully before he opened it and quickly entered Hinata's room; laying in the center of the room, underneath Hinata's violet blankets that she loved so much, laid his sleeping target. Listening to the sounds around him carefully, just to make sure no one was coming and that she wasn't awake yet, Neji slowly made his way over to the sleeping pinkette.

Kneeling beside her, Neji automatically kneeled and reached for the wet cloth on her forehead. Removing it Neji turned to the bucket near the bed, quickly drained the filthy water of the old cloth, quickly wet a new one and gently laid it on Sakura's forehead, lightly removing her bangs to lay it flat. It was only after he finished his ministrations that Neji realized what he had just done, he hadn't snuck into Hinata's room to change Sakura's wet cloth! He snuck in to give her the present his mother intended to give her!

Sighing he leaned over Sakura again to check her ears, it would be bad for him to pull out the earnings first and the find out that her ears weren't pierced; good thing he checked first, they weren't. Sighing Neji pulled back and dug into his left sleeve, silently pulling a long thin box out. He opened the box and pulled out one of the chains from within, letting the pendent dangle in front of him as he set the box aside.

_I never did get the chance to ask you why_, Neji thought as he gently laid the necklace down and just as gently lifted Sakura to place the pendent around her neck. _Why her?_ Neji thought as he gently laid Sakura back down into the bed and pulled the blankets up to her chin, fixing the cloth on her forehead.

_Why her mother? What's so special about her?_ Neji stiffened when he heard Sakura groan in her sleep, glancing down at her face he blushed brightly when he saw just how close he really was. Holding his breath Neji watched as Sakura's face smoothed out again and she returned to sleep, sighing in relief Neji sat back pulling the box back into his hidden sleeve and pulling the other pendent over his head without thinking. Neji never saw Sakura open her eyes to watch as he rose from her side and silently left her alone in Hinata's room to return to his own. When his own door closed behind him, Neji sighed again and leaned against it for a moment, glad that he hadn't been caught.

_I'm an idiot,_ Neji thought as he pushed off his door and settled at his desk, noticing the sunlight reflected on his wall directly in front of him, Neji glanced down at where the reflected light seemed to be coming from.

_A real idiot,_ Neji thought as he placed his head in one hand and raised his father's pendent with the other. If anyone in the family noticed his, or even Sakura's, pendants then there will be a lot of questions asked. Especially if his uncle saw Sakura's, he was there when Hiashi bought the matching pendants; he would recognize them at once.

_I should properly remove hers..._ Neji thought glancing over his shoulder, he was about to rise but he heard someone enter Hinata's room, the loud crash of ceramic pottery and a low pained groan from a familiar girl told Neji that Hinata had returned to her room; most likely tripping and spilling whatever it was that she was carrying.

_Maybe mine?_ Neji thought returning to staring at the shiny object in his hand, although it was a good idea, a reasonable one, he didn't bring himself to do so. He was too busy staring at the faint green and pink lines on the inset pearl of his pendent. His father wore the small flighty insect and his mother wore the flame... it was his turn to wear the small bug but when he chose to marry, how was he supposed to give his wife the flame pendent? Together they made the 'fire fly' literally the fly was surrounded by fire, which was why it was a couple's pendant. Should he get another one made, claiming that he lost the original or should he wait until Hinata was asleep to reclaim the pendent he had just given to Sakura?

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"Mizukage-sama," Kanshaka greeted tiredly from his tub of water that was kept in the hospital for those of his own clan. Little Suigetsu and his older brother, Raima, and Zabuza all stood around the tub; Kanshaka's teammates had already returned to the balcony to wait their turn for the next round of the Chunin exam.

"You did well for the final exam," Yagura commented, watching as the pale haired boy pulled himself out of the tub of water. "Lay back down you need your rest," Yagura ordered immanently, glaring when Kanshaka started to protest. The purl-blue haired boy sighed and sank back into the water, knowing that he probably couldn't stay sitting up for the Mizukage didn't help his pride in the least.

"Why did you act that way during the exams?" Yagura asked, nodding briefly at the others before sitting beside the tub with a curiously tilted head. "You've never showed bloodlust before, not even in the previous exam."

"Sorry," Kanshaka answered sarcastically with a roll of his blue eyes

"...You also got your teammates to make Haruno-san's teammates belief you to be some kind of blood thirsty monster," Yagura continued, not taking the sarcasm to heart. "Why did you get them to say such things about you? Were you testing the girl?" Kanshaka closed his eyes and sank a little deeper into the water, pretending that he hadn't heard Yagura.

"Why were you testing Haruno-san? Do you like her?" Yagura asked with lidded eyes and smirk twisting his lips slightly. _I don't think I've ever seen him blush before... I can't tell if it's cute or disturbing._

_**Go with disturbing...**_ the Sanbi advised with a chuckle, Yagura ignored him

"I hate it when you do that," Kanshaka answered pouting up at Yagura moodily, before turning to look up at his cousins who were staring down at him in amusement. "Do you remember about what I said about the previous exam, about that one team who quite literally ran us over to get to the center?"

"Uh-huh," Suigetsu smirked at Kanshaka, his features twisting cheerfully at him. "You didn't stop complaining about that girl who kicked you in the face and broke your jaw."

"Or the boy who kicked you out of his way after words," Raima chuckled in agreement, amusement dancing in his golden eyes.

"Yeah well that was them," Kanshaka glared pointedly towards the bathroom at the other end of the room where Fubuki was _still_ hurling.

"You dropped out of the last exam because of _her_?" Suigetsu asked with a mischievous smirk

"Don't say it like that," Kanshaka grumbled to the boy, "I wanted a chance to fight her fairly; I figured I couldn't do that if I was a chunin while she was still a genin. So I thought I'd take the exam at the same time as her..."

"And hope that she'd make it to the finale exam," Zabuza grinned at him

"I knew she'd make it to the finale exams," Kanshaka answered with a pout at the older swordsman, "I was more worried about which exam she'd be in."

"...Well you did well against someone who should be Jonin," Yagura commented, rising from his seat and surprising the group. "I already told her that she's Chunin... you might as well join her in that rank..."

"Whoa wait are you saying that girl should be a Leaf Jonin?!" Zabuza asked, rising from his slouch against the wall.

"Yes," Yagura agreed, barely glancing at the still talking leaf Nins at the other side of the room, just barely out of hearing range. "She said an academy teacher held her back... and that he's doing the same to her sisters..."

"So wait up Mizukage-sama," Raima said taking a step towards Yagura with wide eyes. "Are you saying that all three Haruno girls should be Jonin's?"

"No," Yagura sighed shaking his head, "Fubuki Haruno should be a Jonin. Tayuya Haruno would be Chunin if Orochimaru hadn't intervened with the exams... as for their younger sister... I can only guess that she's still in the academy."

"Hay Zabuza," Raima called, turning to his once teammate, "You trained little pinky, she say anything about her younger sisters?"

…

"_Imoto used to get bullied," Fubuki said turning to look up at Haku calmly, they were sitting on the dock at her practice lake, waiting for Zabuza to teach them something new. "She'd come home pretty banged up and I always treated her wounds. I eventually got really good at it, I started using chakra and got fairly good at that. I can't tend to major wounds but I can do miner ones."_

"_What's your little sister like?" Haku asked sitting on the edge next to her and started swinging his legs back and forth_

"_She's book smart and nice," Fubuki chuckled. "She only gets a temper when you do something horrifyingly stupid or insult her, particularly her intelligence. She's never gotten sick, even after a day in the snow in nothing but her pajamas!"_

"_Really?" Haku asked with wide eyes, "So she's just like you?"_

"_Her chakra control is even better then mine!" Fubuki chuckled, some color dotting her cheeks in memory as she lifted her hair out of her face. Pushing her headband up thoughtfully, revealing circular brows instead of the normal ones he thought she had. "She's always dispelling Tayuya's genjutsu; she doesn't even show any sign that she's done it." _

"_So she's book smart and a Genjutsu expert?" Haku asked watching Fubuki twirl her hand in the air and pulling water out of the thick mist surrounding them_

"_No," Fubuki shook her head and offered him the glob of water, "She can only dispel not cast, that's Tayuya's expertise. I've tried to figure out what Sakura could specialize in but I haven't come across anything that I could possibly teach her. Her near perfect chakra control... she could be an A-class medical ninja but I haven't found anyone who's willing to work with an academy student and there's only so much that I can teach her."_

"_You've been teaching your little sister medical ninjutsu?" Haku asked with a raised eyebrow and a smirk. "It almost sounds like you're preparing her for something..."_

_Neither noticed Zabuza standing just behind them, listening and watching carefully_

_The look Fubuki gave Haku was a mix of memory and wishful, like a bad memory she wished never happened but was glade that it did. Zabuza knew the familiar look, now knowing that something happened in Fubuki's past; something that properly corresponded with all three Haruno girls. There was something in her past that just might make a reappearance and Fubuki was trying to prepare her little sister for it, using unusual methods to go about it but doing it all the same._

_Fubuki was preparing her sisters for something and Zabuza wanted to know why_

…

"...Not much," Zabuza answered with a careless shrug, closing his eyes thoughtfully. "The youngest Haruno used to get bullied pretty bad, that's how Fubuki got involved with medicine. She had to tend to her little sister's bruises and cuts."

"So that means that she's pretty shy right?" Suigetsu asked, turning to look up at his brother curiously, "She was bullied and most kids who get bullied are shy, so she's smart but shy right?"

"Most likely," Raima agreed thoughtfully, "I guess we'll find out some day. She's in the academy right?" Raima asked turning towards Zabuza for confirmation, his old teammate simply nodded in agreement, still seemingly lost in thought.

"Well she has to graduate at some point!" Suigetsu said with a wide smile, "most people graduate when they're twelve right? Then I'll enter the first chunin exam after that gradation so that I can meet her!"

"Why do you want to meet her?" Kanshaka asked with a lifted brow at his younger cousin

"Because if you get to marry Fubuki-san then I want to marry her younger sister!" Suigetsu said with a mischievous smirk

"You damned brat!" Kanshaka screeched rising from the tub and aiming a swipe at the seven, almost eight, year old boy who laughed and ran out of range. "Get back here!" Suigetsu laughed as he ran for the door, passing Yagura easily

"What's going on?" Fubuki asked, holding one hand to her mouth as she stepped out of the bathroom and stepped towards her teammates, "What's with all the noise?" Suigetsu let out a loud curse as he tried to stop, pushing both feet into the polished floor beneath him and leaning back and waving his arms.

"Look out lady!" Suigetsu shouted just before he collided with Fubuki, making the older girl stumble but not fall, a tiered smile twisting her features.

"Sa-chan what's..." Fubuki paused as she patted Suigetsu's pale head, the boy grinning up at her, hoping that he was still cute enough that she wouldn't hit him yet.

"I'm sorry little one," Fubuki gave Suigetsu a strained smile, realizing that he wasn't her little sister, "I don't know your name—"

"You damned brat!" Kanshaka shouted, punching Suigetsu in the head, earning a yelp from the boy.

"KYAA!"

"Huh?" Kanshaka turned at the scream but he only saw a fist coming at him

"GET DRESSED YOU IDIOT!" Fubuki screamed, her eyes closed and her face fifty shades of red. Suigetsu's jaw dropped as he watched Kanshaka land back into the tub _on the other side_ of the room. When he looked up at Fubuki to congratulate her, he saw that her face was rather green looking and before he could get a word out Fubuki ran straight into the bathroom again and returned to her previous actions of hurling up her earlier lunch. He was impressed that she had anything left to throw up.

"He that short Nee-chan?" Tayuya asked with a wicked smirk, Fubuki's answering hurl only made things worse for the knocked out boy on the other side of the room. Hana fell on the floor laughing and Tayuya was inches away from joining her, Raima and Zabuza were both shaking with suppressed laughter and Yagura made a beeline for the exit, quickly hooking one arm around Suigetsu's neck and forcefully removing the confused boy from the room.

_...and to think that I'm stuck with them,_ Itachi thought hiding his face in one hand and trying to ignore the two hysterically laughing girls on either side of him. _Kami-sama help my sanity!_

…

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That night Neji laid in his bed glaring at his cheerful aunt, who was taking care of him, she was having way too much fun at his expense to be acceptable.

_Figures the brat would give me her cold,_ Neji thought as he turned away from his chattering aunt, realizing that his glare wasn't working on her, he turned to glare hatefully at the ceiling instead.

"And poor little Hinata-sama!" the woman chattered away, shaking her head as she sat beside Neji, well aware of his foul mood but not really caring. "She went and worried herself up into a tizzy! Now she has little Sakura-chan's flue—" Neji buried his head and let out a low groan, that wasn't what he wanted to deal with "—I hope they'll both be okay, the flue isn't anything to play with ya' know."

_You're worried about them but not me?_ Neji thought incuriously, not turning to face his still chattering aunt. _They maybe bedridden but they didn't get that way until half a day passed! Not even an hour after catching it and I'm already bedridden! What the hell?!_

…

* * *

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When Fubuki, Shisui and Shikan returned to their village as newly minted Chunin's with Tayuya, Itachi and Hana walking behind them calmly (for the most part), the entire group was surprised to find that the flue had swept through while they were gone and everyone was knocked on their rears. Even the gate guards had watery eyes, runny noses and sleep deprived expressions. Glancing at each other worriedly, Tayuya and Fubuki ran full tilt for their house, their trip made a lot easier with the streets all but empty. Itachi and Shisui ran to their own compound to check on their own family, leaving Shikan and Hana to travel to their own compounds by themselves.

"She's not here!" Tayuya shouted after she barged into Sakura's bedroom, her eyes snapping back up the hall to look at Fubuki who had just entered Naruto's.

"Neither is Ototo," Fubuki said, the two shared worriedly looks as they turned and ran full tilt for the stairs. Hearing a knock on the door, Fubuki pointed at the basement staircase to Tayuya while she left to answer the door. Running to the door hurriedly, Fubuki threw the door open and stared at two panting, familiar looking Uchiha's.

"Not here!" Tayuya shouted as she stumbled back up the stairs from the basement, "Where are they?!" Fubuki stared into Itachi's eyes as she thought, Itachi and Shisui's presence meant that Sasuke wasn't in the compound, but he wasn't at the Haruno house either and neither were Sakura and Naruto...

"I know where!" Fubuki and Itachi shouted at the same time, quickly leaving the Haruno house to tear down the street in a pink and black blur; leaving Shisui and Tayuya to follow after them in panic and confusion.

There could only be one place in the village that would house Sakura, Sasuke _and_ Naruto

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Fubuki and Tayuya collapsed on either side of Sakura and Hinata, their legs numb and burning with their dead sprint to the Hyūga mansion; Itachi as laying with his back to Fubuki, Sasuke and Naruto laying between him and Shisui. All four children came down with the flue. First, it was Sakura, then Hinata, then Sasuke and Naruto came down with it at the same time; as such, the boys refused to leave the girls alone in the Hyūga compound and they ended up sharing a room for the past week and a half that the four teens were away. Mebuki and Kizashi were away on another mission, Mikoto apparently got a job at the academy and Fugaku had been called away to a meeting with the Hokage—hence why their various homes were empty when they returned home.

"Hmm," Sakura's face scrunched up and she slowly opened her eyes to stare sleepily up at the anxious faces of her two sisters. "Where... where is... he?" Sakura asked with a cough, her voice horse and scratchy.

"Who?" Fubuki asked worriedly, did someone try for her sister again?

"Tha-at b-boy..." Sakura coughed weakly and closed her eyes tiredly, "he-e was-s he-ere..."

_Say what?!_

Itachi and Shisui stiffened as they both felt the killing intent rolling off the elder Haruno sisters, they may not have caught what little Sakura had said but it didn't take a genius to know that it couldn't possibly be good news. Nothing was good when _both_ Fubuki and Tayuya were leaking such high levels of fury.

"Shhh, Imoto," Fubuki sighed, taking a deep breath and sighing it out, trying to calm herself, "It was just a dream, sleep now..."

_A dream?_ Sakura thought sleepily, her eyes closing against her will when Fubuki started to sing softly, reciting a familiar and old song. _He was just a dream?_ In her minds eye she could see the boy beside her, sitting calmly as he fiddled with something in his lap, waiting for her to awaken

_No..._ Sakura thought, taking a deep breath and sighing it out slowly, letting her sister's soft voice sing her to sleep. _It wasn't a dream... it couldn't be... could it?_

…

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><p>…<p>

When Mebuki and Kizashi returned to Konoha and heard about the flue that swept through the previous two weeks, they both knew just were to go; Fugaku and Mikoto were already half way to the Hyūga compound when the two Haruno's caught up. When all four parents were shown to the room where their children where, Kizashi was the first to fall over laughing, Mebuki and Mikoto strained with everything they had not to join him, Fugaku had actually raised his arm on the door frame and buried his face in the crook of his elbow, hiding his own amusement easily—although not to his wife and friends.

Sakura, Sasuke, Naruto and Hinata were all feeling better and as light as rain, Naruto was the first to get better after a day of the flue (he just refused to leave his friends so he faked it until they were all better), the other three were better after the next week and half. Shisui, Itachi, Fubuki and Tayuya were all huddled together with red faces and thick blankets wrapped around them tightly. Itachi and Fubuki glaring pointedly at their parents, Tayuya and Shisui were still out cold beside them.

"They gave us their flue," Fubuki growled out lowly to her hysterically laughing father, her one brow twitching wildly.

"It's been a week..." Itachi grumbled trying to hunker back down and try to get some more sleep, "At least we don't have to worry about shots..."

"No shots!" Shisui shouted sitting straight up and looking around himself worriedly and dizzily, making the two wives slap hands over their mouths to keep from laughing.

"That was hilarious," Fubuki grumbled with a sleepy grin, laying down beside Itachi and tucking Tayuya back under her arm and into her side, "Who knew the Hyūga clan loved giving shots?"

"That's not cool," Shisui grumbled laying back down and curling into his cousin with a pout. "They closed off my chakra net work..."

"You threw a fire ball at them," Itachi reminded Shisui with a shared smirk with Fubuki

"They tried to stab me with a _needle_!" Shisui whined loudly in Itachi's ear, purposefully dragging himself over the younger boy to put his head on Fubuki's stomach, he snickered when Fubuki sighed and slapped the top of his head. She was too weak and tiered to kick his butt out of the room, besides; Tayuya rolled over and had put her head square on Fubuki's chest, sucking her thumb like a toddler.

"I'm getting a camera," Kizashi chuckled, trying to whisper in his wife's ear.

"Don't even think about it," Fubuki warned, glaring over the tops of Shisui's and Tayuya's heads but Kizashi was gone and Mebuki, Mikoto and Fugaku were still in the doorway staring amusedly at them. Fubuki groaned and thumped her head back down, turning towards Itachi as she finally passed back out, not noticing just how close she really was to the boy.

Mikoto and Mebuki shared a mischievous look, their eyes glinting in a way that only another on the same train track could understand. It was moments like these that Fugaku firmly believed that certain women, his wife mostly, were from an entirely different world.

…

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><p>…<p>

A week later

…

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><p>…<p>

She huddled up on the couch in her home, three large family albums sitting beside her and one crimson one resting in her lap. She ran her teal blue nail over the cover of first family photo album, she remembered her mother throwing it at Ai's mother just after she graduated. A few months later, it was discovered that the woman was a spy and although her village had apparently forgotten about her existence, she still had valuable information. Ai was removed from the academy and had her chakra network sealed, even now Anbu watched her carefully.

_Alright,_ she took a deep breath and opened the large photo album, carefully turning the pages and comparing them to her memories. She stopped on the image of Hinata and Sakura sharing a book and reading together, it was the day Sakura had taught Hinata to read, the day she started the shyer girl to start speaking little by little.

It was a near perfect replication of the painting she saw in the Mizukage's hall; right on down to Sakura's ponytail and the little blue beads she wore on her wrist and her favorite green hair tie, even their little blue and violet dresses were the same as the painting's.

_Breath_, Fubuki told herself, forcefully reminding her body to take steady, even breathes before she passed out from lack o fair. _It's just a coincidence... _Fubuki slammed the book shut and glared at the little red book as if it was at fault for ach in her chest,_ that's all, it doesn't mean anything..._

There's no such thing as coincidences...

_Damn it_, Fubuki put the book on the table and put her head in her hand, raking her nails through her hair just to remind herself that she wasn't dreaming. She tried to convince herself that she was wrong, that the images she saw in the Mizukage's hall weren't the same images she'd find in the family albums... the one picture didn't mean anything...

Gritting her teeth, Fubuki snatched up the first family album and flipped through the pictures

Fighting the tears threatening her vision, Fubuki snatched up the second and flipped through those pictures

_IT's a lie!_ Fubuki thought pushing the family books away and snatching the last one, _It's a lie! It means nothing! He said it was HIS sister!_

Fubuki froze at a familiar looking image, dated the day she and Tayuya left for the chunin exams

It was of Sakura standing by their bay window, dressed in her favorite red dress with the long bell sleeves. The window was open, letting in a breeze that pushed her skirt back and making her hair dance around her face whimsically. Her eyes were closed and her smile was peaceful, her hands clasped at her chest as she prayed silently.

It was a perfect reflection of the Mizukage's last image before his door

Fubuki sobbed and slapped her hands to face, trying to hid the tears that spilled out of her eyes as she cried over the familiar image she didn't know her father had undoubtedly taken. There wasn't anything she could do now, there weren't any convenient explanations and there was no such thing as coincidences. Yagura said that his little sister had been the inspiration for his paintings but that didn't explain why they were perfect replications of her own family images.

…

"_And then he said he'd find me!" Sakura giggled, snuggling into her hold sleepily, "I hope Nii-tan didn't forget me..."_

"_Sa-chan," She smiled, brushing Sakura's hair out of her eyes with a fond smile, "After all this time you still haven't told me what he looks like."_

"_Nii-tan?" she questioned sleepily_

"_uh-huh"_

"_Oh" Sakura yawned tiredly, "Nii-tan's hair is a few shades lighter then my eyes and his eyes are the same shade as my hair."_

"_Like a mirrored reflection?" she chuckled_

"_Uh-huh," She giggled, pulling the blanket higher as sleep slowly took her away, "He's older too... I miss him..."_

…

Yagura had greenish hair and pinkish eyes...

_No,_ Fubuki thought whipping at her eyes, _It can't be... it's just a coincidence..._ of course, there was no such thing as coincidence...

_I have to tell someone_, Fubuki thought rising from her seat and gathering the books into her arms, _there is something seriously wrong here... what if_—what if there was a spy in the village that was taking pictures of the village and handing them over to the Mizukage? If that was the case that didn't explain the strange obsession he had with her littler sister, what was so special about Sakura that it caught even the Mizukage's attention?

_I have to go_, Fubuki reminded herself, shaking her head as she hurried out of her house, barely remembering to tie her shoes on. _If it is a spy, then lord Hokage needs to know..._

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Some months later

…

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><p>…<p>

He knew that it was the monthly clan-get-together, so he knew he'd find them at Oak park. Five minutes later he found his targets; a group of children who ran around throwing paper shiriken and wooden kunai at the two pink blurs who were dancing around the out croup of rocks where three girls sat together, as if waiting to be saved by the boys. He moved closer to them, panic fueling his steps as he moved closer. The two eldest Haruno's saw him first, freezing they rose to their full height, their attentions locked on him made the seven boys pause in their game and turn to look at him. The children all huddled together, unsure of the strange black blur rushing towards them; he didn't care too much about them, his mission was the three pinkette's.

"What is it?" Fubuki asked, stepping forward while the children all crowded together in the large rock formations, as if afraid of the messenger rushing towards them.

"Fubuki-san, Tayuya-san!" he called sliding to a stop just before the two sisters, "Your mother has returned from her mission and is in the hospital, I will stay here with the children while you go to her."

"Right," Fubuki nodded at Tayuya and disappeared from sight, Tayuya took a protective stance in front of the children, regarding the messenger coolly.

"I hope you don't mind me sticking around," Tayuya gave him an empty smile, "We Haruno's don't trust strangers."

"I wouldn't expect anything less," He nodded at her, "Do you wish for me to leave then?"

"I can handle the brats," Tayuya agreed, not moving from her place

"Then I will go," he nodded turning and leaving the girl and the children, if they didn't want him there then he didn't need to be there.

"Ta-nee?" Sakura questioned softly, worry twisting her features, "What's wrong? Why is mommy in the hospital?"

"She just got hurt Imoto, she'll be home soon enough," Tayuya answered, spinning on her heal to smile at the group of children "eh~ it look like the pink demon lost the princesses!" The boys looked at each other before looking up at the 'princess' (Sakura) and her 'ladies in waiting' (Hinata and Ino) before cheering loudly.

"Why are you all so happy?" Tayuya asked curiously, "You have to get out of my castle to be safe."

"...were are the boundaries of your castle?" Shikamaru asked curiously

"The edge of the rocks," Tayuya answered with a smile, "but those tree's and the river" she pointed to the two places on either side of her "are the borders of my territory. If I find the princesses or her ladies within my territory then I get to bring them back to the castle and you have to try to infiltrate again." The boys shared a look before scattering in different directions, splitting into three groups and taking one of the girls with them.

Naruto and Sasuke took Sakura toward the tall trees to their right (Tayuya's left)

Shikamaru and Chōji took Ino and ran for the river to their left (Tayuya's right)

Kiba and Shino took Hinata and ran straight back from the out crop of rocks (right in front of Tayuya)

"Oi that's not fair!" Tayuya laughed as she spun on her heal and moved towards Sakura, she grabbed the pinkette by her kimono's belt and flash stepped to Ino, quickly grabbing her in the same manner and flash stepping back towards the outcrop of rocks. "Stay here," Tayuya smiled, "remember you're in a castle"

"Right" the two giggled just as she disappeared and then reappeared a second later with Hinata in hand.

"Hay you're using Ninjutsu against us!" Naruto shouted, pointing furiously at Tayuya "That's not fair!"

"Of course," Tayuya smirked at him, "I'm the villain remember? I don't play by your little rules"

"So if you're using ninjutsu against us, can we use them against you?" Sasuke asked curiously

"Nothing too advanced and keep in mind your surroundings," Tayuya agreed, she pointed to Sasuke, "No elemental ninjutsu! They're too dangerous for our surroundings and you're too inexperienced to use them in a fight." She turned and pointed at Kiba and Chōji "No mass destruction jutsu's or I get to hold you off the nose of the Hokage monument, got it?"

"Yes ma'am!" the two smiled at her

"What about Naruto, Shino and me?" Shikamaru asked curiously, "You don't think we have Ninjutsu's?"

"Naruto doesn't know any ninjutsu," Tayuya agreed with a shrug, ignoring the pout sent her way by the blonde, "Shino has his bugs so I'm not worried about the girls getting hurt and you use shadows, nothing that can hurt the girls." Suddenly Tayuya's face split into a big grin and she turned to exam the boys that surrounded her "okay you've got five minutes to plan!" the boys all conversed immanently, coming up with their own plans before recollecting with Shikamaru and talking amongst themselves.

_Good,_ Tayuya thought, watching the boys closely, _If they can get the hint now, they'll be better off in the long run... I wonder if they've noticed?_

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"I'm sorry Haruno-san," the doctor said softly, his face twisted into regret and his voice full of sorrow, "But your Shinobi career is over. You pushed yourself to hard"

"My teammates were in danger," Mebuki whispered, staring down at her bandaged legs, "You don't seriously think that'd I'd stop to tend to my own wounds did you?"

"No I suppose I should have expected it," he answered, "I remember being your teammate once upon a time." Mebuki chuckled, fighting back the tears that wanted to break through her guard; Fubuki sniffed and gripped her hand tightly, Kizashi rubbing back affectionately. To save her own teammates she had ignored the wound on her leg and dragged two of her teammates back to the village while the other covered their trail and set up traps to protect them. The mission was a successes, true, but at least her teammates would live; while her career had ended before she could even get back into the full swing of things again, their careers were spared and now her husband would have to become Jonin while she was forced to retire.

"Will the poison leave her system?" Fubuki asked, her voice sounding hoarse and watery

"It would appear so," the doctor answered grimly, "The poison was designed to block one's chakra flow and cut off blood flow to the major organs. While we had removed the majority of the toxin, I'm afraid we got to her too late—the damage is done."

"It's alright sweet heart," Mebuki chuckled, patting Fubuki's hand reassuringly; "I retired once before, this time shouldn't be any different."

"Yeah but you've been training so hard lately," Fubuki replied, turning red-rimmed jade on her, "the world was just getting used to the 'golden butterfly' floating around again."

"Oh~ nice one!" Mebuki chuckled, a smile blooming on her face, which made her eldest daughter and husband chuckle beside her. "Are you sure you're not spending too much time around your father?"

"Hay!"

The doctor smiled at the family, glade that this accident wouldn't tear them apart but would actually bring them closer together. he'd seen some families fall apart because one parent or the other was just too damn proud to quite the life of a shinobi, he was glad that wasn't the case this time.

…

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><p>…<p>

**HA! I tricked ya!**

**Bet you thought this was supposed to be in chapter 27 right?**

**Well originally it was, but I combined two chapters and this got moved to 26 **

**Anyways, have no fear! I more or less figured out what to do with the originally labeled chapter 28 but is now labeled as chapter 27.**

**By the way, at this current point in time I'm at 43 chapters **

**Don't forget to do the following! XD**

**Thoughts are helpful**

**Opinions are wonderful**

**Helpful criticism is**** lovely! Just don't cripple me okay?**

**Please no cursing!**

**And don't forget to**** rate and**** review!**

**Page 18**


	27. Chapter 27

**There is a reason**

Chapter 27: Another time skip! The Last Haruno graduates!

Koomahana

**Fubuki was 10 when she met Sakura & 11 when she was taken to the leaf village**

**Tayuya was 8 when she met Sakura & 9 when she was taken to the leaf village**

**Sakura was 3 when she was taken and returned to the leaf village**

**Yagura was 20 when he first met Sakura and 21 when he returned to his body.**

**Yagura is 17 years older then Sakura**

**Fubuki is 7 years older than Sakura and 2 years older then Tayuya**

**Tayuya is 5 years older than Sakura**

**Fubuki was a genin at 12, Chunin at 14 and Jonin at 16**

**Tayuya was a genin at 12, Chunin at 13 ½ and Jonin at 16**

**They are now:**

**Yagura is now 29 years old—Mizukage**

**Fubuki is now 19 years old—Jonin for three years (Same age as Shisui—Anbu—and Shikan—Jonin)**

**Tayuya is now 17 years old—Jonin for one year (Same age as Itachi—Anbu—and Hana—Jonin)**

**Sakura is now 12 years old—(Same age as Naruto and Sasuke)**

**Me:**_** Aww~ My girls are all grown up!**_** XD**

**Okay so I italicized the conversation between two people just so you, hopefully, wouldn't get too confused. Basically they're talking together and they aren't being over heard by anyone else **

**That was my intention but I don't know how well that worked**

****Updated **Chapters**

**3, 4, 5, 18, 20, 22, 23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,39,40,41,42,43**

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

…

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><p>…<p>

After six years in the academy, it was finally time for Sakura, Naruto and Sasuke's graduation. The three were the top of the academy; Sakura being the brains of the operation, Naruto's intelligence was nearly on par with hers and his Taijutsu was matching Sasuke's and the younger Uchiha boy was like a mashed up version of both of them. He was smart but not smarter than Sakura and he was named rooky of the year, meaning his Taijutsu was only slightly better then Naruto's and a hell-of-a lot better then Sakura's. As children ran out of the academy, running head first into their parents, the Haruno and Uchiha families stood together beside the tree, waiting patiently for their own children to come running out together. After ten minutes the family shared confused looks and sighed in relief when the doors opened and the three children they were waiting for finally stepped out.

As expected Sasuke and Sakura had passed with flying colors but Naruto apparently hadn't, his clone jutsu was what had failed him yet again.

"_Who do you think they'll be teamed up with, Nee-chan?_" Tayuya asked, her hazel green eyes watching the three preteen's converse with their parents and her own teammates.

"_Each other_," Fubuki answered, nearly laughing when Shisui swept Sasuke over his shoulder and spun in place, ignoring the younger boy's loud protests. "_They couldn't be matched up well with anyone else, separated they're dangerous but together..._" Fubuki turned to smile at Tayuya, her eyes glowing in a way that promised danger and excitement. "_Together they're deadly_."

"_Yeah but Naruto didn't pass_..." Tayuya reminded her sister with a frown, her hazel eyes locking in on a familiar head of pale hair.

"_Don't worry about Ototo, the day isn't over—he'll graduate yet,_" Fubuki replied smiling when the blonde looked at them before heading towards Mizuki. Sighing, Fubuki wrapped a lose arm around the younger pinkette's waist.

"_I still don't trust Mizuki-sensei..._" Tayuya sighed, glaring at the spot the white haired chunin once stood. "_I think Imoto's right, that man is planning something..._"

"_Shall we inform Lord Hokage of the inconsistencies?_" Fubuki asked pretending to watching her family while her eyes were really locked on the same teacher she used to argue with daily.

"Fu-Nee! Ta-Nee!" Sakura shouted, waving at her sisters before Kizashi laughed and twirled her in the air, making her laugh loudly and distracting everyone, giving Naruto and Mizuki a chance to slip away unnoticed by the group.

"_Perhaps... By the way Nee-chan_," Tayuya grinned up at Fubuki, making the older pinkette narrow her eyes at her, not sure what the mischievous younger pinkette was cooking up this time. "_We'll be taking the Anbu exams that will be held at the end of the year..._" Tayuya's eyes were glowing in the similar fashion that Fubuki's had moments earlier, "_Hana and I have no intention of losing_."

"_It's about time you two caught up to him_," Fubuki grinned at Tayuya, knowing that Tayuya and her team took the chunin exam when they were fourteen and that time passed. The following year they were recommend for Jonin ranks and about six months later Itachi was offered a place in Anbu, he stalled entering the division for about a year. Six months ago he finally gave in and entered the black ops division, leaving both of his teammates behind and fuming like ready-to-erupt-volcanoes swearing that they would catch up to him and make him pay in the process.

"Girls," Mebuki called, drawing Fubuki's and Tayuya's attention almost immanently. "Why don't you two go have a talk with lord Hokage? I think there's someone waiting for you in his office." They were about to question her when they heard a soft bark behind them, turning the two girl's eyes widened at the sight of a tiny brown pug. Seeing that he finally had their attention the pug turned and ran like hell away from them; Tayuya and Fubuki quickly gave chase with bright smiles and laughter, their voices ringing out in a single word that echoed through the air.

"INU-KUN!"

…

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><p>…<p>

"INU-KUN!"

Kakashi flinched at the scream that undoubtedly, to him at least, echoed through the entire village. Turning slowly to Hiruzen, who was nearly trembling with the effort to hide his amusement, Kakashi stared at him with wide almost horrified eyes.

"Please tell me you didn't Lord Hokage," Kakashi asked softly

"So Sorry Kakashi-kun," Hiruzen said in amusement, watching how the light fixture above them trembled slightly as the girls neared their destination. "But they are Jonin; they have the right to be here too..." If it was possible for someone to turn into a ghost in the three seconds of hearing those words and hearing the door slam open, Kurenai knew that Kakashi had done so.

"Inu-kun!" Tayuya and Fubuki shouted as they followed the small animal past the crowed and landed in a heap together just past where Kakashi had once stood, their momentum having knocked him away by several feet.

"Save me!" the pug shouted just as the girls wrapped their hands around him, the second he felt their fingers on him he puffed into smoke.

"A summoning!" Tayuya shouted sitting excitedly beside Fubuki, her eyes wide with wonder and her body trembling with the effort to stay still, "When can we get summons?"

"When someone lets us sign their contract," Fubuki answered while she pouted at her empty hands, "We almost had him..."

"Girls," Hiruzen chuckled, ignoring the not so pleased looks a few Jonin where throwing the girls and the irritated ones he was getting from his council members. At the sound of his voice the two sisters snapped to attention, their eyes wide before smiling brightly.

"Hello Lord Hokage," the girls chimed together as they stumbled to raise one knee, place one hand over their heart and lay the other beside them, bowing their heads; all to show their respect to the Sandaime Hokage. "How are you today?"

"I'm fine," Hiruzen chuckled at them, amusement lacing his words and a fawn smile spreading across his face. "Have you to heard about the Genin selections?"

"Yes my lord," the girls chimed not rising from their bows. "...We... just came from the academy," their voices were wobbling slightly, making Hiruzen wonder if they had more to tell him but were reluctant to do so in front of an audience.

"Am I the only one who's creped out with that?" Genma asked his neighbor, who quickly reassured him that he wasn't the only one creped out with the two eldest Haruno's antics.

"That's not quite what I meant girls," Hiruzen smiled softly, still amused with their over the top reactions to his presence, the same stance they gave whenever they were called before him. It was the same stance they took to give him their loyalty vows; claiming that he had saved their lives and in return, he owned their lives. When he heard their vows, he almost had a heart attach, knowing that the girls were serious about their vows because—according Inoichi while he had gone through their memories as a precaution for the slave ring—they had made a similar pledge to protect Sakura.

When they pledged to put their life on the line, the Haruno sisters were no longer joking

"As you've properly guessed; Sakura and Sasuke will be on the same team, we have yet to figure out their third teammate... but they will have one" Hiruzen's smile softened when Fubuki and Tayuya shared a look, now sure that there was something they needed to talk to him about. "Would one of you like to be their sensei? You both are old enough and are the proper rank..." the two girls raised their heads to throw Hiruzen matching looks of disbelief.

"Are you kidding Lord Hokage?" Tayuya asked, wrinkling her nose as if Naruto had just thrown one of his dirty socks in her face—something he's done several times before.

"We live with them Lord Hokage," Fubuki reminded him, her voice soft and even.

"Why would we want to spend even _more_ time with them?" Tayuya asked, cutting Fubuki off

"Fubuki-chan I know for a fact that you've been teaching little Sakura-chan something's you properly shouldn't be." Hiruzen replied giving his own look to the calm older Haruno that said he'd have a word with her later about the matter. "And Tayuya-chan, you've been building Sakura-chan's tolerance to Genjutsu for years now—"

"I have?" Tayuya asked Fubuki in confusion, the older Haruno simply closed her eyes and let out a long slow breath.

"—you both have been indirectly teaching the boys various things as well," Hiruzen continued, ignoring Tayuya's soft whisper to Fubuki. "That is why I had asked, are you both sure you don't want to teach them?"

"We're positive Lord Hokage," The sisters chimed together with matching smiles.

"I'm training with Hana to get into Anbu," Tayuya grinned at Hiruzen, shocking him, "We promised to catch up with Itachi! We can't let him have all the fun ya' know!"

"And I need to focus on my medical ninjutsu," Fubuki said with a sigh, not liking about having to admit her weakest point. "I'm still only a chunin level medic; I want to get up to being a Jonin Medic before I take on any genin teams..."

"Better being a chunin medic then genin medic," Tayuya grumbled under her breath. She had tried her hand at the healing arts but she found that she was better at beating someone half to death with her flute then she was at healing someone with her chakra. She could do most healings so long as they _didn't_ rely on chakra, for some reason she had the control to cast some of the most powerful genjutsu but not enough control to perform even the simplest medical ninjutsu.

"Alright then," Hiruzen murmured nodding in agreement to the sisters, "I'll speak with the both of you in the morning about your goals; I might be able to lend you both a hand."

"Thank you lord Hokage," the girl smiled, somehow managing to lower their bows to him, "If that is all?" the girls asked, obviously waiting to be excused

"The two of you may go," Hiruzen chuckled, smiling as the two flash stepped away to return to their family.

"Now where were we?" Hiruzen asked turning to look up at the closest Jonin

"Team assignments," the young man replied nodding his head at Hiruzen in respect

"Ah yes," Hiruzen turned to search the crowd for a moment, his eyes landing on his son, which brought a smile to his face almost immanently. "Azuma~" Hiruzen called, his smile widening when his son nearly glared at him in answer, "Why don't you take team ten under your wing?"

"Who are they?" Asuma asked with a slight frown at his father, knowing the older man had a plan forming in his head.

"Shikamaru Nara, Ino Yamanaka and Chōji Akimichi,"

…

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><p>…<p>

Later that same evening

…

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><p>…<p>

"Alright thank you," Mebuki said closing the door on the young Chunin who had given her the news.

"Mom?" Sakura called, stepping out from the kitchen with a towel in hand, "Who was it?"

"Just a messenger," Mebuki said turning away from the door and trying to smile reassuring for Sakura, "Where are your sisters?"

"They just left a few minutes ago," Sakura answered staring in confusion at her mother, "They both left in a hurry, why?"

"It's nothing," Mebuki sighed stopping beside Sakura and glancing into the dinning room behind the pinkette worriedly, as she had guessed her husband was gone and her adoptive son was nowhere in sight. "Where is your brother? He's usually home by now..."

"I don't know," Sakura replied stepping back to glance at the table that was half covered in paper work and half with dishes. "I saw him at the academy speaking with Mizuki-sensei..." suddenly Sakura paled and her eyes widened, "oh no..."

"What is it?" Mebuki asked, turning Sakura to face her, "What did you just remember?"

"Mizuki-sensei is a picky teacher," Sakura mumbled, her face twisting into worry and confusion, "Naruto is the only student he hasn't blatantly showed favoritism or dislike towards. He's always smiling when Naruto looks at him but when his back is turned or when Mizuki-sensei thinks that no one's looking... sometimes I catch him glaring at Naruto and once I've caught him giving Iruka-sensei the same look..."

"Sakura..." Mebuki said in a tone of voice that was full of disappointment, "Are you sure you weren't imagining it?"

Sakura snapped to attention her eyes narrowing at her mother, her lips pushing together into a frown, "Never mind... it's properly nothing..."

Mebuki sighed and nodded in agreement, she walked into the kitchen expecting Sakura to follow her. "Alright then, come and hel—"

_SLAM!_

_Oh no,_ Mebuki snapped around to see that Sakura wasn't standing in the doorway to the kitchen and dining room. Cursing Mebuki ran to the front door, slamming it open and reaching the front gate to their property before the door even hit the wall. Mebuki's eyes snapped up and down the road, searching for that familiar splash of color. Growling Mebuki's eyes locked onto the roofs of the houses around her, watching every shadow that blurred past without so much as a glance in her direction.

"Damn it!" Mebuki cursed aloud, snapping around and marching back into her home, her chakra flaring and brushing just about every chakra signature within a mile of her home.

_Of course, they taught her how to conceal her chakra_, Mebuki thought with a low growl, her eyes glinting in the light of her kitchen. Tayuya and Fubuki had purposefully taught Sakura how to sense chakra signatures and how to hide her own, she knew they only taught her such things because of what had happened when they were children and she let it slide, but when it was an emergency—she swore all three of her daughters were going to be paying heavy prices when they returned. Opening the refrigerator, Mebuki smiled viciously when she caught sight of her hottest pepper, all wrinkled up and ready to be made into some souse.

"This'll teach them to run out without speaking to me," Mebuki chuckled to herself. Amusingly enough her daughters and husband all hated spicy food; well _she_ loved it, the hotter the spice the better it was. She was going to make those daughters of hers sit down and eat _every last drop_ of their dinner.

Didn't she teach them to never underestimate her?

…

* * *

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"Hurry up Sasuke," Sakura urged from just outside his bedroom window, she was hanging upside down from the rafters of his house, panic lacing her words and fear twisting her features.

"Hold on," Sasuke snapped as he opened his window and prepared himself to jump out

"You hold on," Sakura replied, pushing him back into his room and pulling herself back up into the rafters to hide from view. Just as Sasuke was about to complain to her, he heard the soft voices of a few relatives that were properly doing rounds around his house. Gritting his teeth, Sasuke hid his backpack just under the window and quickly climbed into bed, pulling his blankets up to his shoulders to hide his fully dressed self. He sighed when the two men just ran past his open window without even checking to see if he was in his room, he waited until he couldn't hear their footsteps or their voices and then counted to ten slowly before he jumped back out of bed and threw his backpack over his shoulders.

"Is it safe?" Sasuke asked softly, crouching just beneath his window where he could see one of Sakura's slightly shorter locks of hair spill over a rafter and into his point of view.

"Ten seconds," Sakura murmured, jumping down and springing towards the closest cover, which happened to be a tree. Sasuke cursed and jumped out of his window, quickly closing it and jumped off the porch to hide beneath it, just in time for the next patrol to hurry past him. Sasuke may not have known what was going on but he knew that once they were out of the compound, Sakura would fill him in. Hearing the soft whistle of a bird, Sasuke peeked out from beneath the porch and saw Sakura wave him over urgently.

Cursing her stupidity, for everyone knew that the birds flew south for the winter, Sasuke crawled out from beneath the porch and ran full tilt to the tree Sakura was hiding in and quickly ducked behind just in time to hide from another curious family member. Some times, Sasuke really hated how paranoid a few of his clansmen were. Seriously, they jumped at the slightest sound and like curious little kittens, they have to check it out before they do their jobs correctly. Feeling a rope nearly slap him in the face, Sasuke glared up at Sakura before he began to scale the wall, silently promising to punch her later for that amused smirk she was wearing.

"Hurry up," Sakura said as she grabbed him by his shorts and jerked him over the wall's top and onto the other side; pulling the rope with her as she quickly followed him in a more graceful manner. "You're too slow," Sakura scolded Sasuke when she landed and quickly undid the hook that was wrapped around the rafter on the tiled roof of the high wall, "We don't have much time."

"I'd like to see how fast you move after landing in a prickly bush," Sasuke growled out as he stumbled out of said bush, quickly yanking Sakura to the ground when he caught sight of a torch that was coming around the corner of the wall just twenty feet behind her.

"I swear I just heard something," one of the men grumbled as he peaked around the corner

"You've been up since yesterday morning," said his partner, "I wouldn't be surprised if you started seeing double. Come on, let's get you to bed."

"Fine," the previous man consented tiredly as he followed his friend back into the compound. Sasuke glared warningly to Sakura before he quickly pulled her to the other side of the open street, ducking behind a few more bushes and running until they couldn't see the road any more.

"Alright what's got you so twisted up?" Sasuke asked as he slowed to a stop, making Sakura nearly run into his back.

"It's Naruto," Sakura whispered to him, her eyes scanning the trees above them and not looking at Sasuke directly. "The idiot didn't heed my warning and wandered off, _alone_, with Mizuki-sensei," Sasuke groaned and resisted the urge to rub at his brow. He and Naruto had both silently agreed that the white haired chunin was okay, Sakura remained unconvinced that the man was perfectly normal.

"Sasuke..." Sakura called softly, her eyes searching his own, drawing him out of his own thoughts. "Naruto left with him this morning and hasn't returned home..." Sasuke's breath stilled at the look in Sakura's eyes, not hard but not soft either. Normally he could read her like a book by just looking into her eyes... but tonight, she must have been serious because he couldn't read the expression in her emerald orbs. "No one's seen him since graduation _this morning_... Mizuki-sensei was the last person with him." Sasuke's eyes widened with understanding and a thousand different curses flew through his mind as he turned and ran deeper into the forest.

"Can you find him?" Sasuke asked when he heard Sakura's soft steps following behind him easily, he never questioned her on how she was always finding them, he just knew that she could and he accepted that.

"Give me a moment," Sakura answered, forming hand sign while she ducked under a low tree branch.

…

* * *

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"Lets see here..." Naruto mumbled as he opened the giant scroll and read the instructions on the first technique. "Aw man the shadow clone jutsu? Will this damn jutsu ever stop reappearing in my life?!"

…

* * *

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"Got him," Sakura murmured her eyes locking to her north-west position; she spun on one foot and tore off through the brush so fast that Sasuke could barely keep up with her. He knew that Sakura had grown fast as a runner without using the aid of chakra because she had to out run her bullies, and occasionally her sisters, but he never knew just how fast she really was.

"Where is he?" Sasuke called, his brow ticking when he saw that she was leaving him behind.

"At the old base!" Sakura shouted over her shoulder, running ahead now that Sasuke knew where to go. It was a place Naruto went every year for his birthday, knowing that he couldn't be seen in the village on that day because some of the villagers would get a little violent with him. It was a place they had once found him, scolded him and then proceeded to play at when they were still children. Calling the old wooden shack their base because it was nearly impossible to find innless you've been there before.

…

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"Alright one more time!" Naruto gasped out, his sides aching as he reread the instructions and formed the hand sign again, trying his best to create at least one stable clone before he tried to create more then just the one. The clone he produced had color but was laying on the ground in a boneless heap, growling he tried again... and again... and again... and again... He tried another dozen times until he heard some bushes rustling and looked up to see a bright red blur run straight for him.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"IDIO~T!" the cry was followed by an echoing _thwack_ and a matching pain filled cry

_Found 'em_, Sasuke thought as he turned slightly to get back on track, running as fast as he could towards the sound. Hearing the trees above him ruffle, Sasuke cursed and pushed himself faster, knowing that at least two others had heard his friends.

At least they were still an hour's distance from the base

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"S-Sakura~" Naruto whined to the pinkette who stood over him threatening.

"You scared me half to death!" Sakura snapped at him, ignoring his wounded puppy dog look, "The entire village is on high alert, you idiot! What if there's an intruder or a high class assassin? Huh? What would you have don then?! Forget that! What are you doing out here away from the safety of everyone in the village?!"

"Practicing!" Naruto answered with a smile, which thankfully threw Sakura for a loop, "You see Sakura-chan, Mizuki-sensei said that if I learn at least one jutsu from this scroll then I can become a genin!"

"Really?" Sakura asked with a frown, not liking that the strange man was actually being helpful to her blond friend.

"Yeah!" Naruto chuckled, bouncing up and down in his seat excitedly, "The first one is the clone jutsu and I'm trying to learn it!"

"Naruto," Sakura sighed, Naruto sat back on his hunches, knowing that a scolding was coming his way. "Don't you think it would be helpful if you didn't have so many failures crumbled around you like piles of poor drawings of yourself?" Sakura asked, looking pointedly to the tall pile of colorless, boneless Naruto's nearby. Blinking in shock, Naruto looked over at the pile and chuckled sheepishly, glade that for once Sakura wasn't going to scold him senseless. With a puff of smoke, the failed clones disappeared; Naruto grinned up at Sakura cheerfully, his eyes shining with hope as he stared at her again with is bright sapphire eyes.

"Oh alright," Sakura sighed throwing her hands up into the air, "Just this once, I'll help you just this once!"

"You always say that!" Naruto cackled as he rolled the scroll back out again, showing Sakura where he was at and where he was having trouble.

"Oh I see," Sakura said, bending over the scroll with her hands on her knees and her head tilted to the side. "When you build up your chakra... you're supposed to be adding an equal amount of your spiritual and physical energies..." Sakura looked back where the pile of boneless Narutoids once laid together in a giant heap, "You must have been adding not enough physical energy and no spiritual energy..."

"Oh okay!" Naruto shouted, a smile splitting across his face as he stood and tried again, aiming to form at least one perfect clone before he tried making more.

"Remember to split your chakra in half _evenly_ between you and the clone, otherwise it won't come out right," Sakura reminded Naruto as she rolled the scroll further out, looking through the titles of the various jutsu's.

"Sakura-chan what are you doing?" Naruto asked, a second later a puff of smoke was heard making Sakura turn to see five almost perfect Naruto's.

"You're still adding to much physical energy," Sakura said as she stared pointedly at the one colorless and boneless Naruto and the three other clones that were hanging off it's almost perfect brother. "Add a little more spiritual energy and a little less physical... try to focus on just the one clone."

"I tried Sakura-chan!" Naruto whined, making the others pop out of existence, "I wanted to make at least one perfect clone before I made multiples!"

"Well if that's the case then graduations," Sakura smiled at Naruto, delighted to see his confused expression. "You did get that one clone almost perfect, his color was a little off but that's okay, he was stable and that's the most important part."

Naruto blinked dumbly for a moment before he cheered loudly, "Alright! Let's try this again!"

"Be quiet idiot!" Sakura hissed with a found smile, turning back to searching through the scroll curiously, "You don't want to get caught until you've got that jutsu down!"

"Well okay," Naruto agreed, another pop filling the air, "But what are you doing?"

"Searching," Sakura answered glancing over her shoulder to see how he was doing. "Alright how about you try doing something else," Sakura sighed, setting the scroll down and turning to address the two Naruto's just behind her.

"What are you searching for Sakura-chan?" the Naruto to her left asked as he settled before her, his twin following.

"Something that I'll tell you about later," Sakura smiled at him, "But focus Ototo." Naruto perked at the family nickname, it was only ever used to get his attention, letting him know that the following words are very important. "I want you to close your eyes and focus on your chakra," both Naruto's did as they were told, focusing on that flighty but warm feeling in his stomach. "I want you to gently bring it to the surface of your skin, slowly now you don't want to burn yourself, good. Now I want you to start at your chest and slowly pull it out ward, follow each curve carefully." Naruto grunted as he lost control and his slip of chakra he had slipped back into the deep pit just behind his stomach.

"Slowly Naruto, you don't have to rush it," Sakura said calmly, reaching forward and placing one hand on each Naruto's chest, her own eyes closed in concentration. "Follow my chakra, guild it to your center where your own chakra is resting... good, good, just like that..." Sakura smiled as she felt the swell of Naruto's chakra, gently coaxing hers to his very center where all of his chakra rested inside of his very body.

"Calmly now Ototo," Sakura murmured softly, "imagine holding a bucket... stoop and fill that bucket with your chakra, it should look like water to you..." _it looks like an ocean to me_

"It feels more like as storm," one Naruto murmured, his face twisting into a frown, "I can't get a good hold on it..."

"Clear your mind of 'cant'," Sakura recited with a soft chuckle, knowing that it was words that Shisui had once murmured to her when he caught her crying in the park. He never asked why she was crying that day, he just held her and let her cry on his shoulder then told her those same words that she just repeated to Naruto. "If it feels like wind... then imagine a kite in your hand, do you feel it now? The wind pulling on the kite in your hands?"

"Yeah," one murmured a soft smile stretching on his lips.

"Good, now let the string there tied on the kite loosen in your hold, let the wind take hold of the kite but don't let it go to far, you want it to stay in control, okay?"

"Yeah..."

Sakura chuckled at the soft whisper, "Good, now my chakra is beside yours, follow it... that's it... very good..." Naruto smiled as he followed Sakura's warm green glow, feeling calm as he followed that soft warm light that always seemed to cheer him up and calm him down. He followed it to the surface of his skin, followed it as it gently ran over every curve his rib cage and then over the roll of his shoulders and the creases in his arms and down the smooth skin of his legs.

"Do you understand now?" Sakura asked softly, her eyes still closed, "I'm guiding your chakra for now but I want you to try again on your own, okay?"

"Again?" Naruto asked, his chakra slipping back into his body as Sakura's faded from his senses when she retracted her hold on him.

"Yes Naruto, again," Sakura smiled warmly at him, amusement dancing in her eyes, "It's called memorizing Naruto. I want you to memorize every curve of your ribs, every bend of your arms and eventually, when your control becomes even stronger, every hair on your head. This is away for you to learn what your body actually looks like, I want you to keep this all in mind when you make your shadow clone. Eventually you won't have to do this every time you make a clone, it'll come naturally to you."

Naruto nodded his head and repeated the process that he was just shown, trying to ignore Sakura's soft movements as she went back to scanning the forbidden scroll. When he figured that he had at least most of his body memorized, he formed the hand sign and concentrated on shaping his chakra into the perfect replication of his own body. At the same time Sakura gasped in excitement, there was a loud and blinding puff of smoke that filled the small patch of clearing that surrounded their child hood base.

"Hay Sakura-chan I did it!" Naruto's voice shouted out excitedly, he blinked and looked around the clearing, his eyes lighting up as he saw just how many clones he had managed to create with such little effort.

"Nice job Naruto!" Sakura cheered, smiling at the mini army that now surrounded her. "Hopefully they'll accept this clone and let you pass!" Naruto cheered loudly, pumping one hand into the air as his clones expelled all at once, making Sakura laugh as the smoke covered her from view.

"Now will you tell me what you're looking for?" Naruto asked as he waved the smoke away from his person, smile widening when Sakura nodded in consent.

"Yes I'm looking for that crystal ball technique that lord Hokage uses," Sakura answered, her smile wide as Naruto collapsed next to her. "I just found it, now I just have to memorize it."

"Why?" Naruto asked, leaning over the half-unrolled scroll to exam the piece of information that Sakura was trying to commit to memory.

"Because the entire village is looking for the scroll and _you_," both teens paled at the familiar voice that was filled with anger and disappointment. "Idiots!" Iruka hissed, striking both teens on their heads, ignoring their yelps of pain, Iruka put his hands on his hips and stood over the teens threatening.

"What the hell were you two thinking?!" Iruka asked loudly

"But Mizuki-sensei said that if I learned something from this scroll then I could be a genin!" Naruto whined out, not seeing the surprise on his favorite teacher's face nor Sakura's narrowed eyed look as she turned and quickly rolled up the scroll.

"Mizuki?" Iruka questioned softly, watching how Sakura quietly passed the scroll to Naruto and gave Iruka the look she often gave him when concerning his old childhood friend.

"Yeah," Naruto whined again, silently pulling the strap over his shoulders and thanking Sakura softly.

"I was just curious Iruka-sensei," Sakura admitted, turning towards him and tilting her head to the side. "I only looked at the crystal ball jutsu and the shadow clone jutsu but the clone jutsu was to help Naruto and It's not like I got further then the title on the crystal ball jutsu."

"Of all the jutsu's in that scroll, why did you only look at the crystal ball one?" Iruka asked with a raised eyebrow, truly curious to the pinkette's answer

"Because I was curious," Sakura answered bluntly, giving Iruka Tayuya's signature smirk

"Curiosity killed the cat," Iruka replied crossing his arm

"But satisfactory brought it back," Sakura shot back with a bright grin. Iruka was about to reply but he gasped as several kunai and shiriken embedded themselves into his lower back and legs. Iruka stumbled to the ground and he rolled over in search of his attacker, immanently his eyes snapping up into the direction that the thrown weapons had came from.

"Mi-Mizuki?" Iruka called out in shock his dark eyes wide

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto shouted, catching Sakura as she collapsed to the ground, one hand pressed to her belly. Iruka's eyes widened as he glanced at Sakura, seeing that one kunai must have been aimed at Naruto because Sakura was crouching in front of Naruto, the kunai aimed for the blond was imbedded in her side; undoubtedly making her immobile.

"Ha, ha, guess she should have moved eh?" Mizuki grinned, watching how Iruka glared at him furiously, Naruto tried to keep Sakura from collapsing against the ground and accidently pushing the kunai further in. "Doesn't matter much to me either way..."

"Why?!" Naruto shouted with tears prickling his eyes, "Why would you hurt her? What has she ever done to you?!"

"She got in the way," Iruka answered, understanding suddenly dawning on him, "Sakura has always had this sixth sense about people; she could always tell when they were up to no good..."

"That's righ~t" Mizuki agreed easily enough, twirling another kunai in his hand, "She's nearly had me kicked out the academy four times, she's made the past two years a little more difficult then they should have been. Do you know how hard it is to walk on eggshells? It's not fun"

"So all this time..." Naruto whispered, his hands tightening on Sakura, not seeing her gently pull the kunai out of her side and press a soft glowing palm to her side. "All this time Sakura-chan was right? I shouldn't have trusted you?!"

"That's right," Mizuki agreed

"Why are you doing this?!" Naruto shouted out, his hold lessening on Sakura when she pulled away from him to tend to her wound.

"You mean you haven't figured it out yet? No one's told you yet?"Mizuki asked with a curious looking smile

"No Mizuki don't do it!" Iruka shouted suddenly understanding Mizuki's intentions

"Oh come now Iruka," Mizuki chuckled at him mirthlessly, "The little monster has a right to know..."

"It's forbidden!" Iruka shouted out in a panic, raising one hand to cover his cough

"The only monster here is you!" Sakura shouted from where she sat gasping for air

"Little girl you'll rethink that answer in a moment," Mizuki shot back unfazed, his eyes turning to lock onto Naruto. "Twelve years ago, on the same night that you were born, the Nine tailed demon attached our village."

"Uh-huh," Naruto agreed with a frown, what was the point of telling him what everyone in the village already knew? He wasn't that dumb...

"Don't do it Mizuki!" Iruka shouted out, his eyes wide in panic

"The demon wasn't killed!" Mizuki shouted, ignoring Iruka and glaring at Naruto hatefully. "He was sealed away inside a child! That child is you, Naruto Uzumaki! You _are_ the nine tailed demon!"

"No!" Sakura shouted out, pulling herself a little higher and flinging a protective arm in front of Naruto. "He's no more of a demon then you or me! If you want to call someone a monster go look in a mirror!"

"Insolent brat!" Mizuki snarled, throwing his kunai to distract Iruka while he through another at Sakura. "Why can't you see that he's the monster that destroyed half of our village? He killed hundreds of our people!" _my parents..._

"He's not a monster!" Sakura shouted back slapping the kunai away with her own, "he's a hero!"

It was quiet as the three males absorbed what Sakura had said

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

She opened the glass doors carefully, panting as she addressed the blonde woman standing at the stove with a bewildered expression.

"Mom have you seen Sakura?" Fubuki asked as she leaned on the doorway, "We need her to find Ototo"

"No she left just after a chunin told us," Mebuki answered shaking her head, "What's going on? I was only told that there was a break in at the Hokage office."

"My dear idiot little brother decided that stealing the forbidden scroll of ninjutsu would be a great pass time," Fubuki sighed, rubbing at her temple. "How long has she been gone?"

"Properly as long as Ototo," both Haruno's turned to see Itachi landed just behind Fubuki, "Sasuke isn't in his room. Hana found Sakura's scent just out side his window."

"Great that means they have a head start on us," Fubuki sighed, "Is she still tracking them?"

"Yes," Itachi nodded curtly, "She said it smelled like they were going to the old base they used to play at but she's not sure. There were other scents filling the forest and she can't focus on so many distracting smells."

"The base is a good place to look," Fubuki said shaking her head as if irritated by the information. "We'd better go, I take it Tayuya is with her?"

"Yes"

…

* * *

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"You don't seem to be too surprised by this news..." Mizuki said suddenly, his fingers lacing through the two giant shiriken on his back. "Did someone tell you, little brat?"

"No one told me anything!" Sakura shouted at him, "I figured it out my self! For crying out loud, adults like you are so blind with your own hatred you forget that the children who surround you are listening to every word and watching every move! We aren't blind or dumb you giant idiot! I figured it out _years ago_!"

"And you still accept him?" Mizuki asked with a snarl, "How can you?" Sakura looked up at Mizuki with a familiar smirk he had seen on both of her sisters, it was an expression Fubuki gave when she was about to counter his logic or question his teaching skills, it was a look Tayuya gave him when she was about to annoy him or was going to pull off a prank.

"The past is in the past," Sakura answered, her eyes glowing in the moon light that shone down from above. "The future has yet to come and we're living in the here and now, that's why it's called present!" Iruka couldn't be prouder of the pinkette then he was at that moment, a smile stretched across his lips as he looked up at Mizuki, more then glad that Sakura was as smart as she was and little irritated that she was. If Sakura figured it out jut by watching and listening, then who else figured it out? How many of the next generation already knew about the secret that Naruto bears?

"That's a load of crap!" Mizuki snarled, readying both giant shiriken resting on his back, "You can dye an egg blue but that doesn't make it a sapphire! That blue egg is still an egg!"

"There's more to an egg then what meets the eye!" Sakura shout back, struggling to lift herself even higher in front of Naruto.

"Naruto get down!" Iruka shouted as he moved his eyes wide in panic. Naruto ducked back as Mizuki through the shiriken at him, Sakura screamed and tackled the blonde, pinning him with her body to the ground. Naruto shouted out, wide-eyed and afraid as the shiriken got ever closer but then suddenly it got dark and he found himself staring up at a crying Iruka.

"He's right," Iruka sobbed to Naruto, tears dripping form his eyes and splashing against Naruto's face. "You do hold the Nine tailed demon... and for a long time... for a long time I was just like Mizuki. I couldn't see you because I knew the demon was right beneath your skin and I was so angry... I just didn't know what to do..." Naruto's eyes widened and crawled away from Iruka, tears dripping form his eyes, he eventually scrambled to his feet and ran away as fast as he could; ignoring Iruka's shouts and Sakura's wet coughing.

"Damn it!" Mizuki cursed and straightened from his crouch, watching Naruto sprint off into the dark forest, "You can't protect them both Iruka!"

"Mizuki!" Iruka shouted, reaching back and pulling the shiriken from his back and flinging it right back to his old friend. "Don't touch them!" Mizuki laughed as he easily dodged the telegraphed attach, making Iruka grit his teeth as he tried to follow his old friend with his eyes, unsure if he should follow and protect Naruto or stay and help Sakura.

"G-go," Sakura gasped as she rolled herself over onto her back, panting harshly. "Save Naruto... My sis-sters wi-will be-be here s-soon..."

"You need medical attention," Iruka replied, coughing hoarsely as he braced himself on his knees.

"Fubuki-n-nee is-s a-a me-med-ic," Sakura stammered out, "G-go... sa-save him... save N-Naruto..." Iruka glanced back at Sakura, regret echoing in his dark eyes as he stared at the panting pinkette.

"I'll be back faster then you can say 'nee-chan'" Iruka said, quickly disappearing from sight and giving chase as fast as he could.

Sakura chuckled, an amused smile twisting her features as she stared up at the moon high above her. "n-nee-ch-chan..." she heard a few rustling leafs and smiled, if anyone could find her it would be either Sasuke or her sisters. Her hand tightened on the charm still hanging from her wrist, pushing a small bit of chakra into it, knowing that it would resonate with her sisters and lead them straight to her.

"Sakura!" a panicked voice shouted, just as her world started too turned dark.

She knew that voice...

It was always there... calling her when she was scared... protecting her when she couldn't protect herself...

_I-Inu... k-kun..._

…

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><p>…<p>

**Thoughts are helpful**

**Opinions are wonderful**

**Helpful criticism is**** lovely! Just don't cripple me okay?**

**Please no cursing!**

**And don't forget to**** rate and**** review!**

**Page 21**


	28. Chapter 28

**There is a reason**

Chapter 28: New Teammates!

Koomahana

**Fubuki was 10 when she met Sakura & 11 when she was taken to the leaf village**

**Tayuya was 8 when she met Sakura & 9 when she was taken to the leaf village**

**Sakura was 3 when she was taken and returned to the leaf village**

**Yagura was 20 when he first met Sakura and 21 when he returned to his body.**

**Yagura is 17 years older then Sakura**

**Fubuki is 7 years older than Sakura and 2 years older then Tayuya**

**Tayuya is 5 years older than Sakura**

**Fubuki was a genin at 12, Chunin at 14 and Jonin at 16**

**Tayuya was a genin at 12, Chunin at 13 ½ and Jonin at 16**

**They are now:**

**Fubuki is now 19 years old—Jonin for three years (Same age as Shisui—Anbu—and Shikan—Jonin)**

**Tayuya is now 17 years old—Jonin for one year (Same age as Itachi—Anbu—and Hana—Jonin)**

**Sakura is now 12 years old—Genin (Same age as Naruto and Sasuke)**

****Updated **Chapters**

**3, 4, 5, 18, 20, 22, 23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,39,40,41,42,43**

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

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Kakashi sighed as left the hospital room, he didn't like the hospital but he didn't mind visiting a patient every now and again.

…

_He had found Sasuke easily enough; following him to an old shack where there was a lot of blood and some damage to the trees surrounding it. He had studied the surrounds carefully until his eyes landed on something small and red... very red. With a shout he was moving forward faster then Sasuke was, he landed beside Sakura and kept Sasuke from lifting her. He silently checked for her pulse, then checked her wound, ignoring Sasuke completely he pressed a glowing palm to the pinkette's side._

_Good news was that he arrived just in time, the bad news was that he was in his Anbu gear and Sasuke was inches away from maiming him for ignoring him for so long. After he stabilized her, Kakashi lifted the pinkette and stood, telling Sasuke to hurry after the blonde before he got hurt too. Sasuke's eyes widened and he took off like a bullet into the forest, legs pumping as he hurried after his childhood friend._

…

"Inu-kun," the soft voice brought Kakashi out of his thoughts, he stiffened at the familiar voice of Tayuya and then relaxed as he realized that he was still in his Anbu get-up. Beside Tayuya was a tried, fearful Fubuki, who looked like she didn't know if she should be pacing in worry or sitting down and try to get as much sleep as she can while she still could. Behind them stood their parents, Hinata and her father, Naruto and Sasuke with his mother.

"She's stable," Kakashi murmured, smiling when the two girls relaxed and nearly collapsed against each other. "She'll properly stay here for a few days..."

"Yeah right," Tayuya snorted, rolling her eyes, "The second that girl thinks she's fine she's out-a here." Fubuki smiled in agreement, nodding in thanks to Kakashi, not trusting her own voice not to tremble if she spoke to him.

"Do you know who did this?" Hinata asked from where she sat against the wall of the hall, her eyes staring up at Kakashi pleadingly.

"A man named Mizuki—" Kakashi didn't finish his words before both Tayuya and Fubuki snarled like a couple of rapid dogs, they were turned and jumping out of the nearest window before he could even finish the name.

"He's dead," Sasuke said bluntly, watching the two older sisters tear through the trees; most likely heading for the T&I building.

"Sasuke!" Mikoto reprimanded, though her lips were twitching as if she was trying to keep herself from smiling.

"There's no saving him," Naruto said, nodding in agreement

"Don't you two have team assignments today?" Kakashi asked, using his mask to hide his amusement at the two boys.

"Nope," Naruto grinned at 'Inu-kun'. "We'll get them tomorrow when Iruka-sensei gets out of the hospital."

"Um... Naruto-kun, Sasuke-kun," Hinata smiled at the two boys, a faint blush barely making itself known on her cheeks. "I saw Iruka-sensei leave the hospital just before I entered." She had arrived after them and she hadn't actually seen Iruka leave, the nurse was busy dragging him back to his room, but the boy's didn't need to know that. The boys paled and rushed down the hall as fast as they could, they didn't stop to wonder why Hinata wasn't hurrying beside them, they just knew that Iruka would kick their butts if he was there and they weren't.

"...I think your spending to much time with Tayuya," Hiashi sighed, he had walked in with Hinata so he knew that his daughter had just lied.

Hinata only gave him a sweet smile, unaffected by his words

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

The next day

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

When Naruto whined to Sakura about Hinata tricking them, Sakura had simply hit him on the head for not being in the academy to start with and thanked Hinata for reminding them, regardless of her tricks. Hinata then kicked both Sasuke and Naruto out of the room and with Mikoto's help, got Sakura dressed for the day. Mikoto had actually wheel chaired Sakura all the way to the front doors where she got distracted by Tayuya and Fubuki, using her sisters to her advantage, Sakura climbed out of the chair and half wobbled with Hinata down the steps and towards the academy. They had just ducked around the corner when Mikoto realized that Sakura was missing from the chair, she went to scold Tayuya and Fubuki but they were gone by the time she turned around. The Two pink haired Jonin's then landed beside Hinata and Sakura and quickly carried them to the academy smiling and snickering the entire way. Mikoto had never been so distracted that she lost track of one of the children surrounding her, she seemed to have a sixth sense about the children; needless to say the woman would be hunting them down for punishment later.

Settling Sakura in the closest seat to the window of the middle row in her classroom at the academy, Fubuki and Tayuya wished the two girls luck and quickly disappeared from sight. Hinata and Sakura then spent the next twenty minutes talking softly, ignoring the other students who quietly settled around them. When Sasuke and Naruto got into the classroom they nearly face planted the floor because they tried to enter at the same time. Glaring at each other they both marched off towards Sakura after she called to them, Sasuke sat on the desk directly behind Hinata and Sakura, while Naruto took the open seat beside Sakura. It was a strange set up with them but that's how they always sat in the beginning of class, sometimes Sakura would be sitting beside Sasuke, sometimes Hinata was. Either way, most of the teachers ignored them because they were silent during class and were (mostly) respectful.

"Get off my damn desk!" other has threw a conniption fit

Sasuke quickly squatted between Sakura and Hinata, letting the chalk Iruka threw at him fly pass and nail Shikamaru in his forehead, waking the boy immanently.

"Sasuke Uchiha you know better!" Iruka snapped in irritation, to which Sasuke simply smirked at him and sat in the seat between Sakura and Hinata, his eyes dancing as Iruka continued to glare at him. Iruka may have liked it when they were sitting three to a desk but Sasuke, Naruto, Hinata and Sakura often sat together in the same row just to see his eyebrow twitch wildly.

"I can still take those head bands away," Iruka threatened, making the four pale

"I'm moving!" Hinata said loudly, rising to her feet and hurrying to the back row and to the left side where there was one seat left beside Kiba Inuzuka.

"Good girl," Iruka smiled, glade that at least one of the four notorious brats could listen to orders. Typically, it was Naruto or Sasuke who moved, not wanting to separate Hinata and Sakura but it looked like that since Hinata was on the edge she was the one to move first. Sakura and Hinata waved at each other with sad eyes, then Sakura brightened up and crossed her fingers where Hinata could see and pointed at her forehead protector that rested in hair, keeping her bangs back. Hinata smiled in understanding and nodded in agreement: with luck, they were on the same team.

"Alright everyone listen up!" Iruka called out, drawing everyone's attention back to himself, "when I call your names stand up and don't forget your team number!"

"Hai sensei" the class grumbled together, some pouting at him and some not showing any sign that they cared. After twenty minutes, half the class was nearly asleep because others kept interrupting Iruka with complaints about their team set-ups.

"Alright, Team 7," Iruka sighed, knowing that he was almost to the end gave him enough courage not to cringe at the three names depicted beside the seventh team. "Naruto Uzumaki... Sakura Haruno..." Iruka lowered the clip bored and glanced around the classroom, purposefully putting the four friends on edge. "And Sasuke Uchiha" he hadn't even finished saying the boy's last name before every girl but Hinata and Sakura cried out in fury, the two mentioned girls were looking at each other with miserable expressions. Iruka ignored the majority of the shouts as he watched in amusement as Naruto cheered and Sasuke smirked. Despite all his 'cool aloofness', Sasuke was quite possessive of those he deemed to be 'his', both Sakura and Naruto were in that category and while Iruka knew that Sakura was happy with her teammates, he also knew that she wanted to be with her best friend. Lucky for him, team eight also knew each other about as well as team seven new each other.

"Team eight: Hinata Hyūga,"

"Ah, yes sir!" Hinata called rising from her seat, one of the few who actually did as he asked, Naruto and Sakura being the other two.

"Kiba Inuzuka and Shino Aburame," the two boys nodded at each other, Kiba spook softly to Hinata that made her smile in return as she took her seat. "Team ten: Ino Yamanaka and Shikamaru Nara" Iruka tried to ignore Ino's groan and Shikamaru's snicker, "And Chōji Akimichi!" Ino moaned and thumped her head on her desk, trying to ignore Shikamaru's chuckles as he waved at Chōji cheerfully.

"Alright everyone that's it for team assignments today," Iruka smiled as half the class glared at him in irritation and the other half just looked depressed. "You'll be meeting your new instructors after lunch, so don't go to far okay?" The class ignored him as they all re-gathered into their team assignments, team eight and seven sitting closer together as they spook together cheerfully, team ten sitting just behind team eight.

_I almost pity team seven_, Iruka thought with a found smile as he headed for the door.

"Damn it Naruto!" Sakura screamed out, punching the blonde away from her person

_Almost,_ Iruka chuckled barely glancing back at the group, smiling when he saw Naruto bent over back words with Sakura's smoking fist still held in the air threateningly.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"Lord Hokage," Kakashi groaned in Hiruzen's office, the only other person in the crimson, bookshelf lined room. "You can't be serious..."

"I am," Hiruzen reassured, a smile dancing in his eyes. "You know why you must be the one to teach them. Sasuke needs a Sharingan wielder, Naruto needs someone to treat him fairly and Sakura needs her 'Inu-kun'."

"That name isn't getting dropped anytime soon is it?" Kakashi asked staring at Hiruzen who simply smiled back at him in amusement. "Why not get Itachi to teach them? He's a Sharingan wielder and he'll treat Naruto fairly, I can even give him the lyrics to the song Sakura needs on those stormy nights."

"...Song?" Hiruzen questioned with a raised eyebrow

_Crap_, Kakashi smiled stiffly at the Sandaime, knowing he was done for

"So you have been visiting the Haruno girls each stormy season," Hiruzen's grin was nearly predatory at this point, putting Kakashi on edge and giving him a very bad feeling. "I was curious as to why you didn't take missions during that season... well that settles it. Your teaching team Seven: Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno!" Hiruzen smiled at Kakashi, his eyes dancing in the sunlight that streamed in through the window behind him. "Good luck~"

"I'm not getting out of this am I?" Kakashi asked with a slight pout

"Nope"

_I'm doomed_, Kakashi sighed and turned on his heal, leaving the office sluggishly. He didn't want to take the team on because he knew that they were already a team, he couldn't possibly test them without giving in to one (or all three) of their puppy dog looks.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"Who do you think our sensei is?" Naruto asked as he wondered around the empty classroom in boredom.

"Properly someone who can teach us each fairly," Sakura answered, thoughtfully. "Someone to teach Sasuke how to wield the Sharingan... but someone to treat Naruto fairly..."

"And someone who'll help you get away from Tayuya and Fubuki!" Naruto said, spinning around to face his teammates, "So they can't be a scared-y cat!"

"They'll have to be either used to them or have nervous of steal," Sasuke agreed thoughtfully.

"Nervous of steal?" Sakura repeated softly, "Someone to teach Sasuke the Sharingan but will treat Naruto kindly _and_ be unaffected by my sisters?"

"Oh~! I know who!" Naruto shouted jumping up and down excitedly, drawing the other two's attention. "It's got-a be Ita-nii! Think about it! He has the Sharingan, he's nice to me _and_ he's unaffected by your sisters!"

"Yeah... but Ita-nii wouldn't be late." Sakura frowned at the clock over the entrance to the room, "our sensei is already two hours late... going on two and half..."

"Okay... well then do you guys have any guesses?" Naruto asked, throwing his arms behind his head

"No" Sakura sighed bowing her head in disappointment. "Unlike you Naruto, the only Jonin's I know are the ones I'm related to."

"I hope it's not one your sisters," Sasuke said suddenly, drawing Sakura's undivided attention, "They torture us enough; the last thing any of us need is their undivided attention."

"You know something Sasuke, you just might have a point," Sakura said, her eyes half-way closing as she stared down at Sasuke's face with a smirk. "Both Tayuya-nee and Fubuki-nee are the proper age and rank, either one could be good teachers to us." She watched in amusement as Sasuke paled further, making her smirk grow, "But then again, Tayuya-nee is working to enter the Anbu corps... but that leaves Fubuki-nee..." who was concentrating on her medical ninjutsu, which neither boy knew about at the moment

…

"_Run brat! RUN!" Fubuki cackled as she chased after Naruto with senbon in hand, a maniacal smile twisting her features until she looked slightly demonic to the young boy running for his life. "RUN! HAHAHAHAHAHA! RU~N!"_

_That day, little six-year-old Naruto learned to never prank pink haired women—EVER_

…

Naruto paled drastically as his first memory of the eldest Haruno popped into his mind. "Anyone but her! I like Fubuki-nee but I don't want her for a teacher!" Sakura turned and laughed, pointing behind him with a trembling hand. Turning slowly in horror and realization, Naruto's face paled to the palest shade of white as he stared terrified up at the apple green eyed Jonin standing behind him threateningly.

"WAA! I'm sorry Fu-nee!" Naruto screamed shrilly and ran straight to Sakura, using her as a shield even as she laughed at him uncontrollably.

"Dork," Sasuke smirked, leaning back in his chair as he stared at the open door. Naruto glared at him before he peeked around Sakura fearfully, curious as to why Fubuki hadn't responded to him. To his surprise, who he thought was a very angry looking Fubuki turned out to be a mask... of a very angry looking Fubuki.

"That's not funny!" Naruto shouted pointing at the Jonin who chuckled and lifted the mask up to reveal his own face.

"My apologies," the strange man chuckled, "I over heard your conversation and couldn't help it."

"Who are you?" Naruto asked with a pout, distracting the man while Sasuke and Sakura took a good look at the strange man.

_He's familiar_, Sakura thought as she stared at the white haired, one-eyed stranger speaking calmly with Naruto. He didn't look very different from the other Jonin's who came by earlier to collect their own teams, some of the few differences this one had was his hair style and color, his one eye, his average height and average build and the fact that his chakra was almost completely suppressed. Letting her curiosity getting the better of her, Sakura reached out with her chakra, forming the hand sign behind her back as she studied the stranger. She flinched when the stranger's attention was suddenly locked onto her when her own chakra brushed faintly against his. When he narrowed his one good eye at her, she simply smiled and lowered her arm from it's hiding place, withdrawing her chakra and returning it to her body as if nothing had happened.

"Well then children," his voice was soft and for some reason it unsettled Sakura, like she knew he was giving a silent promise of punishment later. "I'll meet you in five minutes, I'm sure pinky can you lead you to my location," Sakura bowed her head with a heavy sigh as the strange man disappeared from sight, making both boys turn towards her in confusion.

"He left to the roof," Sakura sighed, trudging her way to the excite "Directly above us."

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Kakashi sighed as he leaned against the roof's rail, staring dully at the three children. Having been wounded the previous day, Sakura couldn't move as fast as the two boys, Sasuke had actually ended up carrying her on his back as he raced with Naruto to the roof, listening with half a mind to Sakura as she directed them to him. Now the three teens were sitting on the steps in front of him, Sakura pale and looking like she wanted to go to sleep and never wake up, Sasuke was panting from her extra weight that he carried as he ran and Naruto was cheering because he made it the roof before either one of his teammates.

"Dube," Sasuke growled out warningly

"Now that all three of you are awake," Kakashi interrupted, smoothly preventing either boy from launching into another verbal and/or physical fight. "Why don't you three introduce yourself?"

"Huh? How do you want us to do that?" Naruto asked tilting his head at him curiously

"Oh just state your names, likes, dislikes, hobbies and dreams for the future... I guess..." Kakashi added quickly, hoping that he didn't sound like he had repeated this line to himself a hundred times already.

"Why don't you go ahead and show us how it's done?" Sakura asked, slumping her shoulders and blinking a few times as if to clear her sight.

"Alright..." Kakashi sighed, crossing his arms lazily. "Well my name is Kakashi Hatake, my likes and dislikes are none of your concern and I have many hobbies... as for my dreams of the future," Kakashi shrugged his shoulder's carelessly, "I've never really thought about it before."

"Well that was helpful," Sakura grumbled tiredly, "We only found out his name." Both boys on either side of her nodded in agreement, Sasuke's head barely moving with the action while Naruto didn't bother hiding his agreement.

"Well I'm Naruto Uzumaki!" Naruto shouted, taking the incentive and going first, "I like Ramen and the Haruno's! I dislike TEME!" Naruto glared over Sakura at Sasuke, who matched his glare with irritation, "And my dream for the future is to become the greatest Hokage EVER!"

"And your hobbies?" Kakashi questioned, feeling amused with Naruto's introduction

"Oh! Pranks I guess..." Naruto mumbled uncertainly, "Oh yeah! And playing the drum's! Mebu-Kaa-san got me a new drum set for my birthday last year and it's the _coolest!_"

"Uh-huh," Kakashi chuckled as he turned his attention back to the very pale looking Sakura who was leaning against Sasuke but didn't appear to know that she was.

"S-Sakura Ha-Haruno..." Sakura grumbled, pressing one hand to her mouth and looking a little green, "I-I think I-I'm ganna be s-sick..."

"When was the last time you've eaten?" Kakashi asked straightening from the bar and quickly approached her, digging in his back pouch for a small nutrient bar.

"Define eaten," Sakura replied with a glare at the bar he held out to her, "I don't think food is going to help."

"You don't know if you don't try," Kakashi replied unwrapping the bar and waving it under her nose. Seeing that it was partially covered in chocolate, Sakura snatched the bar from him and took a big bite from it.

"Thank you," Sakura murmured with a shy smile to Kakashi, who nodded and returned to his previous placement. "Um... I like learning new things, my family and friends and interesting games. I dislike bullies and creepers—" Kakashi could guess what she meant by creepers, even if the two boys on either side of her couldn't "—my hobbies include helping my mom, tending to the garden and learning with my older sisters." Sakura paused as she thought about what else she could say for 'hobbies', unfortunately Kakashi thought that she was done for that section.

"Hmm... what about your dreams for the future?" Kakashi asked, tilting his head in curiosity. Sakura stiffened and, for a split second, her eyes were wide and the next she was smiling at him as if nothing was wrong.

"My dream is to find Nii-tan..." Sakura said softly, smiling in a way that said her mind was very far away, "And to find the girls just like me, to get them all back home where they belong." Kakashi knew at that moment that unlike what the Haruno's believed and what Tsunade had thought, Sakura truly did remember what had happened when she was three. At that moment, he realized that she remembered every day, every moment that she had spent with that slave ring—Sakura remembered everything. Kakashi wondered just how much she remembered and how much of it had an effect on her, what kind of memory dose she have to remember something from when she was so little?

"And you?" Kakashi asked, turning to a shocked Sasuke, trying to ignore the heavy feeling in his stomach. Sasuke jumped at the sound of his voice, his dark eyes were slightly wider then normal but after a moment of calming his breathing, the young Uchiha straightened and made eye contact with Kakashi.

"My name is Sasuke Uchiha," Sasuke said not removing his eyes from his new teacher. "I like a few things and dislike a lot of things, my hobbies include training and the gaiter" Sasuke smirked as he glanced at Sakura, who glared right back at him. He had only gotten into music because he thought it would keep Itachi from spending so much time with the Haruno's and then he picked the instrument that Sakura had the most difficulty with—determined to master it. Unfortunately, Sakura had caught on and hadn't quite forgiven him for the little stunt. "And my dream for the future is to step out from my brother's shadow, to stand on my own and have everyone to see me for who I am and not for who I'm related to." Kakashi nodded in understanding, knowing that it couldn't have been easy to be Itachi's younger sibling. He had heard the whispers in the street, even the civilians were constantly comparing the two; he could imagine that it must have been even worse in the clan compound.

"Alright those introductions were okay," Kakashi said with a slight smirk, glad that Naruto was calm as he stared curiously at his teammates, Sasuke was trying his best not to blush at the new attention and Sakura was looking a little bit healthier with something in her stomach. "We'll meet together for the final test—"

"Final test?!" Naruto shouted in confusion, nearly making Sakura go deaf with the shout, "But didn't we already pass the final test to become shinobi?!"

"No Naruto," Sakura grumbled rubbing at her sore ear. "Each Jonin who's given a team of genin is supposed to test said Genin to make sure they're ready for the _life_ a shinobi."

"The academy test was to select those who have a _chance_ at passing the Jonin test," Sasuke agreed passing Sakura a water bottle that he pulled out from his back pouch. "In other words the test that Kakashi-sensei is going to use on us will be our final test, if we fail we go back to being academy students and try again next year."

Naruto let out a depressed shout and gripped at his hair with both hands, as if he was ready to rip it out. _But I barely managed to pass the last one!_

"You're both are right," Kakashi sighed, "I take it your siblings told you?"

"Yu~p" Sakura agreed with a smile, Kakashi chuckled and shook his head.

"Anyways, we'll be meeting in training ground three tomorrow morning at seven o' clock sharp. Bring all of your shinobi gear and don't eat breakfast or you'll throw up," Kakashi warned as he straightened and formed a hand sign. "Oh and Sakura? Eat some dinner; a real kunochi don't do diets."

"Yes sir," Sakura chuckled, watching Kakashi disappear with a puff of smoke.

"I wonder where he went," Naruto mumbled thoughtfully

"I doubt we'll ever find out," Sakura chuckled, pulling herself on to her feet with Sasuke's help, Naruto soon joining helping her off the roof and later out of the academy to return home.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"Lord Hokage," Kakashi called the second he and Hiruzen were alone, "We have a problem." Hiruzen stared at Kakashi for all of three seconds before he nodded and waved Kakashi to continue

"I think she remembers—everything"

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Sakura smiled as Fubuki and Tayuya remerged around in her room, Fubuki was sorting out her pack and looking for suitable weapons that Sakura could use for the test and Tayuya was going through her closet and dresser for appropriate clothing to wear. They always did it whenever something important was taking place and Sakura couldn't find it in herself to get irritated with them.

"That's it we're going shopping!" Tayuya shouted as she glared at the closet full of completely red outfits.

"Just let her barrow one of your old outfits," Fubuki suggested. "Not one of the outfits from when you were her age but one of the ones from you were nine or so. Sakura's flatter then a wash board so a lot of your clothing isn't going to fit her."

"Thanks for the reminder," Sakura grumbled with a blush, ignoring how Tayuya was all but jumping place with excitement before she ran out of the room and barreled into her own to search for an outfit Sakura could barrow.

"Don't worry too much about it," Fubuki chuckled walking over to where Sakura laid in her bed and gently laid out a pair of black shinobi pants; a dark gray vest with a steep neck line with a few pockets; a dark maroon-red shirt with bell shaped sleeves and a high collar—all out lined with graceful white circles of the Haruno crest.

"This is what I wore for my genin test and again for my chunin test," Fubuki smiled at Sakura warmly, brushing a finger over the soft silk of the shirt and thick padding of the vest. "It brought me luck, surly it'll do the same for you."

"Thank you," Sakura whispered, fighting back tears as she stared at the hammy downs, knowing that it was that very vest that had saved her sister's life more then once.

"If she's wearing that tacky vest of yours then she's wearing my damn skirt!" Tayuya snapped as she walked into the room and glared warningly at Fubuki. The older girl rolled her eyes and went back to her previous obsession of organizing Sakura's bag for the next day. "At least you chose semi-normal pants," Tayuya grumbled looking at the black pants critically before throwing them over her shoulder and accidentally making it land on Fubuki's head. "Here's the skirt, you'll have to wear shorts with it though... oh! I have a pair of shorts that are too small! You can have 'em!" Sakura watched in amusement as Tayuya hurried out of her room, not seeing Fubuki's aggraded expression.

"I'll be right back," Fubuki murmured with a strained smile at Sakura, turning on her heel and following Tayuya into her room.

"Don't break anything!" Sakura warned loudly, unable to hide the amusement that echoed in her voice.

_Thwack_

"OW!"

_To late_, Sakura snickered to herself as she heard both Tayuya and Fubuki start fighting in Tayuya's room, a loud shout and the sound of breaking glass later and Sakura knew that one of her sisters was just thrown out of Tayuya's bedroom window. Pushing her blankets aside, Sakura carefully pulled herself up from her bed and braced herself on her desk to look out her nearby window. Outside showed Tayuya and Fubuki brawling together, their weapons were thankfully left in the house, leaving both kunochi with nothing but their Taijutsu. Tayuya had nearly perfected the flash step technique, no longer needing hand sings to perform it, she was just a hair's breath slower then Shisui was with it.

_There's mom_, Sakura perked up at the sight of her mother marching out of the house with a wooden spoon in hand, her father smiling and taking his time after her. Tayuya screamed bloody murder when the wooden spoon collided with her head, apparently her mother had been cooking again. Sakura slapped a hand to her mouth as she watched her sisters and mother start an all out, no holding back three way Taijutsu spar. After ten minuets and the three Haruno females were _still_ at it, Kizashi couldn't hold back his laugher and just ended collapsing on the ground in a fit of laughter, going as far as pounding his fists on the ground—all of which caught all three women's attention.

_Dad should have came inside to laugh_, Sakura thought, snickering to herself and wincing at the pain in her stomach that it caused. The Kunai she had prevented from hitting Naruto had hit her instead and although the hospital had made sure that there wasn't any internal damage and Fubuki had made sure that it was barely even an inch deep, Sakura still felt the waves of nauseating pain when it was agitated just right.

Taking slow deep breathes, Sakura turned to address the outfit her sisters had put together and shook her head at it. Fubuki and Tayuya went through different maturity rates then she was, at ten Fubuki was almost fully physically mature and Tayuya hit a growth sprit after she arrived in the village. When Fubuki was her age she was pushing five-six easily and when Tayuya was twelve she was already five-three. Sakura on the other hand was barely five feet tall, being the shortest member in her entire family. As such the skirt Tayuya picked out would hit her mid calf not mid thigh like Tayuya thought and the long sleeved blouse Fubuki picked out would end just past her finger tips and the vest would sit low on her too, most likely ending just past her hips while the top of the zipper would most likely end right between her breasts instead of just below her collar bone.

"I hope they had enough foresight to take in our body differences," Sakura murmured wobbling across her room to the large yellow duffel bag.

_Figures_, Sakura sighed when she pulled back the zipper of the large bag and saw Fubuki's smaller and darker travel pack inside. Smiling Sakura carefully pulled the old bag out and moved her bright yellow duffle back to rest behind the chair and against the wall. Examining the dark bag closely, Sakura smiled at the patchwork and sowing that Fubuki had done to repair it multiple times over the years. Like this circular one close to the bottom happened three years ago by Shikan's first attempt at a bomb trap, that didn't end very well, and the one just inches above it was made from the curved blade of a kunai knife five years ago.

Sakura could almost name each 'scar' that the bag held because Fubuki would tell her about it when she came home and started to repair the bag from the damage. Eventually the bag had ended up with more liners then what it originally came with. Fubuki had been forced to make them herself because she didn't want to get a new one and their mother refused to repair it a third time, the second time she'd been horrified to see a giant slash through it's side where Fubuki nearly got cut in half. Although it was barely three feet tall and at least a foot and a half wide, the small bag could hold a surprising amount of items. Sakura figured that it was do to the custom-made seals Fubuki had hand sown into the martial when she first got it—and repeated the same seals into each liner when she repaired the bag.

Pulling on the string at the top, Sakura set the bag down and opened it up. Smiling softly at the empty contents, Sakura brushed a glowing fingertip on the bottom of the bag where two small seals were resting silently together. The first seal popped and revealed three large packs of kunai and shiriken (a hundred in each) she gently took the packets and set them atop her dresser carefully. The second seal popped to reveal three packs of Senbon, two small cases of ninja wire, five packets of explosive tags, and a small box that read '100 flash bombs with a hundred foot radius and lasts three seconds and blinds your enemy for the next hour!'.

_Only Fu-nee would find something like this_, Sakura chuckled to herself and quietly set the box aside on her dresser. Just out of curiosity of what else her sister had done to the seals, Sakura carefully brushed chakra encased fingers against each of the seals; five on the front, five on the back, three line each side and the two on the bottom—eighteen seals in total. After a half hour, Sakura had pulled out everything her sister had placed in the bag and had filled up almost the entire space of her dresser. She actually had to remove the items she had on it originally to fit everything from the bag atop it.

"What are you doing?" Jumping at the smooth voice, Sakura turned with a disgruntled look at her teammate.

"Don't scare me like that, I'm still sore," Sakura answered, straightening from where she stood beside her dresser. Sasuke rolled his eyes from where he was leaning against her doorway, making her wonder just how long he had been standing there.

"The Dube and I came over to see if you wanted to make any plans with us for tomorrow," Sasuke said, stepping into the room and examining her cluttered dresser and messy room with a raised eyebrow.

"My sisters were ecstatic about the test tomorrow," Sakura answered his unspoken question, "Where's Naruto?"

"_Bombs away!_" Sakura glanced behind her and through her window to see a mass of orange fall from the sky and explode almost on contact in her back yard.

"Out back fighting with everyone else," Sasuke answered with a smirk, his eyes barely even looking at the window.

"Well... no one can say we're not related," Sakura chuckled, coughing when her side flared again

"Go sit on your bed," Sasuke ordered stepped around the piles of clothing and gently leading Sakura towards said bed. "I'll pack your bag; we're doing a test not going to war."

"Tell that to my sisters," Sakura chuckled quickly grabbing said bag and taking it with her to her bed. "I haven't finished going through all the seals yet."

"I thought that bag only had eighteen seals?" Sasuke asked steadying Sakura as she sat back against her pillows and quickly flipped the blankets back over her lap.

"You're forgetting about the other _ten_ liners in this thing," Sakura snickered pulling against a hidden zipper to reveal another pocket dressed in bright yellow.

"That thing has _ten_ liners?" Sasuke asked, "and each liner has the eighteen seals on it doesn't it?"

"Pretty much," Sakura answered cheerfully, pulling out the dark inner and main liner that her sister put in two years ago and miraculously has yet to lose to one of her missions. She knew that once she got to the first few liners, in this case the last few, the seals would be bigger and lesser in number as those were the seals that Fubuki had made when she didn't have nearly as much experience as she did making the last liner she put in.

"That's a hundred and ninety-eight seals," Sasuke said staring dully at the still smiling pinkette, "It'll take you _forever_ to empty them all."

"I'm sure a few of them _are_ empty," Sakura replied rolling her eyes and opening the first seal on the second liner. She coughed hoarsely as the dust revealed seven small packets of needles and threads for sowing, five palm-sized packets each carrying a hundred explosives that were about an inch wide, and a small wooden box of expired Onigiri. Sakura coughed, her eyes watering as she glared at the moldy food and quickly passed it to Sasuke who had immanently grabbed the trashcan and held it out to Sakura.

"I should ask Fu-nee why she's carrying her needles with her bombs," Sakura said in a strained voice, trying to keep herself from laughing at the bad joke. Sasuke snorted and rolled his eyes, taking hold of the different objects in her lap and separating them out on her desk while Sakura continued to open the next seal. After another hour, Sakura pulled out the yellow liner and wrapped it around the black one, revealing the next liner to be sky blue with similar seals hand sown on it's surface.

That was how Sasuke and Sakura spent their day before becoming real teammates. After getting his butt kicked by Mebuki, Fubuki _and_ Tayuya, Naruto soon joined them and started putting away the clothes as carefully as he could. When that was done he started putting the various items into different piles together, which saved some room on Sakura's desk and dresser but didn't save her chair and floor by much.

…

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><p>…<p>

**Thoughts are helpful**

**Opinions are wonderful**

**Helpful criticism is**** lovely! Just don't cripple me okay?**

**Please no cursing!**

**And don't forget to**** rate and**** review!**

**Page 17**


	29. Chapter 29

**There is a reason**

Chapter 29: Passing the ultimate test!

Koomahana

****Updated **Chapters**

**3, 4, 5, 18, 20, 22, 23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,39,40,41,42,43**

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

…

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><p>…<p>

"Imoto?" Fubuki called tiredly as she pushed Sakura's door aside and entered the room sluggishly. "I'm sorry Imoto, I forgot..." Fubuki trailed off as she realized that the room wasn't nearly as big of a mess as Tayuya and she had last left it. The floor was cleared of clothing with ten different piles of various objects; Sakura's desk and dresser were completely covered with similar looking objects. Stepping further into the room, Fubuki found both Sasuke and Naruto laid out together on either side of Sakura, all three sleeping soundly. Snickering softly, Fubuki pulled Sakura's blankets out from beneath them and quickly covered them with the large quilt. Pulling back from the bed Fubuki noticed a small... thing, laying on the floor at the edge of the bed. Curiosity getting the better of her, she crouched lowly and pulled the thick, floppy fabric thing up and examined it closely.

_Holy mother of_—Fubuki gaped at the bag she had planed to surprise Sakura with, she had forgotten that it was originally only two feet tall. _Had I really added that much since I got it?_ The foot high backside that showed all ten differently colored liners said yes. The more she examined it the more Fubuki realized that she had never really gotten the proper size for the liner, it always ended up slightly longer on the backside then in the front. As such she had always lined it with black to hide the fact that she added a new liner to it and because she didn't know how to sow it completely across without it looking strange; she always just added a zipper, figuring that it would be easer then her messy stitching. Straightening slightly, Fubuki looked around Sakura's room and at the different slightly organized piles of items... and the trashcan that held a horrid order sitting at end of her bed.

It didn't take her long to realize that yes, they had emptied out all of the seals she placed on each liner because she had forgotten to empty out a few—all—of them. Sighing in defeat, Fubuki set about drawing Sakura's bed curtains, lining them with chakra to keep out the light, and set about re-organizing the mess she had, technically, left behind for her little sister.

"What are you doing?" Tayuya asked softly an hour later, staring at Fubuki as if she's lost her mind

"Organizing," Fubuki answered just as softly. "All of this came from the pack I gave to Sa-chan, who knew that after all this time and all the damage it took those seals _still_ worked?"

"You made those seals with _chakra_ _enhanced_ thread," Tayuya reminded Fubuki, crossing her arms with a raised eyebrow. "Did you expect time would dull them and chakra laced blades would ruin them?"

"Actually... yes," Fubuki answered honestly, returning to her work with a soft smile. Tayuya snorted and walked softly into the room, examining the mess Fubuki called 'Organized'.

"Are you preparing her for war?" Tayuya asked, staring with a twitching eyebrow at the massive pile of exploding tags that took up nearly half of Sakura's desk.

"No," Fubuki chuckled, amusement dancing in her eyes, "Just Kakashi-san."

"I know he's bad-ass and everything Nee-chan but," Tayuya looked back Fubuki, looking pointedly at the four packs of fifty kunai each and three packs of a hundred senbon in her hands. "Scarecrow isn't an army of one; he'll go easy on them."

"Maybe," Fubuki chuckled, "But most of this wasn't what I had originally in mind for Sakura-chan. Ninety percent of this is stocked up over years of storing and forgetting to empty the seals."

"Uh-huh," Tayuya grumbled unconvinced. "You do realize that if you plan to give any of this to Imoto you'll have to re-sow those seals into a _new_ bag, right?"

"I am not doing that tonight," Fubuki sighed, "None of the stores are open."

"Guess it's a good thing I just finished," both girls jumped at the sound of their mother's voice and turned to look up at an amused looking Mebuki, in one hand was a similar bag that Fubuki had been using since she made genin, this one in such a dark crimson it was nearly black.

"I made this for Sakura's graduation present," Mebuki explained, raising the beg and holding it out to Fubuki. "You can sow in those seals in one night, right?"

"I've gotten better over the years," Fubuki agreed rising to her feet and examining the durable fabric of the bag. "This martial is pretty thick, it'll be difficult to sow into..."

"That's why you sow into the liner," Mebuki advised tugging at the paler fabric inside the bag. "The out side is made from a martial that'll stop most weapons from piercing it, so long as they aren't chakra charged of course."

"Of course," Tayuya agreed rolling her eyes. "Why do you always give the cooler things to Imoto?"

"Because I've learned from my mistakes with you two," Mebuki answered with a soft chuckle. "Fubuki has trouble attracting teammates, so everything she has, has to be fire proof; and you're nearly as bad Tayuya. Sasuke is an Uchiha through and through, Naruto is like a bad mix between a pissed Shikan, a moody Hana, _and_ he has your vengeance tendencies. If I don't want to have to contently repair that damn thing every time Sakura comes home from a mission or training day, I need to make it as strong as possible."

"Completely understandable," Fubuki said, nodding her head in agreement, ignoring the irated look Tayuya shot them. "Especially since both her teammates have rather crappie timing _and_ aim."

"Enough already," Mebuki chuckled, rolling her eyes in exasperation. "Start your sowing already missy, Tayuya you have two choices: finish organizing or start experimenting with me."

"I'll organize," Tayuya answered immanently, stepping away from Mebuki with a slightly scared expression. She learned from her last mistake of helping her mother with an 'experiment', the short version was that she couldn't use her fingers for a week and her wrists were in casts for a month.

"Good," Mebuki smiled and gently ushered Fubuki out and to her own room, "Don't forget to turn off the light when you're done,"

"Hai, Hai," Tayuya rolled her eyes and settled about organizing the giant mess at the end of Sakura's bed.

…

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When Kakashi next met his genin ready for his test the next day he stopped at the edge of the field of training ground three and examined them; they were all wearing the same outfit as the previous day. Didn't they change? All three of them were bent over what appeared to be a large book between them... he couldn't tell what they were looking at from his place at the edge of the field. After watching them for a few more minutes, he decided that he had enough of their whispering antics—his burning curiosity had nothing to do with it. Kakashi wished he wasn't so curious—they were reading his bingo book entry with a large file dedicated to his entire shinobi career, starting from when he graduated the academy at five.

"What are you three _doing_?" Kakashi asked standing over the three little Genin threateningly, all three stiffened at the sound of his voice and slowly, as if praying that it wasn't really him, all three raised their eyes to stare fearfully up at him. "Although it is wise for you to read up on your enemy, it is not okay to read up on your _superiors_!"

"I-in all tech-technicality se-sensei, you are our en-enemy," Sakura stuttered out, quickly slamming the book shut and holding it to her chest protectively while Sasuke closed the file and tried to hide it in a pocket of his bag. "A-at least f-for today..." she trailed off as Kakashi's glare sharpened on her, "S-sorry... sensei..."

"You speak as if you're already my students," Kakashi said with a narrow eye on her, Sakura shifted uncomfortably, pulling her bag a little closer. At this distance, Kakashi realized that her shirt and bag were almost in matching shades of maroon-red, the bag being darker.

"We will be!" Naruto shouted out, unaffected by Kakashi's glare when it was turned on him, "You'll see! We'll be your first team!"

Great they already knew his history

"If you have any questions you can go to our parents," Sasuke gave his agreement in his own way, smirking when Kakashi turned his glare onto him, "Or our siblings, either one will work."

"Stand up," Kakashi ordered backing away from the three, making sure to keep up his 'I'll kill you very slowly' aura. Once all three were standing together and looking at him like kicked puppies, Sasuke wasn't actually looking at him just starring off to the side in his famous pout, he pulled his hands into his pockets and smiled at them; letting is one good eye soften at them to relay the fact that, yes, he was smiling at them.

"Very good," Kakashi said, his smile growing when they turned surprised eyes on him, "Now you three know what to expect, for the most part." The three looked at each in confusion, before looking back at him like they weren't sure if he was real or not. "What I mean is you three took the incentive and did some research on your opponent, you did a very good job, not many shinobi have that kind of brains." Both boys looked at Sakura in a strange way, like they were happy for the complement but irritated for the insult, "I take it that Sakura-chan came up with the idea?" the boy's reactions confirmed it.

"Kind of..." Sakura answered, shifting her hold on the book she still clutched to her chest. "I asked my sisters if they knew anything about you... they said that they've both worked with you before..."

"I see," Kakashi murmured, understanding that the girls must have told them about his habit of showing up late, "And my files?"

"_Naruto!_"

Question answered

"I jacked the bingo book from Tayuya-nee and Fubuki-nee gave me the file before we came over," Naruto chuckled, scratching the back of his head with a slight blush.

"You do realize that Tayuya is going to kill you, right?" Sasuke asked with a raised eyebrow, effectively making Naruto pale.

"Prepare for a prank," Sakura murmured with a smile at Naruto, "You properly can't go home for a while..."

"Or to your apartment..." Sasuke added, taking great delight in Naruto's horrified expression.

"What am I gonna do?!" Naruto shouted, pressing his hands against his hair as his eyes widened in panic, "She's going to be completely _merciless_!"

"Take your punishment like a man," Kakashi suggested blandly, he had learned from others that when you run from either of the older Haruno sisters your punishment gets _worse_ as compared to you just dealing with their wrath the second they've earned it. The three children's disbelieving and horrified expressions aimed at him were giving him some doubt about that conclusion.

"You've never been pranced by a Haruno have you?" Sasuke asked blandly

_Was it that obvious?_ "No" Kakashi answered bluntly, not too sure where the boy was going with this

"Maybe we should do something to Tayuya-nee and blame it on Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto suggested thoughtfully

"We don't know him well enough to pull that off convincingly," Sakura answered with a sigh. "There's only one thing that I can think of that'll lesson Ta-nee's fury..."

"What?" Naruto asked, turning his best puppy dog eyes on her, "What is it Sakura-chan? What's the magical cure to escaping Tayuya-nee's fury?"

"We become a team," Sakura answered bluntly, turning to look at Kakashi with a smile and a determined glint in her eyes. "With him as our sensei, nothing else will save you—and us because we didn't stop you—from Tayuya's wrath." Suddenly Sasuke understood and nodded his head in agreement, turning to look at Kakashi with determination as well. It was only when Naruto's blue orbs locked onto him that Kakashi realized that he had better not underestimate them because all three of them were serious in beating his test.

They didn't even know what is test was about yet...

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"Are you sure this one will work?" Sasuke asked, getting a little annoyed with Sakura's small plans that so far hadn't worked, "For crying out loud we've changed our outfits for this stunt..."

"Yeah and now he'll be looking for our old outfits, especially since we did our first few attaches in them," Sakura reasoned with bright eyes. "Since we changed during Naruto's distraction it's doubtful he'll put two and two together right away, just enough time to give us a heads up if he approaches." Sasuke raised an eyebrow and made a purposeful examination of Sakura's 'other' outfit... which was just her in a dark cloak covering her body like an over sized blanket.

"You seriously think this'll work?" Sasuke asked looking down at his black clock hiding his own clothes. Despite what Sakura's sister's tried to make her wear for the test Sakura had simply thrown on her crimson dress and stuffed a black cloak in her bag, packing an extra two for Naruto and himself.

He didn't think the change in 'outfits' really disguised them at all

"If you pull up your hood and mask it'll help," Sakura replied rolling her eyes as she took the long piece hanging from the side of her hood and flipped it over her mouth and nose to button it in place on the other side.

"Great because this can trick _him_," Sasuke replied, mimicking her regardless of his doubt in her tactics. If she can prank a few academy teachers and not get caught, she must have been a damn good strategist. Although he figured that the orange dye was properly Tayuya's or Naruto's touch up, they always did love signing their work.

"At first glance yes," Sakura agreed, "But we can't waist our time, we have to be careful that he doesn't notice us before we finish the plan."

"I'm not moving until you start playing that thing," Sasuke replied quickly rising and running full tilt in one direction, knowing that Sakura would run in the opposite direction.

Sakura smiled to herself and quickly pulled her new bag over her shoulder, concealing her chakra and running the opposite direction. It wasn't long before she made two perfect clones and made them run in different directions, she had been practicing the clone jutsu when the boys weren't looking after all; they weren't perfect but they'd have to do.

She flinched twenty minutes later when one clone popped because Kakashi-sensei had kicked her too hard. Apparently, that one had run through a Genjutsu and didn't think twice about disrupting it while on her way to free Naruto; she ended up getting into a fight with Kakashi right after she cut Naruto down from the tree he had been strung up in. He was free and for the most part aware that the main plan was in action... she hoped that the other clone would make her way to Naruto and fill him in on the finer details.

_They didn't say anything about the memory backlash_, Sakura sighed, slumping against a tree tiredly. Now she knew why it was in the forbidden scroll, it was taxing on the reserves and the backlash of memories was physically taxing as well. _I'll have to find my place_... Sakura thought looking around herself for the perfect tree to hide in, finding one just ahead Sakura hurried over to it. Seeing that it's lowest branch was at least twice her height from the ground she knew that she would need a running start and the aid of chakra to get to it.

Hopefully she won't fall

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Kakashi grunted as he blocked a kick from Sakura, skidding back a few feet from the force of it. He still wasn't sure if this one was the real one or a clone like the previous pinkette he fought with. He didn't want to kick her too hard and find out that she was real, that was one thing neither of her sisters would forgive him for and he was on a tight enough rope as it was with them. Hearing the bells on his hip jingle he spun away just in time to slip the bells just past Naruto's grip, understanding dawned on him then. Sakura was playing diversion and Naruto was targeting the bells, now that he failed would they continue that tactic?

Apparently

Sakura charged with a war cry and leaped into the air just feet from him, just before he was able to block her telegraphed attach Sakura suddenly split into three. Eyes widening Kakashi cursed and quickly dodged Sakura's punch, stumbling when the earth beneath him rolled when she landed. Turning to exam the two he was taking on at the same time, he saw that instead of just one blonde and one pinkette there were three of each.

"What's the matter sensei?" the three Sakura's asked at the same time, making his eye narrow at her.

"Getting a little dizzy?" the three Naruto's asked with a wide grin. Kakashi said nothing as he settled himself into a battle stance, ready for their attach. Giggling to herself, Sakura raced forward, fist pulled back and held at the ready; Naruto just inches behind her.

_Damn it, what's going on?_ Kakashi thought as he swept a foot back and blocked Sakura's punch and then her kick, grunting at the pain that resonated up his side because he blocked the wrong kick. Sweeping away from her, Kakashi growled when he saw that he moved just in time to avoid Naruto trying to be sneaky. He couldn't keep this on a Taijutsu level, it was clear that each image was alternating between the real and fake ones; two of the images were false and one of them was the real one.

_What's the trick?_ Kakashi thought, glaring at the two (six?) smiling preteens, Kakashi tried to search for the difference in his surroundings. But nothing was different, every leaf and smudge in the dirt was accurate the only thing that wasn't right was the two-six children in front of him. He was just about to ask what Sakura had done, because she was the one with pride glinting in her eyes and there was no way she was going to volunteer that information, Kakashi's eyes suddenly widened when he heard it.

It wasn't a visual change as most clues to Genjutsu's were—this was a sound genjutsu

"Bloody hell child," Kakashi grumbled, glaring pointedly at Sakura

"Uh-oh he figured it out!" Sakura said, taking a slight step back, now wiry of him. As Kakashi brought his hands up to dispel the disruption genjutsu that Sakura had managed to place by using her violin, he felt a slight tug at his waist. His right arm was lowing even as his eye widened at the sight of a shadow at his side, thin pale fingers tugging at one of the bells to loosen the knot they were in. His elbow landed in the shadow's temple at the same time that a kunai whizzed past his guard and freed the bell from his waist. Looking towards Sakura and Naruto, Kakashi jumped back just in time to avoid being hit by one of Sakura's blue-glowing fists. He back flipped and skidded to a halt just within the range of the trees, he felt the earth rumble beneath him and he _saw_ the earth buckle and beneath her fist, spider web cracks arcing away from her.

"Got 'em!" Naruto cheered from just behind Sakura, Kakashi patted his waist then looked down just to reassure himself. Yes, that punch was a distraction because Naruto had apparently moved just as fast as Sakura had and snatched up the other bell while he was distracted with Sakura's _glowing_ fist.

"Great job ototo!" Sakura cheered, smiling brightly at Naruto before she hurried over to the shadow laying in the dirt a few feet away. "Sasuke are you okay?" Ah so the shadow had been a disguised Sasuke, smart little brat.

"I'm fine," was the strained reply, Sasuke lifted a hand from where he laid to shoo Sakura away, but that only encouraged her to move closer and remove his hood.

"I'll inform boss!" Sakura said in a slightly panicky voice, Sasuke didn't get a chance to disagree before she proofed out of existence. Making Kakashi very confused at that point, was she using shadow clones? The first pinkette he came across didn't get the chance to land hit for him to find out...

"Whoa! I didn't know Sakura-chan memorized the Clone jutsu too!" Naruto shouted, clearing Kakashi's confusion right up. He had known that Naruto had learned the clone jutsu from the forbidden scroll, but he hadn't been informed that Sakura had learned it as well.

"Naruto," Kakashi called straightening from his crouch and approaching the blond curiously, "Did you teach Sakura-chan that jutsu?"

"Huh?" Naruto asked looking curiously up at him

"Did you teach Sakura the shadow clone jutsu?" Kakashi asked again, Naruto stared up at him for several long seconds before he let out a loud scream. Backing away quickly, Naruto quickly picked Sasuke up and glared at him before running away shouting that he couldn't have the bells because they both took them fair and square.

"Okay~ then" Kakashi sighed, rubbing at his neck now curious as to how much Sakura actually knew

…

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Sakura flinched at Naruto's shrill voice shrieked through the air in the form of her name, she stumbled out the tree she had been hiding in and landed on the ground just in time to watch Naruto stumble out of a bush and into the small ten-foot wide clearing surrounding the tree she had been hiding in.

"I'm right here Naruto," Sakura called, kneeling in her landing place and gesturing to bring Sasuke closer.

"Kakashi-sensei hit him really—"

"I know Naruto," Sakura said in exasperation as the blonde laid Sasuke out before her, "I memorized how to do the Shadow clone jutsu baka, I can't pull off nearly as many as you can but I do get their memories when they disappear."

"Huh? They're memories?" Naruto asked curiously, tilting his head to the side as he watched Sakura pull out her first aid from her back pack—the only thing she didn't seal away in that bag.

"You haven't noticed?" Sakura questioned, not looking at him as she opened the box and rummaged around for something to tend to Sasuke's massively pounding head. "The shadow clones are virtually you, they just don't eat or drink because they're only copies—and copies can be destroyed." Naruto nodded in understanding, although he really didn't, as he watched Sakura press a pill into Sasuke's mouth and gently rub a clear jell into his temple, making his midnight blue locks smooth out and stick up away from where the jell was applied.

"What are you doing?" Naruto questioned, watching how Sasuke's eyes clenched shut and he gritted his teeth as if in pain.

"Swallow Sasuke," Sakura murmured pulling out a bottle of water and pressing it to his lips, making him roll over in the process, "It'll help with the pain, don't fight it." Sasuke glared at her tiredly as he drank slowly, eventually gaining enough strength to sit up and start drinking on his own. Sasuke coughed as he finished sitting up, glaring when Naruto patted him on his shoulder with a big grin. He never got the chance to say the scathing remark on the tip of his tong because another voice interrupted him.

"I'd say congrats but it looks like someone broke my clock," Kakashi's chilled voice made the three stiffen and slowly turn to see him standing just behind the bush behind Sasuke. In his hand was a completely mashed to pieces clock; broken frame, dismembered bells and a face with a near perfect imprint of a fist.

"Sakura, I take it this was your doing?" Kakashi asked, turning one fridge coal eye on the pinkette, noting how she was also wrapped up in a dark cloak to hide her clothing and hair from view. Sakura chuckled nervously and scratched at her cheek with one finger, a blush staining her cheeks.

"I-I knew we couldn't finish within the time frame," Sakura answered, ignoring the looks Naruto and Sasuke shot her. "S-so I thought... I thought if I could manage to just give us at least a little bit more time..."

"So instead of changing the alarm to go off in another hour or two you crushed it to smithereens?" Kakashi asked with a ticking eyebrow

"I-I didn't know how..." Sakura admitted, "it was about to go off when I reached it... so I just... improvised..."

"And how long ago was that?" Kakashi asked, glare fully set on her; shifting uncomfortably Sakura pulled up her right wrist and glanced at the time, not seeing Kakashi's eye narrow further at her.

"A-about... t-two—"

"Minutes?" Sasuke asked hopefully, knowing that it had been about that long to both find Sakura and get his treatment from her.

"N-no," Sakura answered shaking her head and paling slightly, "_Hours_"

Kakashi tied all three of them to the posts and scolded them about breaking personal property, using advanced Genjutsu on higher ranked shinobi, dressing up like the grim reaper, and throwing paper explosives at allies to make them step into large wire traps strung up with powerful paper bombs.

Okay so most of his rant was aimed towards Sakura but the boys took the hint

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><p>…<p>

Later that day

…

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><p>…<p>

When Sakura, Sasuke and Naruto stepped into the Haruno house, they each ignored Tayuya's glare and threatening aura in favor of drinking large amounts of water from the sink; nearly sticking their heads under the faucet to do so.

"It's seven thirty," Tayuya growled standing in the doorway to the kitchen and glaring pointedly at Naruto. "Your test couldn't have possibly taken all day, you three had better have _passed_!"

"We did," Sakura panted refilling her class and not looking back at her sister

"By the skin of our teeth" Sasuke agreed, rinsing his hands and taking the wet washcloth and whipping his face clean of the dirt he was smothered in when Kakashi had hit him.

"And my book?" Tayuya asked, glare intensifying on Naruto

"Kakashi-sensei has it," Sakura replied, letting Naruto continue gulping his water down, "Slow down or you'll throw it back up," Sakura warned when he went to refill his glass, Naruto nodded absently.

"What took you so long in getting back?" Fubuki asked as she watched Tayuya fly out of the house, undoubtedly heading straight for Kakashi.

"Training," Naruto gasped, refilling his mouth with water soon after

"Training?" Fubuki repeated a smile split across her face, making her green eyes light up, "You passed his test?"

"Yup," Sasuke and Sakura answered, steadying their breathing before they started drinking their water more slowly.

"Why didn't you come straight home?" Fubuki questioned, leaning against the doorframe with a raised eyebrow and crossed arms.

"He took our bags," the three answered together, glaring out the window, "We had to get them back."

"Where are they?"

"He still has them," Sakura answered, setting her cup aside and turning to leave the kitchen. "He gave us an hour long break before he decides to burn them."

"... What did you do?" Fubuki asked, turning to look at Naruto and Sasuke for the answer, seeing how Sakura had already walked into the closest bathroom.

"She crushed his clock," the boy's answered bitterly

Fubuki couldn't decide to laugh or sigh

…

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><p>…<p>

**Thoughts are helpful**

**Opinions are wonderful**

**Helpful criticism is**** lovely! Just don't cripple me okay?**

**Please no cursing!**

**And don't forget to**** rate and**** review!**

**Page 13**


	30. Chapter 30

**There is a reason**

Chapter 30: to the land of waves!

Koomahana

****Updated **Chapters**

**3, 4, 5, 18, 20, 22, 23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,39,40,41,42,43**

**Fubuki was 10 when she met Sakura & 11 when she was taken to the leaf village**

**Tayuya was 8 when she met Sakura & 9 when she was taken to the leaf village**

**Sakura was 3 when she was taken and returned to the leaf village**

**Fubuki is 7 years older than Sakura and 2 years older then Tayuya**

**Tayuya is 5 years older than Sakura**

**Fubuki was a genin at 12, Chunin at 14 and Jonin at 16**

**Tayuya was a genin at 12, Chunin at 13 ½ and Jonin at 16**

**They are now:**

**Fubuki is now 19 years old—Jonin for three years (Same age as Shisui—Anbu—and Shikan—Jonin)**

**Tayuya is now 17 years old—Jonin for one year (Same age as Itachi—Anbu—and Hana—Jonin)**

**Sakura is now 12 years old—Genin (Same age as Naruto and Sasuke)**

**Okay so I italicized the conversation between two people just so you, hopefully, wouldn't get too confused. Basically their talking together and they aren't being over heard by the others **** that was my intention but I don't know how well that worked**

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

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><p>…<p>

Two weeks after doing nothing but horrendous training and D-ranked missions (taking out weeds from a garden, walking dogs, painting fences, ecta, ecta) Naruto demanded that they take a higher ranked mission—in front of the Hokage and their old academy teacher no less. At first Sakura was embarrassed for her teammate's loud declaration but then she got bored when the Hokage started to describe why they weren't suited to the higher ranked missions. She didn't mean to listen to Naruto's speech about how to make a perfect bowl of ramen and tune out the Hokage, it just kind of happened.

"Hmm? Sorry what was that?" Kakashi's voice brought Sakura out of her fixed attention on Naruto, she blushed brightly and glanced apologetically at Hiruzen, knowing that his irritated look was both at her and at Naruto: he expected better from them.

"I don't care old man!" Naruto shouted, spinning around on the floor to pout with his arms crossed, "There's gotta be something better then pulling weeds and walking dogs!" For a moment, Sakura thought that either Iruka would throw a scroll at Naruto's head or Hiruzen would scold Naruto for being disrespectful.

Turns out, they did neither

"Alright then" Sakura blinked dumbly at the agreement, amazed that Hiruzen didn't even scold Naruto for his rudeness.

"Seriously?" Sakura questioned barely glancing at her teacher for confirmation.

"You'll be given a C-ranked mission to the land of waves," Hiruzen continued holding up the pale yellow scroll containing the request. "It's an escort mission—"

"Oh! Who is it?! Who is it?!" Naruto asked loudly, bouncing in his seat excitedly, "A prince or a princesses?"

"Bring him in!" Hiruzen shouted, ignoring Naruto's questions

"Oh! Oh! Is it a daimyo?!" Naruto asked turning to look at the entrance to the room excitedly, bouncing to his feet to greet the stranger.

"Hello," Naruto visibly deflated at the drunkard leaning against the doorway to the room. "I am the great bridge builder, Tazuna. I take it you'll be escorting me to my village and protecting me while I finish the bridge?"

"What the hell is this old man?!" Naruto asked loudly while pointed at the old man in the doorway

"He's your C-rank mission," Hiruzen said with a smile, "Do you want a D-rank instead?" The implication wasn't lost even on Naruto: Boring D-ranks or this boring C-rank, your choice.

"What the? A bunch of brats?" Tazuna questioned, staring at the three preteens almost curiously. "They don't look like they could protect a fly—especially the short one."

"Which one of us is shorter?" Naruto asked glancing back at both Sasuke and Sakura as they stepped up on either side of him. "Why you damned drunkard!" Naruto shouted, intending to punch Tazuna.

"Now, Now Naruto," Kakashi said, holding Naruto back by the scuff of his jacket, keeping him back from trying to thrash Tazuna. "You're supposed to protect him not beat him into next week."

"I know we don't look like much sir," Sakura said stepping forward and around her teammates, presenting herself closer to Tazuna like a well-organized diplomat. "But please belief that we'll protect you from the bandits and thieves that you've requested our protection from." Tazuna's brow twitched which made Sakura's brow twitch, her polite expression stiffening when she caught the slight change in his expression.

"And since it's only bandits and petty thieves you need protection from, you _don't need_ any higher ranked shinobi with you," Sakura continued, a slight warning in her voice that went unheard to anyone who didn't know her or weren't that keen to the slight tone differences that Haruno's specialized in controlling. Kakashi and Hiruzen both narrowed their eyes at Tazuna, understanding her words and the stiffness in her body. Sasuke and Naruto didn't appear to have noticed the difference in her stance and tone of voice.

"...Right," Tazuna mumbled lifting himself from the doorframe and turning to leave, "When will you be ready to leave?"

"By tomorrow morning," Sakura answered with a smile, "We must pack and _prepare_ for our trip. Surly you must do the same." Tazuna nodded in agreement, "Then we'll meet you at sunrise tomorrow at the western most gate, good day Tazuna-san." Tazuna nodded again and quickly left, not sure if the girl found him out or not.

"Sakura," Sasuke called with a frown, eyes narrowed at the pinkette.

"Yeah?" Sakura asked, walking back to her teammates with a calm smile, as if nothing happened.

"...nothing," Sasuke sighed turning away from her as she smiled at him. Neither noticed Kakashi glance back at Hiruzen nor did they notice Hiruzen's soft nod of agreement.

"Alright you three let's go," Kakashi said, letting go of Naruto and ushering all three out of the room so that the next team could get their missions. "We have a mission to prepare for!"

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"Lord Hokage," Kakashi called as he kneeled before of Hiruzen's desk, "This wave mission... is it what I think it is?"

"Yes," Hiruzen agreed with a soft nod, "We need to know if she's the reincarnation, if she is we can protect her better."

"And the ranking of this mission?" Kakashi questioned, not looking up, "Is it really a C-rank?"

"Doubtful," Hiruzen sighed. "If not for Sakura-chan's keen eyes, and possibly because of her sister's teachings, we never would have learned that Tazuna-san had lied to us about the ranking of his mission." _At least not until it was too late_

"But team seven is still going to take the mission?" Kakashi asked softly, "Even though it could be an A-rank in disuse?" _They aren't ready for that kind of mission!_

"Yes," Hiruzen sighed, not liking the answer. "We need to know if she's Rin and the chances of another wave mission coming our way aren't in our favor. We were lucky to have had him in our village when he was gathering supplies for his bridge."

"I see," Kakashi sighed in understanding.

"At least prepare for this one accordingly," Hiruzen mumbled, turning his chair to look out at the dark sky over his village. "Undoubtedly the Haruno girls are helping Sakura-chan pack, especially since she doesn't hide anything from them. They'll know to prepare her for a higher then necessary mission."

"And the boys?"

"Itachi-kun is just as overprotective of Sasuke-kun as the Haruno sisters are of Sakura-chan," Hiruzen chuckled. "Sasuke-kun would probably tell him that Sakura-chan was acting strangely with the client, stiffly like she did around Mizuki. Itachi would prepare him accordingly as well. As for Naruto-kun" Hiruzen shrugged his shoulders, not carelessly but not dismissively either. "Mebuki-chan will take care of him, Kizashi-kun too. You can go back through his things when you meet up in... Oh about three hours..."

"Right," Kakashi coughed, knowing that the sun would be up in that time frame. "I'd better go..."

"One more thing Kakashi," Hiruzen called, stilling Kakashi's movements. "Do you know the signs?"

"Mist shinobi equals reincarnation," Kakashi answered softly

"What else?" Hiruzen asked, glancing slightly up at the pale haired man beside him. "What will you do if they try to take her? What if the Mizukage shows up? What'll you do then?"

"I'll protect her_,_" Kakashi whispered aiming a cheerful but serious smile towards Hiruzen. "I refuse to fail twice... she belongs in Konoha"

"Good_,_" Hiruzen smiled and nodded in agreement, he would be happy if the young pinkette wasn't the reincarnation of Kakashi's old teammate but that would mean that the Rin would have ended up in one of the other two female graduates and they were heirs of clans. It was possible that the Mizukage would demand for the reincarnate to be sent to Mizu as she is unconsciously holding a tail's worth of the Sanbi's power.

"Be safe," Hiruzen mumbled, watching through the reflection in the window as Kakashi disappeared from sight. It is easer to let go of a nobody little girl then it is letting go of a little girl with a well-established and highly regarded clan that would undoubtedly refuse the Mizukage and possibly start a war between their villages—as they had that right. He was torn between hoping that she was so he could train her himself and praying that she wasn't so he wouldn't have to worry about the added pressure of a political disaster.

…

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At the west front gates of Konohagakure stood team 7; Sasuke Uchiha, Naruto Uzumaki and Sakura Haruno with their teacher Kakashi Hatake. Mikoto was laughing and crying as she held a struggling Sasuke to her chest, patting his spiky blue hair and smothering the top of his head in kisses. Naruto was receiving a similar treatment from Mebuki... only she punched him when he got a little to vocal in his protesting. Fubuki was quizzing Sakura about her knowledge about the hidden mist while Tayuya went through Sakura's bag and added a few extra last minuet items that she thought Sakura would most likely need.

"Naruto calm down!" Sakura ordered with a giggle, a smile twisting her features. "She's not going to eat you!"

"Save me!" Naruto whined to the pinkette, to which Mebuki promptly pushed him away and hid her face in her hands with a loud sob.

"My baby doesn't love me!" Mebuki wailed, shocking the blonde boy, "None of my babies love me!"

"We love you!" Sakura, Tayuya and Naruto cried out at the same time, lunging in unison to wrap their arms around Mebuki. Mebuki laughed as she nearly collapsed from the extra weight, smirking at a bemused Fubuki who rolled her eyes and shook her head, a soft smile pulling at her lips.

"Alright everyone!" Fubuki laughed as the three preteens turned to look at her curiously, she held up a camera and gestured towards the nearest gate-door. "Picture time! It's your first time out of the village; it's something we need to take a picture of!"

"Will our client be apart of it?" Sakura asked curiously, her head barely visible in the mass of her two siblings and mother.

"I'd prefer it but not necessarily," Fubuki answered, glancing at the half-drunk man leaning tiredly against the frame of the gate, his head nodding back and forth softly.

"Yeah, sure, whatever," Tazuna agreed stumbling towards the gate that Kakashi was standing beside. "Anything to make us leave already..." Tazuna tried to ignore the lump growing on his head while the three children gathered in front of him smiling brightly for the camera.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

A few days later

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Mei sighed as she listened to the council babble on and on about various things that she thought had been settled in the previous meeting. She had resorted to daydreaming to get away from their rather boring lectures, she snapped out of her daydreaming the second she heard glass shattering. Her eyes snapped onto the broken pieces of a small drinking cup, she raised her eyes to lock instantly on Yagura's trembling hands and his far to wide eyes; Mei stiffened and her instinct told her what her sensei would undoubtedly say next.

"She's here," Yagura whispered in the echoing silence of the meeting room.

_Crap,_ Mei thought as she stiffened, watching her teacher closely

"She's here... She's in the land of waves... she's here..." Yagura's wide pink eyes turned towards the west most window, seeing him lunge forward Mei and her teammate Zabuza lunged forward just in time to keep Yagura from jumping out his window to search out his target himself.

"Mizukage-sama not yet!" Mei shouted slightly panicked at Yagura's blank face, "It's been too many years! She might not remember you! You'll scare her if you suddenly barge into her life!" Yagura's eyes widened and he stiffened in Mei's and Zabuza's arms. "You don't want to scare her away! You want her to trust you, that'll take time!"

"At least let one of us check out the border," Zabuza suggested as Yagura's breathes evened with Mei's little speech that she had been working on for a while, knowing what words would affect him the most to snap him out of his stupor. "I'll take my team if you want... they've been wanting an out of village mission anyways."

"... Alright," Yagura sighed, straightening from where the two held onto him tightly, their grips loosening slightly. "I'll send you messages when her position changes..."

"Zabuza..." Mei said as Yagura turned to the back of the room, ignoring the Council's mumblings as they slowly left, understanding that with the arrival of the girl that their meeting was over. "You do understand that because of it's importance to Sensei—"

"That this mission is at least an 'A' rank but will most likely be disguised as a 'C' rank?" Zabuza asked with a bemused smile at the red head standing beside him. "Don't worry Mei-chan, I understand. The boy's can't know it's true ranking but I'll come up with something..."

"There's no need," Yagura called as he studied the integrate map of the hidden mist, his one finger resting on a small island close to the main land. "This island here has been taken over by a shipping Tycoon. I want you to offer your surfaces as a missing Nin, with an aliases of course, and search for her while at the same time protect the bridge builder of this island. I know he's important to the fishing village there on this island." _It's the first place she'd come across from her current location, it's the best place to search for her_

"What about this Tycoon?" Zabuza asked curiously, "Wouldn't he want to get rid of the bridge builder?"

"Yes," Yagura agreed, not looking back at the only two people remaining in the room. "You yourself Zabuza will go to the tycoon under a disguise but your team will protect the bridge builder. You are to act as if you're following his orders but don't actually do so. Search for the most likely girl there..."

"Do you know how old she is?" Zabuza asked, not liking that he had to bring up the touchy subject, it went unsaid that the Mizukage didn't actually know what the Reincarnate looked like and he didn't like people rubbing it in his face. "A ruff guess is better then nothing..."

"...Twelve..." Yagura answered softly, still lost in the details of the map, "Imoto is twelve... she just... graduated..." Yagura was so lost in studying the map, he didn't notice the nick name he had given the girl slip out. Zabuza and Mei both caught the soft spoken word, understanding filling their eyes as they stared at their entrapped Kage; They were glade that there was hope for the girl's existence but sad that her very being controlled him so.

"I'll gather the boys," Zabuza murmured, "We'll leave as soon as possible..."

"Be careful," Yagura ordered as he pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket and held it out expectantly to the taller Jonin. "She isn't alone... the Demon Fox is beside her..."

_I hope he isn't talking about the Kiyobi,_ Zabuza thought with a sigh, slipping the paper from Yagura's fingers and pocketing it quickly before he jumped out the nearest window. _If that's the case then she'll have one hell of a sensei with her... crap this mission just got about a hundred times harder._

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"I can't belief you lied to us," Sakura glared at Tazuna, she didn't care much about the reasons or even his sob story, she cared about the fact that he didn't trust her village to enough to tell the truth. "Now you've put all of us in danger, we're genin, by the laws of our village we should kill you and return to our village as quickly as possible. We no longer know if you're simply lying to us to save your village or if you're working for someone to take one of our precious bloodlines."

"You'll let me die?" Tazuna questioned, his eyes softening and his shoulders slumping, "What of my family? Do they mean nothing to you?"

"With time your daughter and grandchild will understand," Sakura replied coldly, ignoring the strange looks her teammates shot at her. "It was your fault for not getting adequate protection detail from the village, there for it is your fault for your own death and your fault for not finishing the bridge and _your fault_ for letting your village collapse in Gato's hands." Tazuna could see the reasoning behind her words, he didn't like it, but the girl had a point.

"I apologize," Tazuna sighed, slumping in his seat with depression. "I had only wanted to protect my village and the people inside of it, the best way for that is to build the bridge... I apologies for placing you all in danger for my selfishness." Tazuna didn't see Sakura's self-satisfied smirk as she grinned at her teammates.

"Tell that to our mothers," Sasuke replied bitterly, making Tazuna look up at him in misery, "If we fall in this mission it'll be you who'll have to deal with the four Jonin Kunochi's. Both of Sakura's sisters would want to have a nice, _long_ chat with you too."

"Old man Hokage wouldn't allow that would he?" Naruto asked looking slightly pale, "Those two are psychotic!"

That didn't make Tazuna feel any better

"Whoa, wait a moment," Tazuna spoke up, straitening in his seat with wide eyes at Sasuke. "Are-are you saying..." he trailed off, afraid that if he spoke the words then Kakashi would contradict him.

"It's a three-to-one vote," Kakashi sighed. "We'll finish this mission, weather I like it or not, these three are likely to turn right around and follow you home regardless of what I do."

Tazuna smiled, ignoring the tears that pricked at his eyes

"With the condition that you never lie to us _ever again_"

Tazuna's smile didn't fade, he knew that the pinkette was angrier at him for lying about the contents of the mission then the reasons behind it.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"We get a crappy protection detail?" A pale haired boy whined loudly, a dark gray clock wrapped around his shoulders and a long thin sword rested against his back, "Seriously old man?"

"Quite calling me that!" Zabuza snapped around buried his fist into the blond's skull, slightly discussed that the boy's head liquefied under his fist. "Damn it Suigetsu, how many times do I have to tell you to call me Sensei?!"

"You aren't my sensei!" Suigetsu snapped back in irritation, "You only picked me up because of Haku! And you only agreed to Kimimaro because you knew his teacher!"

"Can we just go?" Kimimaro asked, stepping past his teammates

"As soon as you get that stick out of your—"

"Suigetsu!" Haku shouted, interrupting Suigetsu quickly, "We're on a mission! We have to act like a team or the enemy will use that against us!"

"If you two keep arguing I'll leave all of ya' in my dust!" Zabuza taunted as he ran ahead, "We're on a fixed schedule brats! We got two days to intersect the other team at the village or we won't make it in time!"

"Ah! Wait up Zabuza-Sensei!" Haku called as he quickly took off after him with Kimimaro close behind him, leaving Suigetsu to curse and run to catch up to them. In terms of sprinting speed it went: Zabuza, Haku, Kimimaro and of course Suigetsu, who was the slowest member of their team

…

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><p>…<p>

**Thoughts are helpful**

**Opinions are wonderful**

**Helpful criticism is**** lovely! Just don't cripple me okay?**

**Please no cursing!**

**And don't forget to**** rate and**** review!**

**Page 9**


	31. Chapter 31

**There is a reason**

Chapter 31: meeting the Mist's team seven!

Koomahana

****Updated **Chapters**

**3, 4, 5, 18, 20, 22, 23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,39,40,41,42,43**

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

…

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><p>…<p>

One second they were walking through the forest quietly and the next second they were eating dirt, well at least Naruto and Sasuke were eating dirt, Kakashi had noticed before they did and stopped in his tracks preventing Tazuna from going any further but not getting to Sakura before she fell on her backside.

"What the hell?!" Naruto shouted out, his voice echoing in the air around them. He pulled himself up to his hands and knees and found that he slipped in a streak of mud that now covered his entire front. Luckily, he wasn't the only one in the mud; Sasuke looked just as irritated... and Sakura wasn't moving.

"You okay Sakura-chan?" Kakashi asked curiously, bending slightly to look down at her face curiously.

"A sword," Sakura mumbled in answer, not looking at Kakashi. "That cloud looks like a sword..." curious Kakashi looked up at the sky and saw the cloud that Sakura was looking out. He supposed it could have been taken for a sword it looked a lot more like—

…

"_Hay Kakashi-kun do you see that cloud there?" she called smiling up at him from where she laid on the ground panting out of breath. "It looks like a turtle!"_

"_And the one next to it looks like a person," he replied dully, not actually looking at the sky_

"_Wow Kakashi-kun! You actually saw it without looking up!" She giggled helplessly, hands pressing against her stomach, "You must be physic!" Kakashi ignored her in favor of looking up, true to his word beside the turtle was a short cloud looking similar to a person._

_Was it just him or was that one arm elongated towards the 'turtle'? _

…

"Hay I see a ramen bowl!" Naruto shouted interrupting Kakashi's train of thought

"That's not a ramen bowl dube," Sasuke grumbled looking up at the sky as well, "That's an eye."

"No, no sunny!" Tazuna chuckled, drawing both boy's attention, "That's a bridge up there!"

"You're delusional!" Naruto shouted and Sasuke grumbled together, making Kakashi chuckle at them.

"You all must have bumped your heads," Sakura replied, smirking to herself as she walked passed the boys and further a head.

_When did she?!_ Kakashi blinked dumbly as he quickly pulled Tazuna with him to catch up with Sakura.

"Wait up Sakura-chan!" Naruto whined immanently, turning and running to catch up with the pinkette. Sasuke was left to grumble as he quickly followed them.

"You'll have to catch me first!" Sakura shouted snapping around to jog back words, not seeing that something was moving through the tall shoulder high grass on either side of her. "Come on—"

"Sakura look out!" Kakashi shouted out, letting go of Tazuna to race forward wide eyed and panicked.

"Huh?" Sakura stopped mid step and she heard a loud animalist growl to her left. When Sakura looked up with wide eyes, she saw that some kind of giant lizard with kunai sharp teeth had jumped out of the tall grass and was bearing down on her open mouthed and roaring loudly. Sakura barely heard Kakashi's shout or Naruto's scream; she just set her stance and raised a glowing palm above her head protectively. If Sakura didn't close her eyes and leaned away from the giant creature, she would have seen that the thing that jumped out from her right wasn't a similar creature as she originally thought.

"Die ugly!" Sakura was instantly yanked a side by something slimy and wet, while something else moved over head and removed the giant creature's head. Sakura let out a shout as she landed and rolled with another body in the dirt towards her teammates. When they stopped moving, Sakura refused to move, much less breathe, until she was positive that nothing was hurting. She was halfway through checking her body for all the possible wounds when a voice distracted her.

"Are you okay?" She slowly opened her eyes and lowered her arms from their crossed position over her neck and face. Above her was a pale-skinned boy with faintly blue hair, a mist forehead protector on his forehead and a pair of eyes so blue they made butterflies flutter in her stomach; he was staring down at her in concern and for some reason she couldn't get her mind off the fact that the sunlight looked really pretty through his hair. She didn't even register how close he was until Kakashi marched over and flat out _kicked_ the boy strait off her without so much as a warning.

"Are you alright Sakura-chan?" Kakashi asked as he helped her off the ground, eyes not leaving the coughing boy a few feet away.

"I'm fine," Sakura answered with a blush, "Thank you," Sakura murmured just loud enough for Kakashi to hear.

"Next time reply to my voice okay?" Kakashi asked and ruffled her hair affectionately; Sakura was prevented from replying when the boy shouted at them.

"What the hell man?!" the pale haired boy shouted glaring up at Kakashi with tears prickling the sides of his eyes, "What was that for?!"

"Suigetsu!" A panicked voice shouted out from the tall grass nearby, "Suigetsu I heard a scream!" a young black haired girl stumbled out the tall grass a little further a head of them, big brown eyes full of panic. She was dressed in elegant dark green pants that looked more like a skirt then pants; a matching long sleeved turtleneck and a matching belt holding closed a teal jacket rimmed in yellow. A Mist headband sat soundly on her forehead, making her bangs frame her face elegantly while the rest of it was pulled back into a high bun wrapped in a yellow cloth.

"Oh my goodness! I'm so sorry! I didn't see you!" The girl shouted when she caught sight of team seven. Kakashi's eye narrowed at the girl's matching headband, noting that both the boy and the girl must have been teammates because of their age, matching headbands and the fact that the girl called the boy out by name.

"Relax Haku, you sound like a girl," Suigetsu grumbled back as he glared over his shoulder at 'Haku'.

"Wait... you mean...?" Sakura's voice trailed off as she looked up to examine the 'boy'.

"Wha?! But he's prettier then Sakura-chan!" Naruto shouted out, Sakura's brow twitched several times before she turned to look at her sunshine haired teammate with a placid smile.

"Really?" Sakura asked softly, Naruto turned and looked at her, nodding in agreement with a 'uh-huh'. It was quiet a moment as both Kakashi and Sasuke quickly stepped away from the officially doomed blonde.

"Idiot!"

_THW~ACK!_

"WAA! I'm sorry Sakura-chan!"

_THWACK!_

"Please don't hit me!"

_THWA~CK!_

"O~w! I'm sorry!"

_THWACK!_

"I said I was sorry~!"

_THW~ACK!_

"Defiantly Fubuki's younger sister," Suigetsu said watching how Sakura continued to hit Naruto until Kakashi pulled her away with an arm wrapped around her waist.

"No mistaking their relation," Haku agreed with a nod

"I'm sorry but who are you two?" Kakashi asked 'calmly', to which both boys twitched at the hidden tone of voice but not the hidden dark aura around Kakashi.

"We're on a mission!" Suigetsu said immanently, sensing that the man before him was as bad if not worse then Zabuza.

"Suigetsu!" Haku snapped

"We're to protect a bridge builder!" Suigetsu continued unfazed by Haku's voice, only wincing when the boy smashed a fist atop his head.

"Idiot!" Haku hissed

"Where's your other teammate?" Naruto asked as he hid behind Sasuke

_BOOM_

Looking off to the right the three-leaf genin flinched at the sound created by what look like a giant spindle a few hundred feet from their position. At the very top stood a crouched figure with his head turning every which way as if searching for something.

"Found him," Suigetsu chuckled charging into the tall grass carelessly

"And your sensei, where's he?" Sasuke asked with a frown as he pulled Sakura behind him slightly.

"He's making contact with our client," Haku sighed in answer, "He told us to train by our selves..."

"And the giant lizard thing was what exactly?" Sakura questioned with a raised eyebrow

"Our team jutsu," Haku answered with a slight blush, "Kimimaro creates the skeleton, I create the body and Suigetsu keeps it from falling a part."

"How many did you make?" Naruto questioned curiously

"One for each of us," Haku answered simply. "Suigetsu just took out his and I'm betting that Kimimaro just destroyed his and as for mine... well I don't know where it went..."

"How far is your range?" Kakashi asked

"Oh not very far," Haku answered neutrally, "Why did you find a large puddle of mud?"

"We fell in it," Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura grumbled together in irritation.

"I'm sorry" Haku looking like he didn't mean it

…

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><p>…<p>

When Zabuza returned to the clearing where he last saw his students he found that they had moved on without him, a note stuck to a large bone spandrel in Suigetsu's crappy hand righting only confirmed his suspicions. According to Suigetsu's note, they came across the bridge builder for the little island they were trying to get to before he left to make contact with the Tycoon. Zabuza decided that he was going to be completely merciless with his students; he was going to make them run through some drills that they'd never forget!

However, when he arrived at Tazuna's house, he was so tiered he wanted nothing more then to sleep on their couch; which Tsunami was more then happy to let him do. When it was morning he sat up and entered the kitchen/dinning room were his three students were talking adamantly with... with Kakashi Hatake's. Kakashi looked up at him with a glare, clearly displeased that he was the boy's teacher. Kimimaro took one look at him and headed for the door, Haku was smart enough to look back at him before he joined his white haired teammate.

Suigetsu was another matter entirely

"Hay where are y—"

"_Suigetsu~_" the pale haired teen stiffened and hesitantly looked over his shoulder at Zabuza, who glaring down at him with one hand clutching the handle of his blade. "_RUN_." Suigetsu didn't need to be told twice, he was out the door and running beside his teammates before anyone else in the room could blink. What was amusing to Zabuza was that he didn't even give chase yet; he sat down and finished the plate of food Suigetsu hadn't even touched yet, being to busy speaking with the pinkette.

"Um... excuse me," Zabuza glanced up, with his first fork full of fish and rise, at the slightly fearful look the older man was giving him. "But ah... who are you?"

"Hmm, oh! My apologies'," Zabuza straightened in his chair and turned to Tazuna, he wasn't too keen on apologizing to people but in situations like this, it was better to be safe then sorry. "I kind of just bumbled in here last night without a word that must have put you on edge." Tazuna nodded in agreement, still unsure if he should trust the strange swords man.

"My name is Zabuza Momochi and I'm from the hidden mist village," Zabuza said nodding in greeting to the old man. "I'm here to protect you while you build that bridge of yours."

"Huh?" Tsunami turned around at the sink a frown on her features. "But when we went to your village months ago you rejected our request"

"Rejected?" Zabuza questioned with his own frown, "No sane hidden village would reject a mission, especially if it was within their borders." Zabuza sat back in the chair and stared dully at the ceiling, suddenly a smile spread across his face beneath his mask, "Must have been a spy~, oh I love~ Spy hunting..." he really did and that seemed to make the leaf nin on edge, Zabuza ignored them as he pulled down his mask and started eating quickly, remembering that he had little genin to punish.

"Um excuse me," Zabuza stiffened at the soft voice, he was half raised out of his chair, intending to give his now empty plate to Tsunami. When he looked up at the speaker, he found himself staring at a pair of wide, curious emerald orbs. "I don't know if you've noticed it yet, and I don't mean to be rude, but these people can't afford to pay two villages for their aid. They couldn't even pay Konoha's proper wages and had lied to us to get that little bit of extra help."

"Oh you don't have to worry little Haruno," Zabuza smirked when every shinobi present stiffened when he called out Sakura's surname. "Yagura-sama doesn't like Tycoons taking what's his," no one but Zabuza noticed Sakura's brow twitch at the name and he only saw it because he was staring at her. "It's one thing take over an island and help said Island—but its another when you think you can rule over it with an iron fist."

"That's all nice and everything Zabuza," Kakashi said in a tone of voice that told Zabuza that he might have gone to far. "But how do you know my student's last name?"

"I trained Fubuki-chan when she was taking her chunin exams in the mist village, about five years ago," Zabuza answered with a smirk at Kakashi, delighted that he could get under the man's skin without even trying. "She told me about little Sakura-chan but she didn't say what she looked like, I went out on a hunch to call her that name. Glade to know I wasn't wrong."

"It's really creepy that you know my name without me introducing myself," Sakura murmured taking a sip of her tea.

"Not really," Zabuza chuckled, "you look almost identical to your sister when she was your age."

"Fubuki-nee became Chunin when she was fourteen," Sakura reminded Zabuza, "I'm only twelve."

"Whatever," Zabuza rolled his eyes and stood to give his clean plate to Tsunami smiling when she thanked him. "Later kiddies, I have my own team to punish~" Zabuza chuckled when he walked past Sakura and ruffled her hair affectionately, Kakashi glared warningly at him and Sakura swatted at his hand.

"I hate it when people do that!" Sakura hissed, Zabuza laughed and closed the door behind himself softly. "I'd say I feel bad for his students but I really don't" Sakura grumbled after a moment of silence

…

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Zabuza frowned as he marched away from the bridge builder's home, his eyes lost in thought.

"_So that means that she's pretty shy right?" Suigetsu asked, turning to look up at his brother curiously. "She was bullied and most kids who get bullied are shy, so she's smart but shy right?"_

She wasn't what Suigetsu was looking forward to; he could tell with a single look at Sakura that she had a lot of her sisters in her. Determined to prove to everyone that she wasn't some doll to look at, she was a kunochi in training and they shouldn't underestimate her.

"_...Twelve..." Yagura answered softly, "Imoto is twelve... she just... graduated..."_

Sakura was at least twelve, the same age as Suigetsu and Haku, and it was well known that the academies of the hidden villages all graduated their next generation of genin within weeks and sometimes days of each other. The last graduation was just over two weeks ago for the hidden mist, which means that Konoha's next generation of genin had graduated soon after—Sakura and her team were fresh out of the academy, this was properly their first C-ranked mission. Zabuza stopped in his tracks and turned to look back at the house, noting that he had walked a fair distance... and that Kakashi had stopped just behind him.

"Who're you looking for?" Kakashi asked, straight to the point. Zabuza smirked at him, knowing that Kakashi now knew that there was more to his mission then he let on.

"My mission is to assonate Gato," Zabuza replied calmly. "In order to do that I have to get close enough to him, I have to earn his trust..."

"So you went to him disguised as a missing Nin," Kakashi continued sarcastically. "That's not what I meant and you know it. Who're you looking for?" for a long time Kakashi and Zabuza stared at each other, their chakra battling against each other in a test of who'll give in first.

"If she's the reincarnate," Zabuza started slowly, noting how stiff Kakashi had become at the word, "Then I won't say anything."

"Why?" Kakashi questioned, not believing that Zabuza would hold back such information to his Kage.

"Because she's Fubuki's little sister," Zabuza answered with a found smile, "I owe a debt to that girl. If Sakura is the reincarnate, then her secret is safe with me."

"You'd betray your own Kage for a leaf Kunochi's trust?" Kakashi asked with narrowed eyes, making Zabuza snort in answer

"Don't be stupid Kakashi," Zabuza mocked half-heartedly, "Your girl may fit the bill but there's no guarantee about it. Yagura-sama doesn't remember much about his 'little sister'." Kakashi's eye narrowed in warning, his body stiff as if waiting for an attach, "Don't look at me like that Kakashi. Yagura-sama is searching for the reincarnate but he wouldn't want to hurt her by taking her away from everything she knows and loves. Like a good big brother he just wants to protect her." Zabuza turned away from Kakashi, not sure if showing the man his back was a wise decision.

"Do you have any clues?" Kakashi asked softly, moving to walk beside Zabuza with his signature lazy slump of his shoulders.

"There have been points through the past nine and half years where the seal binding the Sanbi to his first host has strengthened for one reason or another," Zabuza said in answer, digging in his pocket to pull out the small scrap of paper Yagura had given to him before he left the village. "As far as I can tell, the seal strengthens through emotional distress. So when the reincarnate is desperate, afraid, or some other emotion that's particularly strong, it get's transferred through the seal, which strengthens it, and gives Yagura a slight image to work with." Zabuza paused mid step to pass the piece of folded up paper to Kakashi with an almost hesitantly, "This is the latest that he's drawn up."

Kakashi unfolded the piece of paper and stopped dead in his tracks at the image shown to him

"You're familiar with it," Zabuza accused him, not waiting for Kakashi to catch up to him, he just kept on walking. "You can keep that, I've already memorized it..."

"Is this through—"

"Through the reincarnate's eyes?" Zabuza questioned, "Yeah it is, all of the images Yagura-sama paints are that way. He sees her life through her eyes, and not everything is as clear as that one."

"I see..." Kakashi mumbled softly, staring dully at the image given to him.

"There are ten images," Zabuza said suddenly, stopping to turn and look back at Kakashi seriously. "There are ten images that each Mist Jonin is forced to remember, yet there a hundreds that Yagura-sama doesn't release from his room. These ten released images are, what I like to call, the turning points in the reincarnate's life."

"Why are you telling me this?" Kakashi questioned, narrowing his eyes at Zabuza. _You know I'll tell the Hokage..._

"I'll take pictures of the ten images," Zabuza continued unaffected by Kakashi's question, "and I'll show them to you at the chunin exams in five months time, if you recognize even three of them, you can take them to lord Hokage and tell him everything I've told you." _I know you'll tell him regardless..._

"You still didn't tell me why you're telling me all of this," Kakashi replied

"She's your kunochi," Zabuza smirked as he walked away, "Protect her well. Any other village would hold her over the Mizukage as leverage but the hidden leaf is too good for that... protect her well"

'_She's your kunochi..'._ Kakashi sighed and folded up the image before he tucked it away in his back pocket. _You mean, she's MY kunochi..._ Kakashi turned but stopped to look back at Zabuza, suddenly glade that the man wasn't known for jumping at theories and turning molehills into mountains. Kakashi knew what Zabuza had said was true, the other villages would have used Sakura as leverage over the Mizukage; even if she wasn't the reincarnate. Just the thought of it made a chill climb up his spine.

Kakashi realized then that Zabuza's words held a double meaning—_protect her well or I'll take her away_

…

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"All right you guys, it's about time I teach you something that just might be useful to you!" Kakashi grinned at his three students. Yes, he was going to take that threat of Zabuza's to heart, if he wanted to keep Sakura in the hidden leaf—he has to take her training seriously and the best way to do that was to use the boys against her.

"Really?!" Naruto shouted jumping to his feet and leaving his bag at the table where he had been sorting through it. "What is it?! What is it?!"

"Come on and I'll show you," Kakashi smiled as he backed back out the door to Tazuna's house. "Leave your begs you won't need them." The boys did as they were told but Sakura's bag was already slung over her shoulders, she just shrugged her shoulders and carried it out with her anyways. Yes, Sakura's sisters taught her to never leave her bag out where complete strangers could get it; Kakashi couldn't help but roll his eyes at the pinkette, sure that Tayuya must have pulled a prank or two on Sakura.

"Where are we going?" Sakura questioned curiously as they stepped into the forest by Tazuna's.

"We need to practice somewhere further away from the house," Kakashi explained, "It's a chakra control exercise and it'll help you for what's to come."

"What's coming?" Naruto asked, making Sakura sigh at him

"Gato's back up," Sakura reprimanded Naruto softly, "Tazuna already told us that he's hired thugs to do his dirty work and we found out on the way over that he's not shy about hiring some missing Nin too."

"Oh... okay then..." Naruto nodded his head in understanding but his expression said he didn't really get it.

"Naruto listen up," Sakura continued, ignoring how Sasuke rolled his eyes and Kakashi chuckled. "In order to be a missing nin you need to know how to flee hunter-nin, no average academy drop out can do that. In other words the missing nin we'll most likely be facing will be at least Chunin level if not higher."

"Huh? How do you know that Sakura-chan?"

"Baka!" Sakura snapped slapping a fist into the blonde's head, "Were you sleeping through the academy when we learned about Hunter Nin and missing Nin?!"

"We're here," Kakashi chuckled, turning around to face his genin cell. They all stopped and looked around themselves curiously; they weren't too far away from Tazuna's house but just far enough to not see it through the forest.

"What are we going to do?" Sakura questioned curiously

"You'll each pick a tree and try to climb it," Kakashi said with a smile, they each stared dully at him, "Without your hands."

"How're we supposed to clime a tree without our hands?!" Naruto asked loudly

"By using Chakra dube," Sasuke grumbled, having seen his brother practice it when he was little.

"I've seen Nee-chan practice tree climbing without her hands several times," Sakura said thoughtfully, using the name she often use in association to both of her older sisters. "It's not very easy and I remember them falling several times through out their trial and errors. Our cheery tree out back has a few scars from Tayuya-nee's tries too."

"Great, you two can explain it to Naruto," Kakashi grinned at Sasuke and Sakura, who glared irritated back.

"He'll get it if he can see it," Sakura replied, crossing her arms defiantly.

"You want me to show him?" Kakashi asked with a lifted eyebrow, amused by the pinkette's antics

"We want you to show us," Sasuke and Sakura replied together, unaffected that they spook at the same time. They grew up together with Naruto, speaking at the same became more of a habit then a creepy coincidence.

"Alright, alright," Kakashi chuckled, forming a hand sign. He then turned and started to walk up the tree as if he was still walking on the ground. He heard his students gasp and grumble as he continued to walk up the tree until he reached the first branch, which was about fifty feet off the ground.

"I want you to concentrate on your chakra at the souls of your feet and once you have a stable amount run up the tree," Kakashi instructed pulling out three kunai and throwing them at the children's feet. "Mark where you are before you fall, it'll be easier this way to see your progress."

"Hai!" The three picked up the closest kunai and formed the same hand sign as Kakashi; Kakashi noticed how their chakra's surged and gathered and how Naruto almost blew up the earth beneath his feet. Just as he was about to instruct them the approximate amount of chakra to use, the three opened their eyes and the boys gave chase first. Kakashi watched Sakura hurried towards her tree but watched the boys as they hurried to their own. Sasuke was able to climb the tree ten steps before he was forced off and Naruto took three before he slipped off.

"If you use too much the tree bark will give way and force you off," Kakashi said staring pointedly at Sasuke before staring at Naruto who was rolling on the ground and holding his head in agony. "Same if you don't use enough chakra, only you slip off instead. Eventually you'll be able to do this without concentrating on how much chakra you have to concentrate on your feet, you'll be able to do it pretty much in your sleep."

"Hay this is easy!" Sakura giggled down at her teammates, her tree's lowest branch was about another twenty feet higher then Kakashi's tree's first limb. Beside her was her kunai stuck in the bark of her tree, not a single mark was upon the tree's surface. "I don't see why my sisters had such a problem with this! It's easy-peasy!"

"Sakura-chan did you practice this already?" Kakashi asked curiously

"Nope~" Sakura giggled, pulling her feet under herself so she could stand on the tree branch. Technically that tree she climbed during the bell test had been shorter then she thought it was, she only had to strengthen her arms with chakra instead of pulsating her feet with chakra. "You want me to get to the top right?"

"Yes... well why don't you come down and restart with the boys, okay?" Kakashi asked, wondering if Sakura knew how to get down without falling down like Naruto or using the other trees like Sasuke.

"Can you show me how?" Sakura called back down, "How would you get down from there?" Kakashi nodded and walked around the tree so Sakura see him clearer.

"Watch carefully Sakura-chan," Kakashi ordered as he settled himself to a nearly perfect angle against the tree. "Pull back a small amount of chakra from your leading foot; just enough to loosen its hold on the bark, then pull back on an even smaller amount from your back foot. Your back foot will act as a break, get it?" Sakura nodded and Kakashi smiled as he demonstrated for her, sliding down the tree with slight markings on the bark left behind by him. When Kakashi landed safely on the ground he turned to see Sakura was already half way down her tree and smiling like a little kid in a candy store. When she landed on the ground from the tree beside him, Kakashi could see in her eyes that she wanted to do it again.

He wasn't sure to be proud or concerned

"That was so cool Sakura-chan!" Naruto cheered running over to give the pinkette a hug.

"Alright you three enough playing," Kakashi said, stopping Naruto from twirling the pinkette in his arms. "Get back to climbing already, you have to master this by the end of the week or I won't be able to show you the next step."

"Yes sir!" Sakura giggled as Naruto put her down hurriedly and reran at his tree in excitement, at least he made it six steps before he fell. Sakura walked over to Naruto before she even ran up her tree, which stopped him from trying a third time.

"Naruto listen up," Sakura ordered, she then proceeded to tell how to climb the tree without falling so often, he thanked her with a big hug and a spin which almost made her raised feet slam into Sasuke. After getting Naruto to try it out, Sakura turned to Sasuke and repeated her explanation, changing the examples around to fit Sasuke's way of thinking.

_Sakura would make a good teacher,_ Kakashi thought watching how Sasuke scowled at her in confusion that only made her revise her advise again. Once Sasuke nodded in understanding he returned to his tree and tried again, he got a full ten extra steps passed his last marking before he slipped and was forced back down to earth. Sakura giggled and returned to the tree she was running up, stopping at the first branch to retrieve her kunai knife and proceeding up the tree. When Kakashi couldn't see her anymore, he turned to look back at his other two students and saw that they both have processed nicely after Sakura's little talk. He formed a hand sign and searched for Sakura's chakra signature, when he found it he realized that Sakura's reserves were lower then normal and that she was taking a break on one of the branches higher up. Well no one can say she's not smart, she doesn't wait until she's lost control of her chakra to take a break. Besides, if she slipped from that height she'd properly die on the way back down.

After a five-minute break and her reserves were slightly higher, she really didn't have a whole lot to work with, Sakura went back to climbing the tree. This time taking her time by walking steadily up the tree instead of running, she wanted to get this right. When she reached the top, she stopped to look around herself and saw that her tree was one of the tallest ones there; smiling Sakura stepped off from the top and cut off the very top inch off the tree. She then pocketed her kunai knife a jumped down a few branches until the trunk of the tree was wide enough for her to slide down. She then giggled and laughed as she slide down the trunk of the tree, her voice echoing in the air around her as she easily dodged a few branches that were in her way. When she landed on the ground again, her two teammates were staring grumpily at her, not liking that she reached the top before them.

"Good job Sakura-chan," Kakashi chuckled when Sakura gave him the very top of her tree with a bright smile. "Boys continue your practicing; I have to teach Sakura-chan the next step." The boys glared at him and grumbled as they sluggishly returned to their task of walking up the tree to reach the top. Kakashi chuckled as he led Sakura away; walking to the lake that Tazuna's house sat on, in sight of the boys and close to the house, a perfect place for Sakura to practice water walking.

"Alright Sakura pay close attention," Kakashi instructed as he formed the same hand sign as he used on the tree, but this time bending his thumb in words. "Water walking is different from tree walking—"

"Because the water is constantly moving right?" Sakura asked with a smile and a twinkle in her eyes, Kakashi was going to slap both of her sisters for teaching her what they should have left to him. "Fubuki-nee used to take me on her back while she did some of her kata's on the waters surface, it was a lot of fun. Tayuya-nee tried to do it to but her kata's always end up having a lot of turning and ducking and spinning in them, she stopped taking me with her when she realized that her kata's were making me sick."

Yeah he was defiantly going to beat both of them when he got back to the village

…

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Kakashi sighed as he watched Sakura move on the lake below him, it had taken Sakura a full minute of practicing the proper amount of water at the edge of the lake with her hands. Once she figured out the approximate amount she took a few steps forward and then continued walking forward until she could nearly touch Kakashi, her steps becoming more sure the deeper she got in the lake. Now she was trying to go through her academy kata's on the lake surface, trying to get used to walking on water without focusing on her chakra completely.

"If I didn't know any better I'd say she was genius in disuse," Zabuza chuckled as he stepped just behind Kakashi, watching Sakura move through her forms a little stiffly.

"All Haruno's are a genius at something," Kakashi replied calmly. "Mebuki is a genius at unorthodox weapons Taijutsu, Fubuki is a genius in water and Ice style, Tayuya is a genius in genjutsu and Sakura-chan is a genius in chakra control—it must be hereditary,"

"Only if her father is a genius at something," Zabuza chuckled in amusement

"Kizashi?" Kakashi questioned thoughtfully, "The only thing that comes to mind is his ridiculous and redundant jokes..."

"He's not a Jonin is he?" Zabuza questioned with another chuckle, thinking that no one with that kind of sense of humor could be a very highly ranked shinobi.

"He shouldn't be," Kakashi grumbled unhappily.

He had been one of Kizashi's proctors for the Jonin exam; if the man had buckled down when he was younger, he wouldn't have been the oldest one in the exam. He was smarter then he looked and acted, it was scary when Kakashi realized that the majority of Sakura's brains came from her father and not her mother like everyone thought. Kizashi was like a mix between Naruto and a Nara, he was just too damn lazy to take the chunin exams seriously until Sakura had gotten kidnapped—then he raced through the ranks like they were nothing. He only stopped at Jonin because Anbu would take him away from his family and he wanted to have a part in the girl's lives, he wanted to have a hand at raising and teaching them instead of leaving it all up to Mebuki; who was retired.

Although he will admit, the blonde damn near killed him with their second meeting after the first storm she had asked his help with. He even suggested that she take the Anbu exams, not really meaning it as he said it jokingly. She glared at him and said that she would think about it after Sakura graduated the academy, he then told her he was joking and she told him that she wasn't. Kakashi was afraid for the woman's teammates because she wasn't going to hold back on them even the slightest bit. However, he didn't have to worry too much about it, when Sakura was seven Mebuki came home from a mission heavily wounded. Although her mission was a success and her teammates were alive, Mebuki sustained heavy damage to her right leg, ending her career before she could be fully reinstated.

"So her parents are Last Laugh Kizashi and Mebuki the golden butterfly?" Zabuza questioned, startling Kakashi out of his thoughts. "And her sisters are Tsubame Fubuki and Crimson illusion Tayuya... damn she's related to some powerful Nicknames."

"And none of them would give her up easily," Kakashi replied calmly, making Zabuza nod in agreement

"I know it says so in the bingo book," Zabuza chuckled, opening the latest copy and showing Kakashi Fubuki's entry; Kakashi couldn't help but to laugh at seeing Fubuki's picture.

Fubuki's hair was pulled back into an elegant ponytail with beads framing her face and twisting into her ponytail like a crown. She was dressed in what appeared to be an expensive and vibrant kimono. Kakashi actually recognized the image as one of Fubuki's undercover moments as a singer, she still did some shows when it was required of her but they weren't out numbering her missions for the village so she only did those when she was in a tight spot or was banned from missions for a few weeks. Zabuza then flipped the page to show Tayuya's entrance photo and Kakashi nearly had a heart attach at Tayuya's picture. Tayuya's hair was down for once, covering a good portion of her face and leaving the rest in shadow, the nearby light source made her hazel green eyes glow eerily and her deranged grin with the little bit of blood staining her cheek didn't help her look any less demonic.

"At least her parents look better... right?" Kakashi asked as he took the book from Zabuza and flipped through the pages hurriedly, noting how every leaf shinobi he came across in the bingo book had a rather poor photo to work with.

Tsunade's was mid punch...

Orochimaru was from a distance in the middle of a blood bath...

Jiraya was drooling next to the women's hot springs...

Kakashi's own photo showed him stained in blood from one his few assassination jobs

Itachi looked like he just put the cameraman in a coma...

Shisui was grinning with a peace sign... looking like someone used him as a punching bag with a lock of his hair smoking slightly

Genma was making out with one his girlfriends in the back of some club and flipping off the cameraman while he was as it

Asuma had some how managed to break the camera lens but not the camera (he had a giant distorted crack racing across his image)

Kuranai looked ready to kill the cameraman (bloody kunai in hand and all) although that might because she was wrapped in a towel...

Gai's was at a distance too... he was in the middle an ax kick to someone's head (it didn't look like he even realized that there was a cameraman nearby)

Mebuki's photo... hell Mebuki had two cameramen on the ground half beaten to death with one in hand with a baseball bat held at the ready and she was glaring towards the fourth cameraman, the one who took the picture. He didn't know that cameramen even had to gang up on her just to get _one_ picture of her—she must really hate photos.

At this point Kakashi was hoping that Kizashi's photo looked at least half way presentable... he didn't have such luck.

Kizashi was at a bar, laughing so hard he was dangling off the table and pounding one fist into his leg, tears were even streaming down his crimson face.

"What're you looking at?" Kakashi damn near jumped out of his skin at Sakura's soft voice

"S-Sakura!" Kakashi shouted, snapped the book shut and glaring pointedly at the pinkette who was standing just behind him. "I thought you were practicing your Katas on the lake?"

"I was but Tsunami-san called everyone in for dinner," Sakura answered pointing the sky, looking up Kakashi saw that the sun was setting and that it was getting rather late. "Zabuza-san left a few hours ago to hunt down his students and he hasn't come back yet and Naruto and Sasuke just returned to remind me to come back in. I saw you were still up here so I thought I'd remind you that dinner's done."

"Ah... thank you Sakura-chan," Kakashi said, waving her away slightly. "I just got a little distracted... that's all"

"That's not your normal orange book sensei," Sakura said as she backed away to give her teacher room to stand, he was beginning to not like how observant she was. "Why dose it have my dad's photo from his Jonin celebration party?"

"It's called a bingo book," Kakashi answered as he made his way down the side of the house, hoping she'd drop it. "It was originally a way for felons to recognize each other—"

"But as the times advanced, hunter Nin started to use it as away to find missing Nin and take them out for the extra cash and credit it brought their village, right?" Sometimes Kakashi really hated Sakura's older sisters, they twisted facts in such ways that it wasn't only confusing but also making you question weather or not your knowledge is accurate.

During dinner Zabuza questioned Sakura if she would like to have a spar with one his boys, Kakashi's answer was to discretely throw one of his kunai at the man. Sakura said she wasn't that great at hand-to-hand and would love to train with one his boys. Suigetsu jumped up and said that he would be her partner but Zabuza reminded him that his own hand-to-hand was horrid enough. He said that if any of his students were going to go against Sakura it would be Haku because he wouldn't go all out if he tried nor would he try to kill her within the first few seconds of the spar. Kimimaro seemed to ignore the jab at his violent tendencies and continued eating his fish, bones and all.

…

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><p>…<p>

**Thoughts are helpful**

**Opinions are wonderful**

**Helpful criticism is**** lovely! Just don't cripple me okay?**

**Please no cursing!**

**And don't forget to**** rate and**** review!**

**Page 16**


	32. Chapter 32

**There is a reason**

Chapter 32: a sister doesn't forget

Koomahana

****Updated **Chapters**

**3, 4, 5, 18, 20, 22, 23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,39,40,41,42,43**

**Fubuki was 10 when she met Sakura & 11 when she was taken to the leaf village**

**Tayuya was 8 when she met Sakura & 9 when she was taken to the leaf village**

**Sakura was 3 when she was taken and returned to the leaf village**

**Yagura was 20 when he first met Sakura and 21 when he returned to his body.**

**Yagura is 17 years older then Sakura**

**Fubuki is 7 years older than Sakura and 2 years older then Tayuya**

**Tayuya is 5 years older than Sakura**

**Fubuki was a genin at 12, Chunin at 14 and Jonin at 16**

**Tayuya was a genin at 12, Chunin at 13 ½ and Jonin at 16**

**They are now:**

**Yagura is now 29 years old—Mizukage**

**Fubuki is now 19 years old—Jonin for three years (Same age as Shisui—Anbu—and Shikan—Jonin)**

**Tayuya is now 17 years old—Jonin for one year (Same age as Itachi—Anbu—and Hana—Jonin)**

**Sakura is now 12 years old—Genin (Same age as Naruto and Sasuke)**

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

…

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Sakura walked through Tazuna's village with Suigetsu to her right and Tazuna on her left. They walked through the market calmly, observing the village with keen eyes as Tazuna brought a few supplies from a store. When Sakura felt someone touch her from behind, she reacted immanently with slamming her foot into the guy's face, making the grown man face plant the floor and damaging it in the processes.

"Nice kick," Suigetsu chuckled as they left the floor, Sakura having to had paid the manager for the damage she caused

"My sister's used to sneak up on me," Sakura smiled as they walked back to Tazuna's house. "I'm used to them blocking or dodging my attaches, it was a little weird to actually land a hit on someone." Sakura snapped around when she felt small hands clasp onto her skirt. Just behind her stood a dirty little boy with long black hair, several missing teeth and covered in enough dirt to build a mountain. He smiled and held his filthy little hands out to her, breaking her heart in the process.

"Here," Sakura murmured passing what little sweets she had on her person as well as a few coins to the little boy, "oh little one," Sakura called before the boy could get too far away, he turned back to her shyly, "I want you to tell all your friends to meet me at the edge of the village okay? They'll be a surprise for you all there, okay?" the little boy nodded and hurried away, Sakura stood and caught up with Tazuna and Suigetsu.

"What are you planning?" Suigetsu asked as they put Tazuna between them protectively

"He's starving," Sakura said softly, "I know it's common here... but I think I might be able to stop it for little while..."

"What are you going to do?" Tazuna asked in a tone of voice that said all hope for food was lost, "go fishing? That's a good way to end up dead"

"Heh," Sakura smirked up at Tazuna startling him, "You speak as if I should be afraid." Tazuna blinked down at Sakura in surprise; Suigetsu smirked as Sakura hurried ahead, buying a few large wicker baskets and tools that she'd need for her plan, carrying them all back to the house by herself.

_Looks like I got the better deal_, Suigetsu thought, throwing his hands behind his head and whistling cheerfully. Yes, he still planned on marrying Sakura Haruno, now more then ever before; she wasn't what he was expecting but that only seemed to draw him closer to her. Plus when he first met her she didn't kick his butt while worrying about her teammates (like Kanshaka and Fubuki), he saved her from getting eaten by one of their creatures.

He had to have earned some brownie points for that, what girl didn't like being saved by a handsome boy anyways?

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Later that same day

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Sakura stepped out onto the surface of the lake cautiously, carrying one of her smaller wicker baskets in her hand. Taking a deep breath, she walked out further into the lake and observed the fish swimming carelessly beneath her. Crouching Sakura readied her wicker basket and swept her arm out at them quickly—the only thing she caught was water, the fish were further down then she thought and now they were scattered in all directions. Sighing Sakura cut off her chakra circulation from her feet and as she plunged into the water, she fused her chakra with the water and created a bubble around her head, giving her air and sight as she swam in the warm teal waters of the lake. She swam down to the lake bottom a few feet from the surface of the lake and sat still, observing the fish around herself carefully. Once she was still enough some of the fish ventured a little closer to her, Sakura closed her eyes and focused carefully on her chakra, only when she felt that a few more fish had ventured closer to her did Sakura move. Her hands glowed as the water shifted and removed the heads of seven of the fish; killing them and making their bodies float to the surface. Smirking Sakura followed the floating bodies, smoothly putting them into her little wicker basket as she rose to the surface of the lake.

"About damn time!" Sakura coughed as she spun to face the shore of the lake were three familiar looking boys stood together, "I was about to go in after you!" Suigetsu smirked at her, his blue eyes dancing as she slowly pulled herself to her feet on the lake surface.

"If you wanted to go fishing you should have asked for our help," Haku said, walking out to meet Sakura half way, even going so far as to take the beheaded fish in a basket from her, "We can do the fishing if you can do the cooking."

"Is it common for boys to assume that all girls can cook?" Sakura asked, putting her hands on her hips and looking very unamused at the three teammates

"We know your sister's can't" Suigetsu chuckled walking onto the lake surface and slipping, "Fubuki tried to make an apology cake for my cousin and Tayuya tried to help her."

"This should be good," Sakura chuckled walking with Haku back to land, "how bad did the cake look?"

"Oh the cake looked beautiful," Suigetsu chuckled, poking his head out of the lake to smirk at Sakura, "but Tayuya had mixed up the sugar with salt." Sakura laughed, wrapping her arms around her stomach as she did so; Tayuya did that often with recipes, it was the reason why she was banned from the kitchen.

"I hope you're a better cook," Haku said adjusting his hold on the basket of fish, "I'm okay but not as good as Kimimaro."

"Go help Suigetsu," the white haired boy ordered, taking the basket of fish from Haku before they could get more then a few steps on shore, "I'll help Sakura-san with the fish." Haku nodded and spun on his heal, accepting a large bone spear to pass off to Suigetsu while he was at it. An hour later, Naruto showed up with an army to create a line of clones from the lake to the cooking station on the edge of the village where Sakura and Kimimaro were cooking the fish. Sasuke showed up a few minutes later and helped hand out the cooked fish too the villagers with Kakashi's help; Tsunami and Tazuna showed up almost at the same time with ingredients for the fish. About two hours later, some other villagers stepped forward and started helping with cooking the fish, while some others brought forward some other foods and started helping the poor who was gathered together.

Those who ate their fill volunteered to go fishing again for more food; others went into the nearby woods for herbs. After one kid grabbed some poisonous herbs and had nearly poisoned the entire village all the gathered herbs had been taken to Sakura for inspection, as she had been the one to save the potted fish soup.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"Excuse me," Sakura turned at the soft voice, smiling encouragingly at a red haired girl standing just behind her with a small bowl in her hands, "Is-is it all right if I have some too?"

"Sure" Sakura smiled at the shy girl, "You're a villager here, I don't see why you can't." The girl twitched as Sakura filled her bowl up calmly; when her bowl was filled she softly thanked Sakura and hurried away.

_I wonder why she's so familiar_, Sakura thought, watching the girl all but run away from the tables

"Sakura-san," she turned to see a softly smiling Tsunami standing behind her "Thank you for doing that."

"Huh? Was I not supposed to?" Sakura asked

"Of course not," one of the other villagers snarled rising to his feet and glaring heatedly at Sakura, "That girl works for Gato! Willingly! She's worse then his thugs!"

"She's a terrified little girl," Tsunami replied, frowning at the old man, "You don't know her story any better then the rest of us."

"I don't have to," he growled, "She's helping Gato hunt down ship men when they rebel against him! She's the reason behind so few of our shipmen!" Sakura stared at him for a moment, noting how he was no more arguing loudly with Tsunami about the girl that neither knew the name of, yet at the same time, she couldn't understand the feeling of familiarity. Hearing a ruckus behind her, Sakura turned and saw that the beat up little bowl the little girl had been using was rolling down the street towards her. Narrowing her eyes at the sight, Sakura left the cooking station and hurried towards the now empty bowl. Sakura straightened from her crouch and hurried up the street pausing at an open ally way were two large men were advancing on something small on the ground huddled up against the wall like a terrified little child seeking safety from a monster.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Sakura shouted moving quickly to dodge around the men to stand protectively in front of the little red haired girl she met with a few moments earlier.

"She's working for Gato!" one man snarled, "Out the way missy!"

"Don't touch her!" Sakura growled back putting her hands on her hips and glaring up at the man, "Weather she works for Gato or not you have no right to hurt her! What makes you any different from him uh?!"

"Why you—"

"Sakura," Sasuke called from the mouth of the ally way, making the two men stiffen and turn to him slowly, "need any help getting rid of Gato's left over trash?"

"How dare you!" the bald old man snarled out, glaring at the dark haired boy only to flinch back as Kakashi stepped out into view

"I though Zabuza was got rid of all of Gato's men?" Kakashi asked lazily, eyeing the two large men curiously "Did they miss two?"

"No Sensei," Sakura said shaking her head ruefully, "those two are villagers, not Gato's men."

"Really?" Sasuke asked, "They act just like Gato's men, are you sure?" Sakura looked thoughtfully at the two men, as if she was reconsidering her previous thoughts on them

"We're villagers," the one snarled gesturing to his friend to move away from the two girls

"Then start acting like it," Sakura growled back, the two men stiffened but kept moving forward, eyes locked onto the Kunai Kakashi was sharpening in his hands. While Sasuke and Kakashi stood guard at the mouth of the ally way, Sakura turned on her heal and examined the still frightened red head. It appeared that her left ankle was sprained but other then that it didn't look like the bullies were able to put too much damage on her.

"Don't worry about them," Sakura ordered as she crouched and pulled out some bandages for the girl's ankle

"What they said is true," the girl whispered, smiling softly at Sakura as wrapped a bandage around her ankle "I do work for Gato."

"You don't seem to like working for him," Sakura replied calmly as she continued her work easily, not faulting at the admittance of the red head.

"I don't," she agreed with a soft sigh, her crimson eyes trailing to look up at the sky in depression. "But, about three years ago, my mother and I were traveling for the summer. Unknown to us Gato had just taken over the shipping industry here and... And he found out about my ability from the other passengers aboard our ship. He took my mother as hostage and is currently using her against me. If I don't do what he wants then he beats and rapes her; it won't be long until I'll be in the same boat as her."

"That's messed up," Sakura sighed, "I'll talk to my teacher and see what we can't do to free you both."

"Really?" She asked softly, not quite believing that Sakura could actually help her, "Why would you do that for me? I work for a monster... I've done some things that's gotten some good people killed..."

"Because," Sakura shrugged her shoulders and stood up, offering the crimson haired girl a hand with a smile. "No matter what you've done or said, I won't judge you based on what you've done to survive but on your personality."

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

_About damn time_, she thought stretching as she walked through the forest away from the fishing village, her disguise melting off her like water. Revealing her tall, matured stature and azure blue eyes, her own crimson hair pulled back into a high ponytail. She had been waiting for someone from the hidden mist or at least the leaf to walk through the little wanna-be-hell of a village for years now, now that she finally had the leaf kunochi's attention she could finish up her little plans. She paused and looked back at the village that she could now barely see from the distance she's put between them, she remembered seeing a pinkette years ago... in a little underground slave ring that promised to have the rarest beauties and the most unique looking girls in all of the five elemental nations. She had found her own 'daughter' there; hiding between three pinkette's as if they were shields.

_It's almost time_, she sighed and returned to her walk back to her master that she couldn't wait to kill, with luck she wouldn't have to but she's never counted on luck before, there was no reason why she should now. Once Gato was dead, she could take her daughter and run again; the old man has served his purpose and is no longer useful to her.

…

"_No!" she cried fighting her hold with every step she took, "take me back! I don't want to leave them! Please don't take me away!"_

"_Be silent," She hissed, throwing the girl against the corner of the cave she had taken them too, instantly flinching at the young girl's pained shout. "I'm sorry," she said but the girl whimpered and pulled herself further away from her, "Look if I went back and got the other three would you be more corporative with me?"_

"_You-you'll take them too?" she asked softly, tears in her crimson eyes, "Why? For what purpose would they serve you?"_

"_Less on them and more on you," she answered, "you are the same as me. That's why I bought you, we are kin and I have full intentions of teaching you everything that I know."_

"_But why them?" she asked, "Why offer to buy them?"_

"_Because you're a hindrance without them," She answered, rolling her blue eyes, "I figure if I get them too you'll stop fighting me and start working with me."_

…

Of course when she got back she found that her targets were completely surrounded by hundreds of loyal shinobi, so instead she taught 'Karin' how to sense and the basics she would need to survive. When they crossed into Gato's waters he some how managed to find out about her sensing abilities form one of his men aboard the hip. He threatened to sell Karin to highest bidder if she disobeyed him, he went along with his little plans for the time being but now it was time for them to move. She only played like Karin in the village because she needed someone to take care of her if they got separated. Which was a near perfect hundred percent possibility in the coming week, she needs to make sure she'll be safe with at least one of the hidden villages that arrived to protect the bridge builder.

_I will protect you_, she thought pausing to examine the large and expensive looking house that sat regally before her.

No matter what happens next, she will protect the last of her clan—no matter the cost

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Sakura stared out the window in the room she was sharing with Tsunami, watching the sun struggle to raise over the far waters to begin the next day. No matter what she did she couldn't get that red haired girl out of her mind, she was familiar but she wasn't sure how or why. Slowly Sakura's hand moved to grip at her little blue pendent she's had since child hood, her eyes fogging over as she devilled deeply into her memories.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Mai glared at the green haired boy who collapsed into her arms, they were supposed to be going to the council meeting but of course the connection he had with the reincarnate had to rear its ugly head and knock him out. Now she had to take him _back_ to his room and pray that she wouldn't get toppled over with his weight along the way.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

He ran straight at the little statue he created so many years ago in his mindscape, smile widening as the glow of the statue brightened until it was a blinding light. Of course, he could only get access to the girl through her statue if she was in need of him (like when she nearly died) or when her emotions were at just the right frequency for him to manipulate into traveling that strange little diminution.

_Almost there,_ he thought running through the bright light that signaled the gate between them. his smile grew as the white washed world gave way to emerald and pink with light touches of sapphire and amber. _I'm here_

"_Are you sure Nee-chan?_" a soft voice asked, he turned and searched the bright mindscape for any bright colors that seemed out of place in this multicolored world. A soft voice sounded again but it was too soft for him to make out the words, he turned towards the sound and found two bodies huddled together in a flowery field, one laying down beside what he guessed to be a small pool between them. He ran towards them as fast as he could; glad that he could finally see the face of his little sister after so many years.

"_Oh I see!_" The girl sitting beside the pool sat up straighter, hands clapping together excitedly, "_She's Ka-chan! I haven't seen her since... since... oh..._" he tried to get closer, curious as to what the two were talking about. "_That's right... we were separated just before the raid... do you think she remembers me?_"

"_You remember the promise?_" The other asked softly, her voice faint in the swirled room with no up or down.

"_Of course!_" the younger girl grinned, reaching into her shirt to pull out a long chin with a little blue pebble handing off the end, glowing softly in the mindscape, "_She gave me this. We weren't sure when the next time she was taken or if he'd return._"

"_That's right,_" the girl laying in front of her murmured sleepily, "_That's how you can find her, that'll warm up with her presence, the closer you are to her the warmer it'll be._"

"_So... she really is Ka-chan?_" she asked curiously, he flinched as he saw that they were getting further away

"_No,_" the other sighed, "_the pendent didn't react, when it dose that's when you'll find her_."

"_Oh... but then, who could she be?_" they were barely in sight anymore and he could almost feel something wrap around him tightly, forcefully removing him from the mindscape

"_I don't know_"

"_No!_" he shouted reaching out to the two girls and struggling in the strange being's arms "_Let me go! Let me see her!_" _let me have one clue! Just one trait I can use!_

"_Who's there?_" his sight cleared and he found himself staring into bewildered emerald

"_Imoto!_" _Let me see her face!_

"_Nii-tan?_" pink feathers clouded his vision while he was forcefully ejected from the girl's mindscape

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"Damn it!" He slammed into a sitting position and ignored Mai as he scrambled to his desk, reaching for clean paper and a sharp pencil.

He'd got the glance that he needed but he had to hurry or he'll lose her face forever

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"Sakura?" She flinched as Tsunami's hand landed on her shoulder, forcefully removing her from her thoughts, "Are you okay?"

"Yes I'm fine," Sakura smiled at the older woman, "Is there something wrong?"

"No," Tsunami answered, looking unconvinced "I just woke up and you were already staring dully out the window. I've been trying to wake you for the past five minutes, you had me worried."

"I'm sorry," Sakura replied, "I don't normally fall asleep sitting up..."

"You can sleep with your eyes open?" Tsunami asked with a frown, shaking her head as if she founded it disturbing, not seeing Sakura's frown, "That's a very strange thing to teach children..."

_I guess it doesn't really matter_, Sakura thought with a sigh, rising from her seat to help Tsunami with breakfast

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

By the end of the week, the two teams took the morning to follow Tazuna to the bridge and Gato's hired missing Nin showed up about the same time. Zabuza wasn't around and Kakashi was forced to deal with the Jonin leveled nuke-nin, leaving the boy's to team up and tackle the other chunin. Sasuke and Suigetsu teamed together against an older chunin and Naruto with Kimimaro against another two Chunin's, which left Haku to protect Tazuna with Sakura. Sakura and Haku did well blocking the stray attacks aimed for Tazuna and at one point both had ordered him to crouch down because he was so much taller then them.

After an hour, something else happened that none of them saw coming

Gato showed up with a gaggle of thugs, another Jonin standing beside him and a small girl who stood just behind him with a bowed head, her long crimson hair covering her face from view. Sakura immanently recognized the girl as someone she'd seen in the village several times already.

"Hay guys hold up!" Sakura shouted as she took a step forward to get a better view of the small child just behind Gato, noting how warm the pendent under her shirt felt. "Don't hurt the girl! She's not a threat!" _At least I don't think she is..._

"Are you serious Sakura-chan?!" Naruto shouted back, confused by Sakura's sudden demand

"I'm positive Naruto!" Sakura replied, smiling as the girl raised her head and stared at her with wide crimson eyes. "I've met her in the village! She's forced to stand beside Gato because he has her mother!"

"Tch," Suigetsu growled lowly at Gato, lowering his stance as if he was just feet away from the cocky businessman.

"I'll deal with you later," Gato growled out, glaring up at Karin who flinched back, making a few of the thugs' chuckle at her reaction. "Well boys, don't just stand there! Charge a head! Kill them all!" Sakura lowered herself into a battle stance, eyes glaring at the man who swiveled around Naruto and headed straight for her.

"Take care of him!" Sakura shouted to Haku, charging forward to keep her own fight away from Tazuna.

"Sakura!" Haku shouted out in panic, the strange chunin smirked as he drew back his fist ready to punch Sakura away so he could continue further at Tazuna. Thinking that since she was left behind to protect the old man that she must have been pretty weak—he was dead wrong.

_Thinner,_ Sakura thought as she raced forward, both hands glowing brightly with neon blue chakra, _Sharper..._

_**Sharper, thinner, stronger...**_ another voice whispered to her, one she had always taken for granted as a child, listening to it's soft advise and gentile encouragement. _**Good Sa-chan, good... sharper now... sharper...**_

_Like a blade,_ she thought, ducking beneath the chunin Nuke-Nin's punch; smirking as his eyes widened comically

_**Sharper then a blade**_, the voice advised just as Sakura swung upwards, _**two blades grating together, never giving in... Sharper still... like needles and pins...**_ The man tried to duck back from Sakura's fist but he didn't see her palm strike to his chest. He coughed, blood spilling past his lips, his body going weak and numb, unable to respond to Sakura's fast elbow or quick kick. His partner tried to help but Kimimaro stepped between them, protruding bones sharp like knives sliced through his body mercilessly. Sakura spun around her opponent and continued forward, not really seeing or even feeling what she was doing—there was someone else for her to take out to protect the bridge builder.

"Sa-chan!" Suddenly everything was in sharp focus, Sakura's eyes locked onto the red haired girl she had befriended. Green eyes widened as they took in that she was so much closer then she was just moment's before; the Nuke-nin Jonin who was beside Gato had snatched up the girl and raced ahead of the thugs. Sakura glanced back at Tazuna worriedly; Haku had him surrounded in a giant, thick icy bubble.

_**Save her**_, the familiar voice urged, _**save her!**_ Sakura didn't look back as she ran forward, passed Naruto and Kimimaro who watched her with wide eyes. Sakura thought she heard Kakashi or maybe Sasuke call out to her but she wasn't sure, she only knew that she had to get to the girl, she had save her.

"No!" the girl cried out again, tears dripping down her face, "It's a trap!"

It was too late, Sakura was within range

Sakura's eyes widened as the man grinned at her, blue eyes glinting brightly; her feet were pushing ahead of her, slowing her rush into a manageable speed. The Jonin who was carrying the girl suddenly stopped as well, he spun on one foot, raised the girl and then threw her at Sakura. The second the girl was out of his hold, a gust of smoke enveloped his body and a deep familiar laugh echoed around the bridge.

"Hold on!" Sakura shouted as she caught the girl, skidding back words a few feet before she fell to the bridge.

"Treat her well Sa-chan!" Zabuza chuckled, crouching low on the bridge before them, his sword held at the ready over him.

…

"_Can I call you Sa-chan?" she questioned softly, holding her closely with tears in her red eyes_

"_Only if I can call you Ka-chan," she giggled back, curling around the red haired girl_

"_Only if you promise to never forget me..." she whispered back in a trembling voice_

"_I'll never forget you," She promised sleepily "I can't forget anything... I don't know how..."_

…

"She's our missing girl!" Zabuza shouted as he charged ahead, slicing through the men who were supposed to be killing him. Sakura didn't question him, she pushed the girl back and stumbled to her feet, the girl quickly followed her example. The red head pulled one of Sakura's arms over her shoulder and together they hobbled quickly back to Tazuna.

Only they never made it back to him

"LOOK OUT!"

Sakura's head snapped up to see that the Jonin Kakashi had been fighting against was suddenly beside them, his sword arcing towards them with deadly intent.

"Die!"

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

A scream tore from his throat as he collapsed from his chair, startling Mei as she placed some documents on his desk.

"Sensei!" Mei shouted out, beginning to panic as she raced towards him, wrapping her arms around him to keep him from ripping his hair out. She winced as he sank his teeth into her arm, drawing blood as his fingers scrapped against her back and arms, trying to get her to release him.

"Shhh, it'll be okay," Mei whispered, rocking back and forth and ignoring her wounds as tears pricked the edges of her eyes. "Shhh, there's hope yet... Shhh," She kept whispering to him, rocking back and forth as his jaw tightened on her upper arm and his nails bit into her skin, drawing even more blood.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"**No!**" Sakura screamed and jumped, physically wrapping herself around the girl to protect her from most of the blow. But she didn't realize that the girl had screamed out as well, at the same time, and it had taken her a moment too long to realize that the man's sword never reached them. Opening her eyes, Sakura saw that she and the girl had collapsed on the ground in a pile of limbs and long hair tangling together. She pulled back from the red haired girl and saw with wide, tear glistening eyes that thick golden glowing chains had erupted from her back, arching over them and towards the man who tried to kill them. Sniffing the girl peaked up from under her arms that were wrapped over her head protectively.

"S-sa-chan?" She sniffed, making Sakura chuckle, "Wh-wha-who?" Sakura's smile fell and she turned to look behind her, to see what had become of the Jonin who attached them. At first all she saw was a teal jacket, then she saw the long brown hair flutter down into her view and with a trembling body, Sakura's eyes traveled up the body standing protectively in front of them and made eye contact with Haku's warm brown orbs.

"Ka-r-rin," Haku whispered, blood dripping down his chin from up turned lips, "T-told you... I-I'd pro-protect y-you..."

"Haku!" Karin shouted jumping to her knees and reaching out to him, wide crimson eyes trembling at the blade protruding from his back. "Why? Why would you do that? Why do you this? Why?!" Sakura turned around even further, spinning onto her feet to get a better look at Haku. The chains protruding from Karin's back had arced over him gracefully and had wrapped around the Jonin who had been about to cut them in half. It was most likely what had saved Haku's life but that wasn't what Zabuza saw when he turned to look back at them with wide eyes.

All he saw was the Jonin with his sword imbedded into Haku's shoulder, angled in a way that looked deeper then it was and heard Gato's laughter ringing in the air around him. Zabuza snapped around snarling and glaring at Gato, he tore through the hordes of thugs and slaughtered anyone who got between him and Gato. Gasping in fear, Gato turned and began to run away, ordering the thugs to take him out but they never stood a chance against a royally pissed Zabuza. He had them cut down less then half by the time he reached Gato and then he took great pleasure in lodging one of his kunai into the short man's throat. When Gato's body fell over the edge of the bridge, Zabuza snapped around grinning demonically at the men left behind, they looked between him and the other shinobi on the other side. If they stayed, they'd die—it was no question on who was moving first, everyone was screaming and stumbling over each other to get into the boat at the end of the bridge.

"Karin," Haku grunted as Karin forced the Jonin away from him, his blade retracting from his shoulder and making Haku collapse back words.

"Got ya'!" Sakura shouted, catching Haku before he fell against the pavement of the bridge. Sakura rearranged Haku to lay on the pavement gently, she removed Haku's coat carefully and examined his wound—just like how her sister taught her.

"Karin," Sakura called, drawing the red head's attention away from crushing the Jonin and onto her, "Can you still transfer chakra?" She remembered one of the guards gloating about Karin's little ability before the raid, it was the reason they had tossed her in with them, she may not have pink hair but her healing ability would keep them safe if the guards couldn't.

"Yeah... but" Karin hesitated slightly; shifting on her knees to examine Haku's wound beside Sakura, "...we don't have anything to transfer my blood to him..."

"That's okay don't worry too much about that," Sakura replied, forming a hand sign and concentrating on her chakra. "Find your chakra source in the middle of your stomach and bring it to you hands," Karin settled across from Sakura, eyes glistening as she followed Sakura's chakra with her own, unconsciously mimicking her. "Let it follow its own path, think of only healing the damage done to him, your chakra will know what to do on its own." Karin had meant to press her hands over Sakura's but her wrist brushed against Haku's chin, a drop of her blood from the cut she got when she fell to the ground, fell in his mouth making him cough hoarsely.

…

"_If you want to save that bad then cut yourself," She growled, "Force them to drink your blood and their wounds will heal."_

_It was the only way to save them, to keep them alive and safe..._

_She'd never see them again but at least they'd be alive_

…

_Blood transfer_, Karin thought, her eyes snapping open to examine her bleeding wrist above a glaring Haku's mouth. Suddenly a smile split across her face and his glare intensified, she knew what to do.

"Don't you-humph!" Karin slammed her bleeding wrist into Haku's mouth, widening the wound and making more blood pour out. She quickly plugged his nose and made him swallow her blood in two great big mouthfuls. She looked over to see that the wound Sakura was still working on had stopped bleeding but it still hadn't closed. Glaring at it she locked eyes with Haku again, she nodded her head and he tried to shake his head. Karin's lips thinned and pinched his side; he bit down on her wrist reflexively, which brought out some more blood, which made him choke until he swallowed it. After a few minutes with their combined efforts, both Sakura and Karin had saved Haku's life. They smiled together and then collapsed beside Haku as chakra exhaustion took hold of them.

"I _hate it_ when she dose that," Haku hissed as he struggled to sit up, Suigetsu snickered as he helped him up.

"Hay it's her talent," Suigetsu chuckled as he threw Haku's arm over his shoulder, "She's a natural healer!"

"You didn't like it anymore then I did-do," Haku grumbled back, remembering what had happened when they were still kids in the academy

"That happened _once_," Suigetsu hissed warningly

"Umm... who is she?" Naruto asked as he came to a stop beside Sakura and Karin, staring at the red head curiously. After Sakura ran head first into the fray to save Karin, Naruto and Kimimaro had been forced to hurry to Tazuna's side where Haku soon abdomen them as well. Tazuna all but had a panic attach when Haku's ice dome shattered and revealed Naruto and porky-pine looking Kimimaro.

"Her name is Karin," Haku sighed as Kakashi stepped up beside the burned and possibly dead Jonin, Karin's chains having returned to her body when she passed out, and Zabuza was running towards them. "She's a childhood friend of ours, she was taken away a few years ago and she wasn't found until just now." Zabuza stopped just behind Haku and Suigetsu, wrapping his arms around them and giving them both a tight squeeze (Which shocked the hell out of Suigetsu, he was too shocked to even say anything about the strange behavior).

"Karin found me when I was searching for Gato's hide out," Zabuza said as he released the two boys and stepped toward the two passed out girls. "She said she remembered me from the raid nine years ago and that she wanted my help to get out from Gato." Zabuza stooped and carefully pulled Karin into his arms, "I told her I needed her help to kill Gato, she agreed with the condition that she returns with me to the hidden mist."

"I think we need to have a talk," Kakashi grumbled as he stepped away from the now defiantly dead Jonin, when no one was looking he put a kunai in the guy's neck; the last thing any of them needed was for him to regain consciousness and attach.

"About what?" Zabuza asked, shifting his hold on Karin

"You do realize that she's an Uzumaki right?" Kakashi asked as he lifted Sakura into his arms and started walking towards a panic stricken Tazuna, "She belongs in Konoha." _Just like Kushina and Naruto... they should stand together not separated... they're the last of the clan..._

"But she was born in Mizu," Haku piped up, making Kakashi sigh

"Let's just leave it to our Kage's," Zabuza suggested as he walked beside Kakashi, his students following closely behind him and Kakashi's boys following on the other side.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Mei continued holding Yagura tightly, her chakra encasing him in warmth and what she considered a calming rhythm, for an hour before he began to calm again but not quite waking up from the bond he shared with the reincarnate. Mei sighed as she retracted her chakra from her teacher, knowing that he was as calm as he was going to get in this trance. She stroked his longer yellow-green locks, smiling when she remembered a time when they were short. After his time with the reincarnate Yagura started to grow his hair out, not by much but just enough to make a slight difference in appearance, when he saw that he was actually growing he decided to let his hair grow out too.

At 21 years of age, he was barely five feet tall with hair just inches long

At 29 years of age, he was just under six feet tall with hair that was half-heartedly pulled back into a ponytail

Mei loved how much he matured over the years and she fully believed that it was thanks to the reincarnates influence

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"_Hay Sa-chan," she called softly, waking the pinkette from her sleep, "Sa-chan I think something's wrong, I feel like something's charging at us"_

"_Are you sure?" she questioned yawning as she pushed herself up from between the two older pinkette's._

"_I'm positive," she answered, "It feels like a wall of fire is charging towards us... I feel scared..."_

"_Stay close to us," the older pinkette ordered, pulling the red head close, "You'll be safer with us..." she curled up between the two older girls beside her friend, her crimson eyes closing tightly when she felt the earth begin to rumble beneath them. The girl behind her reached a hand out over them, locking arms with the oldest pinkette, teeth gritted together and tears slipped out of their eyes._

_They were all afraid but they were all too proud to admit it_

…

"Ka-chan, wake up, Ka-chan," the voice was so soft, it could barely pass for a whisper. "Ka-chan, wake up... you're safe now..." she felt something squeeze her hand and she couldn't help but to squeeze back, still afraid that her dream wasn't a dream. "Ka-chan, you're safe now..." with a sniff she opened her eyes, tears already leaking out and a trembling smile already spreading on her face before she even recognized the pinkette laying beside her.

"S-Sa-chan" Karin murmured, curling into the pinkette's side as sobs trembled across her body and tears leaking out of her eyes. "I-I was so s-scared... you never came back"

"I know," Sakura murmured leaning close to Karin and wrapping an arm around Karin's shoulder's reassuringly. "I wanted too... but no one wanted me to remember and Fu-nee and Ta-nee swore they'd bring you back with them..."

"B-but I-I wa-wasn't th-there..." Karin whimpered out, "I-I was-s t-taken..."

"I know," Sakura murmured, running her fingers through Karin's long locks. "I know, Fu-nee told me. She said you were sold to that woman... before the raid... that there wasn't a way to find you be-because..." Sakura hic-upped, she took a deep steadying breath, trying to calm herself down so she could continue without bursting into a pile of mush like Karin. "Sh-she used an ali-alias... I-I was s-so sc-scared..." Sakura burst into tears beside Karin, wrapping her arms around the red head and crying just as hard as she was.

They had been taken together by the same team, housed and fed together with Fubuki and Tayuya. They swore to never forget each other, with Sakura's photographic memory and Karin's ability it wasn't hard to keep the promise. They both had been stolen from their homes and prepared as slaves, Karin had been sold before the raid and Sakura had been saved the day of the raid, they never should have met again.

They didn't question why fate let them reunite, they were just happy to beside each other again

For this short amount of time, they were two little girls sleeping between their older sisters

For this short amount of time, they were a family

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

The first day she was placed in 'her room' she thought it was impressive; decorated in fine cloth, soft carpet, silk curtains and expensive paintings and furniture. Later she realized the room was bugged, there were cameras everywhere and the little balcony with the beautiful view had a multilayered, unbreakable glass covering that prevented her from jumping out into the garden beyond. For someone like her it was essentially a death trap.

"Let me out!" She ordered coldly, pounding on the door repeatedly. Now she cursed and kicked at the wooden door keeping her in her room. Gato had locked her in while he went to the bridge with her daughter because she was obedient and didn't sneak out on a regular basis. She could hear the men on the other side laughing at her misfortune; she had been fighting against the thick oak door for the past two hours and arguing with the two guards just as long.

"Not a chance!" The thug on the other side cackled, she was about to speak when she heard a shout from what she guessed to be down the hall. The two men cursed and left her room, she thrashed against the door even harder then she had before but the men on the other side only ignored her efforts.

"Are you kidding me?!" a voice down the hall yelled, making her stop at the tone of voice used. It was filled with anger and agitated; bad news was delivered but bad news about what? Gato? Their payment? The bridge? What was going on? What happened outside?

"Just what are we going to do? He promised to pay us and now he's dead?!" Ah Gato was dead and they had nothing to take as payment But what did that mean for Karin? Was she dead too? The thought made her grit her teeth and an unpleasant feeling settle in her stomach.

_No,_ she thought, biting harshly on her lip until she could taste blood, _I've taught her better then that! She's a good kunochi! She'll fight and get out! She'll run and not look back!_

"Hay what was that?" she stiffened at the curious voice; she had forgotten to be quiet around board men with no boss to keep them in check. "I'm not the only one who heard that right?"

"No," another voice drawled, she could hear the man's smirk as he turned on his heal and started to walk towards her room. "Gato's little woman is all locked up with no place to go, should we have some fun boys?"

_Your death wish_, she thought as she backed away from the door and stood in the middle of her nice looking room. She heard the men rummaging around on the other side of the door, pulling off the locks and beams that held it closed.

"Little missy~" one of the men on the side chuckled, making the hair on the back of her neck rise, "Why are you so quiet? We though you wanted out?"

"I do," She snapped at them, straightening in her posture, setting her hands together in front of her, her back straight and her head level.

"Well everything has a price," another chuckled

The began to open with a soft 'hush'

"That's right," she agreed, blue eyes dancing at the sight of four men standing in the door way, "everything dose have a price."

"What's with the smirk red?" the tall bony man asked as he walked further into the room, his sword hung on his shoulder like a bag of potatoes, "Do you think you can make it past us without giving us what we want?"

"Do you think I'll give it to you so easily?" she asked lowly, her bangs falling into her eyes as she raised one hand and formed a hand sign.

"Of course," the old and fat one chuckled, "You're just a woman."

"You're quite mistaken," She smirked, eyes glowing as her clan blood line activated, golden strings erupted from her back slamming into the walls, floor and ceiling and making the four men all but wet them selves as her power grew until even they could feel it's weight.

"I'm a kunochi"

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"I see," Kakashi sighed, leaning back in his chair, "So you were there too..."

"Yeah" Zabuza agreed, nodding in agreement, ignoring the three boys trying to listen in on the conversation at the entrance of the living room. "My department was in charge of tracking the kids already sold, Karin was the first one I came across. The woman who bought her may have used an alias but she didn't notice the cameramen wondering the grounds for 'incurrence' reasons that the mastermind came up with. By the time I got back to the mist village, Karin was already settled in and knew both Suigetsu and Haku well. I had tried to arrange an arrest on the woman but she must have been the same as Karin because she was gone when we arrived. When I got back to my apartment both Haku and Suigetsu were beaten up pretty bad but not in life threatening danger. They told me that the woman had entered a couple minutes after I left them, beat them to a pulp and took Karin away. That was four years ago."

"It took you five years to get back to your village?" Kakashi asked curiously

"Not all of us are part blood-hound," Zabuza snapped, glaring at Kakashi, "Some of us actually have to work to get what we want."

"Hay I have to work too," Kakashi chuckled "Just not as hard." Zabuza growled at the softer comment that he wasn't supposed to hear.

"So that explains how Sakura and Karin know each other," Kakashi said thoughtfully, drawing Zabuza's attention to another puzzling question. "Now the only other question I have is, how do they remember each other?"

"Karin is a sensor," Zabuza answered with a sigh, "She never forgets a chakra signature, especially one that holds a great importance to her."

"And Sakura has a photographic memory," Kakashi sighed, shoulders slumping. Two little girls, who were too young to remember the terror they had lived through, had beaten the odds stacked against them—they remembered everything that happened.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

She cursed as she kicked at one of the bodies now laying at her feet, she had used her family bloodline but now she was excruciatingly tiered. If she came across anyone else she'd be in a lot of trouble. The bloodline may have come easy to Karin, after learning how to activate it of course, for those like her who were trained to forcefully awaken the bloodline that they had but weren't supposed to use until some kind of life and death situation occurred... well it was about a hundred more times difficult to control.

_I better hurry,_ she thought, turning to leave the room, only to stop when a hand wrapped itself around her ankle, keeping her from moving.

"Who-who ar-are you?" the fat old man asked, blood dripping down his chin

"Uzumaki," She answered coldly, "I'm Nira Uzumaki"

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"So... what happened after the raid?" Sakura asked as she stretched in the bed she shared with Karin "What happened with that woman you left with?"

"After I was taken away by the woman, she offered to go back for you and Fu-Nee and Ta-nee," Karin answered slowly. "She came back about a day later and said that they were already sold and she couldn't get them back, as for you she couldn't find you before a raid destroyed the camp." Sakura snorted and rolled her eyes; Karin smiled and tried to hide her own amusement at what she now knew to be a rather poor lie.

"After that we traveled around, she taught me what she could and then we came across the hidden mist village," Karin shifted slightly to get a better look at Sakura, "That's how I met Haku and Suigetsu. They were enrolled in the academy there; they convinced me to at least ask her if I could do the same. Turns out she didn't mind me joining the academy, just so long as I quite before I technically graduated from the mist village. It was a hidden village, she didn't want to stay to long and end up getting thrown in jail for buying me."

"Makes sense," Sakura agreed, her lips tilting slightly in a smirk, "Although I don't see the point in her taking you to a hidden village."

"I don't either," Karin agreed with a shrug, "we were there for a few years before Zabuza returned and figured out who I was. When that happened she hid her chakra signature and made Zabuza and his team think that she was at our apartment while she was really following my chakra signature to Zabuza's apart he shared with Haku, Suigetsu was there too. She broke in while I was in the kitchen, Suigetsu and Haku tried fight her but she beat them to an inch of their lives. When I threatened to kill my self if they died, she ordered me make them swallow some of my blood. I did and they survived, later she told me that I hadn't given them enough to heal completely, just enough to spare their lives."

"I see," Sakura sighed, seemingly sinking into their bed like it was a cloud, "hay Karin promise me something."

"What is it?" She asked, turning to blink sleepily at her 'big sister'

"In less my life is in danger, don't make me drink your blood," Sakura said with a look of disgust, "No offence or anything, it just that... well, that sounds really gross."

Karin couldn't hold back her laughter

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Two days after the bridge incident, Sakura and Karin told 'their' boys how they knew each other, simply saying that they met when they were younger and were instant friends. Suigetsu and Haku already knew that Karin had been kidnapped as a child; Zabuza had explained everything to them after Karin's 'mother' had kicked their butts. After that, Karin introduced herself as 'Karin Uzumaki' to team seven, which immanently had Naruto's attention and had him asking a thousand and one questions. Karin had actually taken him aside and spent most of the next two hours telling him everything her 'mother' taught her about their clan.

"Sensei you never taught us the next stage after walking on trees," Sasuke said suddenly, drawing attention to Kakashi's promise and Naruto's attention was instantly diverted from Karin's story of their family to Kakashi. He make Karin promise to tell him later that day as he barreled into the living room where everyone else sat talking calmly.

"You mean water walking?" Sakura asked blinking at her teammates curiously

"Water walking?!" Naruto questioned loudly, earning an amused giggle from Karin as she walked in and took a seat beside Sakura

"Kaa-chan taught me that years ago," Karin said smiling at Sakura. "She taught me Tree walking almost immanently after... and water walking right after that."

"How long did it take you to master them?" Sakura asked curiously

"Oh the second time with tree walking and about ten with water walking" Karin answered

"Eh? That's nearly the same as me!" Sakura grinned, turning to address Karin excitedly, "I took a lot of breaks on the tree the second time so I wouldn't end up falling to my death, so if you want to get technical it took me about three times to master it."

"Really, that's so cool!" Karin gushed with a bright smile "What about water walking?"

"Oh I think it took me like... um" Sakura's face scrunched up in thought, "Ten? Fifteen tries?"

"You spent a day out on the lake practicing Kata's" Sasuke drawled

"After I got the hang of it," Sakura pouted at him

"Hay sensei teach us how to water walk!" Naruto whined loudly

"Alright, alright I'll teach you both how to water walk," Kakashi relented, rubbing at the back of his neck

"Hay, hay while you're busy with them we can have a spar!" Suigetsu said loudly, surprising the group, "I wanna know just how good you girls really are!"

"Fine with me, Karin?" Sakura asked, turning to her friend curiously

"I don't see what it could harm," Karin shrugged carelessly, "just so long as I don't actually have to fight you I'm game."

"Two on two?" Sakura questioned, not seeing her teammate's pouts. They were going to end up spending the day training on a lake and Sakura was going to end up fighting with the mist team, their male pride didn't like that at all.

"Or we can do one on one," Haku said, "We boys can go against you girls, a try for both of you to go against both of us without actually fighting each other."

"I'll be the referee," Zabuza grinned, "Haku you'll have to stay out of the fight until you're healed up."

"Yes sir," Haku sighed bowing his head, he wanted to get into a spare with the girls

"Oh he should be able to join us in a few days," Sakura and Karin piped up at the same time, turning to giggle together at their perfect synergizing.

"He'll need to do lots of stretching with his arm," Sakura giggled

"To-to make sure it he-heals right," Karin giggled

"Right!" Suigetsu cheered, jumping to his feet and pulling Sakura and Karin out the door "Let's go!"

"Suigetsu!" Sakura laughed as the pale haired boy dragged her out the door

"We can walk by our self's!" Karin laughed

For the next week Sakura and Karin went against Kimimaro and Suigetsu

With Kimimaro both girls learned that her best chances of surviving him were to run like hell and pray he didn't pull out any ninjutsu against her. Out of all of them, Kimimaro's weapons style was the best and his Taijutsu was second only to Zabuza's. Even Haku had trouble fighting the older, white haired boy in hand-to-hand while Suigetsu just got his butt kicked with no questions asked.

When Haku was well enough to join in on the spars, he was nice enough to give the girl's some tips about throwing their kunai and shiriken, he even made some water clones for them to practice against. Both of them had gotten a lot better with their aim and Taijutsu abilities because Haku helped them, that didn't mean that Haku didn't sometimes cheat and throw senbon at their feet every now and again. Haku had ended up getting better at surprise attaches, Karin's accuracy improved ten fold and Sakura got better with her Taijutsu, more specifically her mother's Taijutsu that was quickly becoming a family Taijutsu style. Seriously, Haku wasn't to pleased when she took a hand full of mud and threw it at him; Suigetsu thought it was hilarious until it was his turn and Sakura threw the mud _in_ his face instead of his chest like she had done to Haku.

Sasuke had once tried to have a-no-holding-back spar with Haku, it lasted an entire hour and a half with Sasuke mostly stuck in Haku's Crystals Ice Mirrors. The only upside is that he managed to get more practice with the Sharingan that he woke up with his fight on the bridge. After that Kakashi scolded him about interrupting Sakura's and Karin's training when he hasn't even completed his own. Naruto tried a similar stunt but Suigetsu kicked his butt and told him to come back after he reached five minutes on the lake surface (something Suigetsu actively sabotaged).

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

She sighed in relief when she found her daughter in the little fishing village she often walked through; the villagers seemed to be regarding Karin differently now, now knowing her story undoubtedly. She stayed out of sight and suppressed her chakra to the best of her abilities, watching Karin and the girl she recalled being named 'Sakura' interact and laugh with the villagers. She had never seen Karin smile so much or laugh so many times in one day, she was lucky to get a chuckle out of the girl once a week. Yes they grew close over the years, yes she taught her everything she knew about their clan, from their bloodline to their sealing abilities, but that didn't mean they were truly mother and daughter. Their only common trait was their signature Uzumaki crimson hair, something that most Uzumaki's shared.

As Nira watched Karin for the next week she realized that the girl had forgotten about her entirely... and she didn't even seem worried. She smiled and laughed, she spook daily with a blond haired boy for most of her mornings and even began to teach him the very beginning of the basics for the easiest of seals. Didn't she say that seals were to be taught to no one but another Uzumaki? It was a clan thing; she wasn't supposed to teach it to the first person who showed an interest in it!

_That's it,_ Nira thought glaring at the red haired girl so far away from her own position, _it's time for us to have a talk_.

That night Nira snuck onto the outside roof of the two girl's room and knocked softly onto the window, even flaring her chakra just enough to catch her target's attention. Karin was sluggish in waking up but the second she recognized Nira's chakra signature she scrambled from the bed and clambered to the window hurriedly.

"Kaa-chan," Karin whispered frantically, "Where have you been? I was expecting you weeks ago!"

"You seemed happy to me," Nira replied with a frown, noting the girl's flinch and how her face turned a little paler and eyes a little sadder. "...Why did you not search for me?"

"Be-because," Karin whispered brokenly, tears threatening the edges of her crimson eyes, "I-I..." Karin paused and looked away, biting her lip before she answered "I have a cousin here."

"A cousin?" Nira repeated, her blue eyes wide, "Where?"

"His name is Naruto," Karin answered, knowing that her mother had been watching her since she just now chose to show up and her previous words were a bit of a big clue too, "he's the blonde boy."

"He doesn't look like an Uzumaki," Nira said with a frown, "Who are his parents?"

"He doesn't know," Karin answered softly, "he's an orphan from the hidden leaf village."

"The hidden leaf?" Nira repeated, straightening in her crouch, "he is Kushina's boy?"

"You know his mother?" Karin asked with wide eyes

"We were friends," Nira answered, sitting back on her hunches, "She was a chain wieldier too, although unlike me it came naturally to her."

"Why is she in the leaf and not Uzu?" Karin asked, "More importantly, why doesn't Naruto know about her?"

"Because she's dead," Nira answered, making Karin flinch. "Kushina was sent to the hidden leaf village to become the next Kiyobi Jinchūriki... if he's her son then he undoubtedly holds the Kiyobi within his body."

"Who would do that to someone?" Karin asked weakly

"Someone with advanced sealing knowledge," Nira answered, "meaning Kushina sealed the Kiyobi into her son her self."

"What dose that mean?" Karin asked, "I though that if a demon was removed from their human host they die?"

"They do," Nira agreed, "Something must have happened during childbirth... the Kiyobi must have escaped during it... Kushina gave her life to protect her son and that village... if the Kiyobi escaped his first priority would be to kill the nearest Uzumaki so that he couldn't be resealed again. Kushina... she must have... she must have done the sealing herself..."

"...were you two close?" Karin asked suddenly

"Not nearly as close as you and pinky, why?" Nira asked, her lips twitching into a smile

"Because you're crying," Karin answered, "I've never seen you cry before."

"Keep teaching Naruto-kun," Nira ordered snapping around and rubbing at her face with her long crimson sleeves. "It's his birth right, you'll go to Konohagakure and live there as either one of their shinobi or a seal mistress, understand?"

"Yes," Karin agreed, wrapping her arms around the older red head's body, surprising the older woman, "but only if I get to go to Mizu and reconnect with a few friends."

"Just make sure you return to Konoha," Nira replied patting Karin's hands awkwardly, "Kushina would've wanted the last of us to see her home. There's nothing left of that island so Konoha is as close to our home as it'll ever get..."

"I understand," Karin whispered, letting Nira slip from her hold and rise to her full height, "where are you going?"

"...Home," Nira answered, "I have something things to gather up for my niece and nephew."

"I though you were an only child?" Karin asked

"I am," Nira snorted, "but I'm also Naruto's godmother—if he's Kushina's son."

"He is," a deep voice replied, Nira automatically lowered herself into a crouch with a kunai in both hands. She stiffened at the feel of a sharp point pressed to the back of her neck

"I wouldn't do that if I wore you," a different, deeper male voice replied.

"Kakashi-san, Zabuza-san, what are you two doing up?" Karin asked looking at both men curiously, Kakashi was far to her right and Zabuza was standing just behind Nira with a threatening aura.

"I caught a strange scent on the wind," Kakashi replied, eyeing the crimson haired woman wirily, "I decided to follow it; Zabuza came along for the ride."

Zabuza snorted and rolled his eyes "What ever bloodhound, she's going into Mizu custody."

"Like hell I am," Nira growled, her eyes glaring over her shoulder at him

"Please don't hurt her," Karin asked leaning out her window to look pleadingly up at Zabuza, "She's never hurt me and she's taught me everything that I should know. Please, she's the closest thing I have to a mother."

"She bought you from slave traders," Zabuza frowned at Karin, earning an amused snort from Nira. The red haired woman moved very slowly, straightening her posture and putting her blades away in her sleeves.

"Technically," Nira said turning to put her back to the open space behind her so that she was facing Karin with Zabuza on her right and Kakashi to her left, "I kidnapped her before you idiots showed up."

"Um, Kakashi-san how do you know that Naruto is Kushina-san's son?" Karin asked suddenly, deciding to distract the two adults closest to her, knowing that any minute Zabuza would get irated and lunge forward anyways, Nira would play with him for a little bit before she made her grand escape.

"She was married to my sensei," Kakashi answered, understanding that Karin had a good reason for making Nira to snap her head around to look at him with a 'talk-or-I-kill-you' expression. "The Sandaime Hokage made it a law to not talk about what happened twelve years ago, it was a way to protect him from his father's enemies."

"Ah that cleared up a lot of my questions," Nira murmured, bobbing her head sagely, "Why hasn't anyone taught him about his inheritance? I know Konoha has some seal masters—"

"The only seal master we have is Jiraya of the Sanin," Kakashi said coolly,

"He had damn well stay clear of him," Nira hissed lowly, eyes flashing warningly, "I will not permit that pervert near my children—I mean my nephew-I mean my godchild!"

"Oh just adopt us and get it over with," Karin chuckled, "You've been my mother since I was like four—"

"Three," Nira corrected then sighed as Karin chuckled, knowing she got caught in the younger girl's verbal trap. "The Sandaime Hokage won't just accept me with open arms,"

"I don't see why won't," Kakashi replied, "You're one of the last Uzumaki left in this world. More importantly you're an elder Uzumaki with sealing knowledge; he'd welcome you a hundred times over."

"With the condition that I teach seals at your academy?" Nira asked with a raised eyebrow

"Possibly," Kakashi answered neutrally, "or at least in our Anbu ranks." Nira snorted and rolled her eyes

"I have to get some scrolls from home," Nira replied taking a step back, "tell lord Hokage that I'm moving in. Don't expect me right away I have some digging and exploring to do not to mention all the colleting that I have to do in that ruined house hold."

"When can we expect you?" Kakashi asked

"I don't know... a year from now? Two?" Nira shrugged carelessly "It'll take time to get everything from the island—if it hasn't been picked clean yet."

"Want us to send you any help?" Kakashi asked

"So not going to happen," Nira snorted, "even I have to be careful of the thousands of traps that are hidden in that island. I might not come back at all"

"Do be safe," Karin said, watching the red head bend at her knees and leap backwards, "You have to come back to Konoha with me!"

"Of course," Nira smirked

"Well," Kakashi sighed watching the woman disappear from sight, "better get some sleep red." Kakashi smirked at the glare sent his way from Karin, "We're leaving tomorrow, it's going to be a long trek back home."

"So you'll be leaving for Konoha?" Zabuza asked sheathing his kunai and looked down at Karin with a pout

"I'll be going to Mizu for a few days," Karin smiled, "I want to catch up with a few old friends."

"The boys will be glade to hear that," Zabuza smirked, jumping to return to his own room on the first floor

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

A week later

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Zabuza sighed as he returned to his village; he departed from his boys and Karin, who had followed them to the hidden mist village as she had promised. He knew that he had to speak to Yagura as soon as possible; he knew what he had to say to him, he spent the past week reciting the words he'd say to the man. Although he departed his students quickly, he was sluggish in entering the Kage tower, taking his time up the stairs and dragging his feet across the floors as he approached the Mizukage office.

"Come in," Yagura ordered before Zabuza even had the chance to knock, he'd been planning to stand outside the door for a little while but it would seem that Yagura wouldn't give him that luxury.

"Mizukage-sama," Zabuza called softly as he entered the office, immanently seeing Mei standing beside Yagura's desk with a clipboard in hand and a small sad smile.

"Zabuza..." Yagura greeted, not turning in his seat to look back at him, choosing instead to observe his village thoughtfully. "You found her," it wasn't a question; it was spoken as if it was a fact and it left Zabuza no choice but to agree.

"Yes," Zabuza agreed softly, his eyes lowering from Yagura's stare reflected back at him threw the window. "I've found you're little sister... she is well—"

"You were planning on telling me no," Yagura cut him off with a narrow eyed look

Zabuza didn't want to agree but he knew he didn't have to verbally, "...How'd you know?"

"I aw her memory,"

_Of course_, Zabuza had forgotten about that trait the Mizukage had, he saw and memorized everything the bond revealed to him.

"She thought Haku died..." Yagura continued, flipping a folded piece of paper over his shoulder at Zabuza. He watched as it unfolded and settled on the ground at his feet, image up. Haku's sleeping face stared up at him, a bloody gash in his shoulder where two pale hands pressed together to stop the bleeding.

"You let her go..."

"She is a kunochi of Konohagakure," Zabuza reasoned, "To take her would start a war..."

"I know," Yagura murmured softly, surprising Zabuza, "You did well... Diyakyo..." Zabuza flinched at the title, his eyes wide as he stared transfixed on Yagura's smiling face when he turned in his chair to address him fully. A Diyakyo was the highest title given to a shinobi of the hidden mist, they were almost considered royalty within the village and they were almost always the successor to the Mizukage, the heir of the hidden mist. The only other Diyakyo Zabuza knew of was Mei and he would happily step down from such an honor to follow her if she became the next Mizukage.

"The Hokage agreed to my request of participating in his chunin selection exams," Yagura's smile brightened, making him look a little more childish. "Will you accompany me, Diyakyo Zabuza?"

Zabuza kneeled before Yagura, not hiding his smile as he answered truthfully

"I will follow you wherever you so travel, even to the ends of the earth."

…

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><p>…<p>

**Thoughts are helpful**

**Opinions are wonderful**

**Helpful criticism is**** lovely! Just don't cripple me okay?**

**Please no cursing!**

**And don't forget to**** rate and**** review!**

**Page 29**


	33. Chapter 33

****Updated **Chapters**

**3, 4, 5, 18, 20, 22, 23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,39,40,41,42,43**

**There is a reason**

Chapter 33: entering the Chunin examine

Koomahana

**I realized that some things didn't get explained in the previous chapter so I went back and fixed them; please don't be too mean at me. There are a few new scenes but not to many, the story wasn't re-written or anything but something's were explained; like how Haku and Suigetsu knew each other, who Karin's 'mother' was and why Karin wasn't in the hidden mist anymore.**

**30 & 31-grammer and spelling corrections**

**32-scenes added, spelling and grammar**

**chapter 36 isn't working at the moment, i was in the middle of doing a mass edit and now it just won't open for me. the only thing my laptop is telling is that it's corrupted but it has no reason to be corrupted. it was working just fine when I closed it down and shut down and then when I started it up and tried to open it again i was told that the file was corrupted.**

**so be warned, once we get to that chapter it might be a very long time before you actually get to read it.**

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

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><p>…<p>

Right after coming home from the wave mission and the first thing team seven did was grab a pair of clean clothes and went straight to the hot springs. When they arrived, Naruto shouted that they should go into the joined baths because they were shinobi (and teammates) now and they've already seen everything each other has because they grew up together. Sakura blushed twenty shades of red because she saw some villagers she knew from the market look at her as if they couldn't decide to laugh or scowl, Sasuke hid his own red ears by dragging Naruto over to the men's side. After an hour in the springs and a quick wash later, the genin cell was ready to a nice long nap, so instead of going to their own homes the boy's followed Sakura to her house. They arrived chuckling and laughing and not even seeing, or maybe they were ignoring, the small team following them.

"Geez Ino what's your deal?" Shikamaru grumbled as he peaked around the corner with Ino, "So they left the hot sprin—"

"I said shut up!" The blonde hissed quickly knocking him back before team seven could see them, "I know she's up to something!" Ino hissed peeking back around the corner just in time see Sasuke duck into Sakura's house.

"Okay but why did you drag us along?" Chōji asked softly, pearling up at Ino in confusion, "it's not like you need us to help you spy..."

"True but if they caught me alone I wouldn't have an excuse for my reason being so close to them," Ino replied, crossing her arms and facing her teammates. "Where as if I have you two with me, I could say that we're off to the training grounds to practice our team work or something."

"Ino," Shikamaru called softly with a sigh, "You do realize that there isn't a training ground anywhere near here, right?"

"Then we took a walk through the neighbor hoods," Ino suggested, scowling at Shikamaru

"Yeah but why would we purposefully go through this one?" Shikamaru asked, rolling his eyes, "our homes are in the opposite direction."

"You could always say you came from the hot springs," a voice suggested behind Ino, making both boys stiffen and look up at the speaker

"Yeah! We could say that we just came from the hot springs!" Ino agreed with a smile, until she realized that neither of her teammates were looking at her.

"But then you still don't have an excuse for why you're two houses down from us instead of five blocks over near your own home." Paling slightly, Ino turned to look over her shoulder at the person speaking, her eyes widened at the pinkette standing there with crossed arms.

"Are you stalking me?" Sakura asked with a raised eyebrow and a voice full of mockery, "or is it one of my teammates again?"

"No!" Ino shouted at little too loudly, glaring venomously at Sakura, "Who in their right mind would want to follow _you_?!"

"...Still chasing after Sasuke, I take it" Sakura sighed, shaking her head as if disappointed with Ino. "When are you going to grow up?"

"When are you going to get that stick out of your—"

"Ino!" Shikamaru shouted, cutting the blonde off quickly. He had once seen them as close friends when they were in the academy, he didn't know what happened but one day they were suddenly enemies. Now four years later, he was shocked to see that the two girls in front of him were like hungry wolfs, snipping and snapping at each other until the weaker one falls.

"When are you going to stop being an embarrassment?" Sakura asked, not letting Ino shoot back at Shikamaru, "I wouldn't be surprised if your father chose someone else in your clan to be heir."

"What?!" Ino hissed rounding back onto Sakura with snarl

"Heaven knows you embarrass him enough as it is"

"Sakura that's too far!" Shikamaru snapped rising from his slouch, Sakura wasn't fazed by his raised voice but even Chōji and Ino had flinched back, they've never heard him raise his voice before.

"Aw dose the poor little Hime need someone else to finish what she started?" Sakura asked mockingly, glancing meaningfully at Shikamaru and Chōji, "Can't handle what you dish out? Perhaps you should just drop out and be the little flower girl your father wants." That struck a cord; Ino flinched and took a step back from Sakura, her baby blue eyes wide.

"That was mean," Chōji said worriedly

"What, you didn't take the hint already?" Sakura asked ignoring the Akimichi heir, unfazed by the blonde's pained expression, "Why do you think he keeps you in the shop more then he bothers teaching you anything?"

"Damn it Sakura!" Shikamaru snapped out again, stepping up beside Ino protectively, he was about to continue but Ino cut him off.

"Shut up!" Ino screamed flinging one of her kunai at Sakura, "You're wrong!" Sakura's hand flashed out and caught the thrown blade, not even batting an eyelash at the blonde or the tears that threatened her sight.

"Still a waist of my time I see," Sakura murmured, holding the kunai out to Ino with a blank face. "I had hoped that after five months you'd mature but it doesn't look like you have. It's rather depressing really." Ino was about to reply when Sakura proofed into a cloud of smoke, letting the kunai drop to the ground harmlessly.

"Come on Ino," Shikamaru said softly, wrapping an arm around Ino's shoulders, surprised to see that Sakura's words truly had an effect on her. "Let's get you home..." It had been a long time since he'd last seen the two girls fight and even longer since either one smiled at the other. Sakura hadn't ever been so cold before to Ino and it looked like Ino wasn't ready for Sakura's come back.

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><p>…<p>

"We can't ignore it for much longer lord Hokage," Kakashi sighed, slumping against the wall while the old man stared down at the little drawing on his desk. "Zabuza admitted that the Mizukage has a hall decorated with pictures similar to that one. He said this chunin examine he'll bring photo-copies of the other ten paintings, do we have anything to compare them to?"

"Fubuki-chan brought some photos over a few years ago," Hiruzen answered, leaning back in his chair with a sigh, "I suppose I should tell her what's going on now... we've been ignoring it for too long now."

"So we're agreeing on this?" Kakashi asked softly, "She really is Rin's reincarnate?"

"I'm not finalizing that decision until Fubuki shows us those photo's," Hiruzen answered with a frown, "I'll see if she can't do that in the morning, its late enough now..."

"If she is the reincarnate," Kakashi started slowly, "What are we going to do? Are we just going to hand her over to the hidden mist?"

"I honestly don't know," Hiruzen answered heavily, "Yagura is coming here for the chunin exams. But since he can't be here until the final round, we have a month and a week to make sure that no one else has a possibility of being the reincarnate..."

"...Sir," Kakashi started slowly, "...never mind..."

"Get some rest Kakashi-kun," Hiruzen ordered softly, "you look tiered"

"Yes sir,"

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><p>…<p>

Sakura stiffened when the memories of her clone came back full force, making her nearly drop her cup of tea while her eyes winded. The action caught both boy's attention from where they sat on either side of her.

"Who was it?" Sasuke asked curiously, they had known that someone was following them but they weren't sure who it was.

"I... I might have... gone too far," Sakura mumbled softly, staring dully at her reflection in her cup. _No might have about it... I did go too far..._

_**Family is precious...**_ the voice in the back of her mind agreed in a disappointed sounding tone, which some how made Sakura feel even worse then she already did. Feeling someone lift her cup out of her hands, Sakura stared up at Sasuke as he gently pulled her to her feet.

"Come on," Sasuke murmured, tugging at Naruto's shirt to get his attention. "It's time for bed, where do you want to sleep?"

"In bed," Sakura answered softly, not really paying much attention as both boys gently took her up to her room at the end of the hall on the second floor. The boy's sat Sakura down on her bed, Sasuke brushed out Sakura's hair (knowing her habits well enough to know that she dose it every night to keep it from tangling excessively during the night) and Naruto removed Sakura's shoes and handed Sasuke the hair ties he used to pull Sakura's hair into a low sloppy braid. They then gently laid her into bed and then readied themselves to sleep beside her—like they used to as children.

When Mebuki came home wondering what had happened to the children, she founded them curled up together around Sakura in her room. Seeing that her daughter's face was a little pale and her eyes looked a little red, Mebuki figured that something must have happened when they came back. She sighed and stepped back out of the room, now understanding why they didn't show up at the Hyūga compound where a 'welcome home' party was waiting patiently for their arrival.

…

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><p>…<p>

Fubuki marched up the stairs of the Hokage tower, adjusting her black bag smoothly as she went. She didn't quite understand why she was summoned to Hiruzen's office and ordered to bring all of the family photo's with her but she wasn't about to question the old man's sanity just yet.

_He dose everything for a reason_, Fubuki reminded herself as she adjusted her heavy bag again, _he dose everything for a reason, he dose everything for a reason..._ the chant kept Fubuki moving forward, keeping her calm as she marched past the stuttering secretary and knocked sharply on Hiruzen's door, flaring her chakra for good measure.

"Come in," Hiruzen called but the door was already half open and she was already walking through the doorway by the time he even raised his voice. "It's nice to see you Fubuki-chan, how have you been?"

"I've been well lord Hokage," Fubuki smiled, closing the door and bowing respectfully to Hiruzen, skillfully keeping the bag in place on her back. "Why did you call for me, Lord Hokage, is there something wrong?"

"Perhaps," Hiruzen sighed, "I need you too look at this and tell me what you think of it." Fubuki stepped closer to Hiruzen's desk and took to slip of paper from him carefully; she gently opened the paper and proceeded to stare dumbly down at the photo that greeted her sight. The image was dark as if at night, it showed three expertly drawn figures, no there were four; the fourth was hidden in the tree line at the edge of the image. It depicted two children on the ground, a young boy forced back onto his hunches with a kunai sticking out of the ground several feet behind him and a young girl crouching protectively in front of him but with one hand pressed to her side. There was another figure huddled up on the edge of what looked like an old shack, all beat up and bloody. All three figures on the ground were turned to the fourth figure in the trees, glaring and panicky at the same time.

Fubuki was anything but an idiot

She moved and let her heavy bag thump against the floor; she soon followed it and quickly pulled out the first photo album she came across. She flipped through the pages quickly, pausing at one with an image of a familiar looking ancient shack with three small children huddled up in it's doorway covered in dirt and looking guiltily at the camera. Fubuki compared the two images carefully before she flipped through the book again, not finding what she was looking for she flipped back to the picture of the shack and left it open on the floor with the drawing on top of it, she then dug into her bag again and went searching through the other albums carefully, pausing only when she caught sight of Sakura's graduation photo. She pulled the image out and carefully studied it beside the drawing, if she twisted Sakura so, put her at a distance too, made it dark...

_Oh hell_, Fubuki sat back from the image as if it had caught fire, her eyes wide with disbelief

"Fubuki-chan?" Hiruzen called softly, a frown in his voice, "is everything okay?"

"Where did you get this?" Fubuki asked softly, pointing at the drawing

"From a mist shinobi," Hiruzen answered calmly, "an old friend of yours actually." Fubuki looked up at Hiruzen, her face pinched into a frown. Kanshaka wouldn't give her a creepy ass drawing if she threatened him to and the old shopkeeper she used to write too died years ago but that left Zabuza... no wait she forgot about Mei... but they hadn't spoken for years...

"Zabuza Momochi," Hiruzen chuckled, "he gave the image to Kakashi while he was in wave country."

"Uh-huh," Fubuki continued to stare dumbly at Hiruzen, Hiruzen continued to smirk back at her. "Why did I bring my family's entire photo collection lord Hokage?" Fubuki asked, giving up on the staring contest

"Do you remember the drawings you saw when you were in the hidden mist?" Hiruzen asked, his face slipping into a neutral look, his head tilting slightly so that no one would be able to read his expression other then Fubuki who literally sat in front of him.

"Kind of hard not to," Fubuki answered with a pinched face, "They gave me a heart attach."

"Good," Hiruzen bobbed his head, "Now, do you remember that mission your mother went on a few weeks later? The one that ended her career?"

"Yeah," Fubuki said slowly, her eyes narrowing, "Why?"

"I'm sure you'll figure it out," Hiruzen answered, he didn't have to wait long for Fubuki to put the pieces together.

"You mean mother's mission was to—"

"Yes," Hiruzen answered

"So I was right about the pictures being the same—"

"Yes"

"...but why dose he have them?" Fubuki asked, starting to grow hysterical, "Why dose he have paintings of my little sister? More importantly why dose he have her life story hanging up on a wall for the world to see?!"

"I may not know if that's true but I do have a theory for its possibility," Hiruzen answered seriously

"...am I going to like this 'theory'?" Fubuki asked with a frown

"No, I don't think you will"

…

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The following two days after their return to the village, team Seven did trained together, the boys had even convinced Sakura to teach them some sensing. That day Kakashi had found them at their meeting bridge sitting in a triangle-formation holding hands, Sakura speaking softly to the boys. Kakashi even sat there for an entire hour listening to Sakura's soft voice; he was forced to announce his presence when both boy's chakras brushed against his hesitantly.

"Hay—" Naruto piped up

"Morning every body!" Kakashi interrupted cheerfully, watching in amusement as three pairs of eyes snapped up to him in a uniform glare, "What? No hello or good morning for me?"

"You're late," the three growled out

"So late that we were able to convince Sakura-chan to teach us how to lesson our chakra out put while on the water without going under," Naruto said, glare not lessoning on Kakashi

"And then we got her to teach us how she's always finding us," Sasuke added with a ticking eyebrow. "Why didn't you teach us what chakra sensing is?"

"Because you don't have that talent?" Kakashi asked more then stated which made the boy's glares intensify, "Okay so a select few shinobi can be sensors, you two didn't show any signs of having that particular skill."

"You still could have taught us the basics like Nee-chan," Naruto grumbled not rising from his seat

"Can either one of you two imagine Kakashi-sensei teaching you anything that doesn't revolve around violence?" Sakura asked with a grin aimed at the boys, making them look at her thoughtfully "Kakashi-sensei didn't teach us sensing because he doesn't know how!"

"Ha-ha-ha" Kakashi chuckled mirthlessly as he landed just behind Sakura, making her a little bit pale. "Sorry Sakura-chan, I think I misheard you, what was it you just said?"

"Just that you didn't want to rush into anything with our training sensei," Sakura replied with a wobbly smile

"Good girl," Kakashi patted Sakura's head a little too hard, stepping away from her to give himself some room. "Now as for the reason that I'm late—"

"You crossed a black cat?" Sasuke asked

"You got lost on the road of life?" Naruto asked

"You were helping a little old lady again?" Sakura asked

All three children were looking at Kakashi with impassive expressions, making the Jonin chuckle at them in a mixture of irritation and nerves. Maybe he should start showing up on time just to mix things up.

"Um... close enough," Kakashi answered, smiling when they glared at him for not being specific enough. "I was asking Lord Hokage for permission to add you three to the Chunin exams" the three children blinked dully at him. "This year," Kakashi added as if that meant something holding the slips of paper up for them to look at, "... it starts tomorrow morning?"

"...And you're just now telling us about it?" Sakura questioned with narrow eyes, "you're setting us up for failure aren't you?"

"Sakura-chan I'm hurt you'd even ask that," Kakashi replied slumping his shoulders and looking at Sakura with a betrayed expression shining in his one good eye.

"I don't know..." Sasuke murmured rising to his feet stiffly, "You did send us out on that under ranked mission..."

"To be fair Sasuke there was no grantee about it being miss-ranked," Sakura replied thoughtfully

"We found out when those two Chunin's tried to kill us," Naruto whined stretching out his legs

"True and at which point we should have returned to Konoha and sent out a more experienced chunin or Jonin team" Sakura agreed, "But we also wanted to continue the mission of our own regard."

"He still could have sent out for back up," Sasuke replied, stretching slowly to get blood back into his legs.

"Do you three even want to take these exams?" Kakashi asked, Naruto and Sasuke snatched the papers from Kakashi before he could even put them away, Naruto calmly passed Sakura hers as she stretched out her legs. "Okay then, now this test is completely optional—"

"No it's not," Sakura interrupted lifting herself back up into a sitting position and swinging her legs underneath of her to rise quickly. "I remember Ta-nee whining about Kaname-sensei saying the same thing when she was to take the test."

"So I'm going," Sasuke grumbled looking at the paper in his hand

"And I wouldn't miss a chance to pound on ya!" Naruto grinned at him, earning an irritated look

"Do you even have to ask?" Sakura asked rolling her eyes at the boys who birth smirked and grinned back at her.

"Sakura-chan," Kakashi called in a depressed voice, making Sakura turn to him with a curious look, "Please quite ruining my fun."

"If that's your definition of fun then you need to see a physiatrist," Sakura smirked and rolled her eyes, folding her arms behind her as she walked away from Kakashi with Naruto and Sasuke beside her.

In all honesty, Kakashi couldn't deny her claim about the physiatrist

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><p>…<p>

About an hour later

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><p>…<p>

"You're so dead brat!" Sakura screamed as she chased after the little boy Naruto knew, she didn't practically care about Naruto or the boy's friends, she just wanted to pummel the boy. "Take your punishment like a man damn it!" Sakura heard Sasuke chuckle behind her, knowing that if he kept himself out of her line of sight he was basically safe.

"Not even a man would take any punishment you'd dish out!" Konohamaru shouted, unable to hide his smirk, his eyes twitched when Sakura's form seemed to get closer and her glare seemed to fixate on him.

"Damn it Konohamaru!" Naruto whined as he ran for everything he was worth, "Just apologies already!"

"Yeah ri—ghya!" Naruto skidded to halt with Moegi and Udon just behind him, eyes wide as they stared at the boy Konohamaru ran into.

"That hurt brat," The boy was dressed in... In what appeared to be a black suite with a black hat with cat ears, his face was lined with violet paint. Without so much as a warning he was holding Konohamaru up by his scarf, "You know... I really hate brats like you..."

"L-let go you big bully!" Konohamaru gasped out

"Cha! Die brat!" Konohamaru paled drastically, he looked fearfully up as Sakura bared down on him with a kick, knocking him away from the boy but she didn't stop there, no she moved like water and punched Konohamaru in the stomach, knocking him out of the ally way and into a house across from them.

"What the hell?" the boy in black shouted, taking two steps back from the furious looking pinkette in front of him, his eyes wide as he watched her charge forward like lightning and proceed after the boy who ran into him.

"I'm sorry!" Konohamaru shouted out from his landing place, hands up in a defensive manner. Naruto then jumped forward and wrapped his arms around Sakura, trying to keep her from continuing after Konohamaru.

"He said he was sorry Sakura-chan!" Naruto shouted in Sakura's ear, but the pinkette only snarled and pushed herself forward, leaving Naruto dig his feet into the ground helplessly. "Killing children is bad!"

"I don't care who he is," Sakura growled, advancing on Konohamaru with blood lust in her eyes, "he's dead meat!"

"Konohamaru swear to never say it again!" Naruto begged helplessly

"But she—"

"NOW!"

"I swear to never say that again!" Konohamaru sobbed, "I'll never say anything mean to you ever again!"

"I'm sorry for hurting you," Sakura said pleasantly and calmly, doing a complete 360 after Konohamaru's words. Konohamaru was so surprised that he couldn't belief his ears; he opened his eyes and looked towards Sakura in confusion. "Would you like for me to examine you're wrist?" Sakura wasn't even speaking to him; she was addressing the boy in black! Her face was smoothed out with an angelic smile and her voice was soft like his mother's favorite pillow. The boy in black was so dumb founded he just stared dully at Sakura, not even registering her words until she touched his wrist and began to examine it carefully.

"My name is Sakura, it's nice to meet you Suna-nin-san," Sakura murmured as her finger tips glowed slightly as she pressed them against the boy's wrist. "I take it you're here for the chunin exams that start tomorrow?"

"Yeah," he mumbled dumbly, "are you a medic Nin?"

"In training," Sakura chuckled, "My sister taught me this when I was little; it took me forever and half to perfect it."

"Hay Sakura-chan," Naruto mumbled with a slight blush, drawing Sakura's eyes to look up at him through her bangs curiously. "I think the kids could use some healing too... especially Konohamaru, you did go a little far on him..."

"Hmm," Sakura stepped away from the older boy and smiled up at him, releasing his arm as she did so. "There all done no lasting damage or even a bruise! You'll be back to playing with your puppets whenever you want to!" Sakura turned away from the two wide-eyed teens and approached Moegi and Udon, kneeling to their level and examining the rock in Moegi's shoe that cut up her foot and the bruise forming on Udon's shoulder when he turned a corner to sharply.

"How'd you know?" the boy in black asked with narrowed eyes, lowering his arm from his own examination

"Hmm?" Sakura turned to look back at him, hands glowing on Moegi's foot that laid on her knees

"How'd you know I'm a puppet master?" he asked, technically he wasn't a master but the girl didn't need to know that

"Oh, Suna is famous for their poisons and puppets," Sakura giggled, smiling cheerfully at Moegi when she slipped the girl's shoe back on and turned slightly towards Udon as he revealed his slightly yellow looking shoulder. "I figured the mummy thing on your back was most likely a puppet, I wasn't really sure until you said something." The boy said nothing as he glanced back at the girl behind him, noting how he wasn't the only one who was rather obvious with his talent. He discreetly pointed to her weapon of choice and she nodded in agreement, teal eyes glinting hard at the pinkette.

"My name is Temari and this is Kankuro," she said stepping around Kankuro and placing a hand on her hip as she watched Sakura heal Udon's shoulder. "Sorry but I didn't catch your name"

"Oh that's okay," Sakura smiled as she focused on Udon's shoulder "it's—"

"Sakura," the pinkette turned at the sound of her name and saw Sasuke standing beside Naruto with Konohamaru in his arms. "I think you hit him too hard..." Sakura blinked at him and examined Konohamaru closely, noting how a small drop of blood was dripping from the corner of his mouth.

"Lay him on the ground Sasuke," Sakura ordered, nodding her head at Udon as she turned to the brunet now laying before her. "You shouldn't have moved him," Sakura reprimanded examining the damage she did to Konohamaru, "You made a sliver of bone scrape his Tricia..."

"That sounds bad Sakura-chan," Naruto whispered, looking paler then usual. "He's old man Hokage's grandson—"

"I know full well who he is Naruto," Sakura replied, both hands glowing green and eyes closing as she tended to boy's wounds. "It's not that bad but I'll heal him anyways because I know just how annoying you can be. Now be quiet so I can focus..." Naruto was quiet for all of half a minute when Konohamaru opened his eyes and blinked dumbly up at Sakura.

"Be still brat," Sasuke advised, "You move and she'll mess up, if she messes up you'll properly never be a shinobi."

"Sasuke," Sakura reprimanded as she opened her eyes and lifted her hands from a terrified Konohamaru. "You are a very poor liar, didn't Miko-chan teach you better?"

"She taught me plenty" Sasuke rolled his eyes, rising from the wall he was leaning against, "Can we go now? We haven't finished training yet..."

"Alright, alright," Sakura chuckled shaking her head and rising from where she kneeled beside Konohamaru. "Take it easy brat," Sakura said as she helped Konohamaru to his feet, "Some day Lord Hokage will retire and you won't be able to hide behind him any longer, got it?"

"I'm not hiding behind him!" Konohamaru snapped out

"Then quite being so rude," Sakura replied turning away from him so she could walk with her teammates away from the alleyway. "If you want people to respect you then you need to give them something _to_ respect." Sakura smiled as she nodded at her teammates and started to walk away, hands clasped together behind her and a soft bounce to her step as she walked away, leading her teammates out of the alleyway.

"Hay wait up!" Sakura stopped and turned just in time to catch Moegi as she ran into her, wrapping her small pale arms around her legs and burying her face into Sakura's skirts. "Please teach me!" Moegi shouted, showing Sakura her best pleading face, watery eyes and clasped hands in front of her face and everything.

"You'll have to take that up with your teachers and parents," Sakura chuckled, patting Moegi's head affectionately. "Besides I'm a genin not a Jonin, I can't legally teach you anything until I'm a Jonin with you placed on my genin cell."

"Can't I apprentice under you?" Moegi asked, her look not faded in the least

"I suppose," Sakura consented with a chuckle, "But you'll still have to take it up with your parents and teachers and then get lord Hokage's approval."

"If I get their consent will you teach me then?" Moegi asked

"_If_ you get their consent," Sakura stressed, "I still have to be at least Chunin to teach you anything and there's no guarantee that I'll be one this year."

"Whoa wait up," Temari called taking a step towards Sakura with slightly wide eyes, "You're in this year's chunin exams?"

"Yeah we are," Sasuke answered shuffling passed with Udon following close behind him

"So I guess we'll see you there!" Naruto grinned; tugging Konohamaru after him as they quickly passed the Suna Nin and hurried to Sakura's side.

"See you tomorrow!" Sakura smiled at them and quickly left, dragging Moegi along because she refused to let go of Sakura.

"Kankuro," Temari murmured stepping a little closer to her little brother

"We don't tell him," Kankuro replied glancing back at the blonde "He'll see them tomorrow anyways."

"See who?"

Crap

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"Moegi-chan I can't walk," Sakura sighed patting the girl on the head. "Don't you have to go to the academy or something?"

"No," Moegi grumbled up to her, "Why can't I follow you to the training grounds?"

"Because you're too young and inexperienced," Sakura answered with a heavy sigh, "Even we need our teacher present when we train, he may not be where we can see him but we know he's there because he always shows up two hours later and annoys us until we lose track of what we were doing."

"Hay Sakura," Sasuke called, pausing in his place to look back at her thoughtfully, "are your sister's home?" Sakura stared at Sasuke for a moment before she smirked, understanding lighting up her eyes like firecrackers.

"How'd you like to meet my sisters?" Sakura asked with a sweet looking smile, "They're Jonin and have taught me everything I know. I'm sure they wouldn't mind teaching you a thing or two..."

"Alright let's go!" Konohamaru said with a grin, "If they're the ones who taught you to punch that hard them I want them to teach me it too!"

"Are you sure about that Konohamaru?" Sakura asked with a secretive smile, he only saw that she was smiling and nodded enthusiastically at her, "Alright what about you two?"

"I don't have anything better to do," Udon mumbled thoughtfully

"I'm in," Moegi agreed readily enough, "I want to be just like you when I grow up!" Sakura hummed and took the nearest corner, Sasuke following with Konohamaru and Udon in toe, leaving a pale Naruto behind as he watched the three kids march off towards Sakura's house.

"They're doomed," Naruto mumbled softly, looking like he saw a ghost as he watched the three kids laugh and giggle as they followed Sakura and Sasuke to their own dooms. "Those girls are going to be merciless on them..."

…

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><p>…<p>

A few minuets later

…

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><p>…<p>

"Get out you pesky brat!

"KYAA!"

"What'd I do?!"

"Konohamaru! Udon!"

"You too brat! Innless you want to take flying lessons with them!"

"Bye! Have a nice day!"

Moegi, Konohamaru and Udon never returned to the Haruno house for fear that the 'demon' was still present.

…

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><p>…<p>

"Hurry up you guys!" Karin shouted with a wide grin, bouncing excitedly as she hurried ahead making her temporary teammates run after her.

"Slow down Karin!" Haku shouted stumbling as he jogged to catch up, not used to the dry and rocky road of Konohagakure.

"Hurry up they're just ahead!" Karin shouted back, not even noticing the distance she put between her and them. Seeing a bright flash of pink ahead, Karin shouted out in joy.

"Nee-chan!" Karin screamed, making several people turn towards her. "Nee-chan! It's me! Do you remember me?!"

"Karin?" Karin's smile widened and she barreled head first into the older woman who laughed and spun her around. "We thought we lost you," Fubuki whispered, fighting back tears as she tightened her hold on the red haired girl. "Sakura-chan wouldn't stop crying when we told her..."

"Oh! I met her in wave two weeks ago," Karin giggled, smiling brightly up at the older girl. "She doesn't look all that different from when we were kids!"

"I see" Fubuki chuckled, rubbing Karin's head affectionately, "Oh, you've become a mist shinobi?"

"No this is only temporary," Karin answered, brushing her fingers against the headband resting on her neck. "Haku and Suigetsu needed another teammate because Kimimaro was already a chunin. Mizukage-sama said that he and lord Hokage were still going over the final details of my transfer here and that it was already agreed that I could participate in this month's Chunin exam."

"KYAA!" Fubuki's mouth slammed shut at the scream that interrupted her, turning Fubuki and Karin watched as a small dark figure hurtled towards them at blinding speeds. Fubuki picked Karin up and took two big steps back, watching as the blur landed and created a large divot in the road when it landed. Curious Fubuki looked up at Karin, who was sitting on her shoulder, who shrugged clueless.

"O~we~"

"Ah Konohamaru," Fubuki chuckled suddenly understanding what was going on, setting Karin back down and stepping closer to the boy in the ground, smiling when she saw that he wasn't the only one passed out in the middle of the road. "And Udon-kun? My haven't either one of you learned not to make Ta-chan mad yet?" The two boys didn't answer her, their eyes rolled in their heads which made Fubuki chuckle.

"Who are they?" Karin asked watching how Fubuki's hands glowed green as she tended to the two knocked out boys.

"Konohamaru! Udon!"

"Looks like Moegi-chan was with them too," Fubuki chuckled turning to watch the little orange haired girl hurrying towards them. "They're students at the academy here and they're rather vocal about everything they do..."

…

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><p>…<p>

"Did you have to kick them so hard?" Sakura asked with a chuckle, watching Tayuya march back into the house with a scowl on her face, "I already had to heal them once today."

"It was two for the price of one," Tayuya said seriously as she marched passed and up the stairs, making Sakura laugh in her wake.

"Hay Sakura-chan I have a surprise for you!" Fubuki cheered as she walked through the door not even seconds after Tayuya went up the stairs to her room.

"Karin?!" Sakura shouted with a smile, seeing the red head's bobble of a ponytail from Fubuki's shoulder.

"Sakura-chan!" Karin smiled; climbing down from Fubuki's back and hurrying further into the house to hug Sakura tightly.

"Ow!" Sakura smiled at the loud shout from the back porch where Naruto and Sasuke were sitting together trying to sharpen their kunai and shiriken. Smiling Sakura took Karin with her to check on the boys, Naruto pouted up at her with a big gash running up his thumb.

"See? What'd I tell you?" Sakura asked stooping to wrap a bandage around his thumb

"But Sakura-chan you distracted me!"

"Sharpen your weapons right and you don't have to worry about getting cut, dube"

"Sasuke... _you're_ bleeding" Karin couldn't help but to giggle at the three, wishing that when she got her own team that they would be as close as what she's seeing now in front of her.

"Karin-san" Mebuki called softly, drawing Karin's attention instantly. "Won't you come here and try this on for me?" Mebuki asked holding up a small strip of navy blue cloth with graceful yellow branches curling up it out to her.

"Yes ma'am," Karin agreed, steeping towards the dinning room table and holding her arm out. Mebuki chuckled and laid the cloth out on her bare arm, setting it up so one end brushed her knuckles and the other brushed her elbow. Mebuki smiled as she brought the ends together underneath Karin's arm and weaved her chakra through the frayed ends, making the cloth weave together seamlessly and hug Karin's arm like a second skin.

"Whoa," Karin whispered, eyeing the beautiful design arching up her arm gracefully.

"Just as I thought," Mebuki hummed, brushing her fingers over the smooth silk. "Naruto's and Sasuke's arms were too big and Sakura's was too long... but you? You my dear are a perfect fit..."

"Wh-what dose that mean?" Karin asked softly, not sure if she was understanding the blonde woman sitting before her.

"I've been trying to make gloves for the children," Mebuki explained with an affectionate smile. "But they always turn out too small; will you do me a favor Karin-san?"

"Yes ma'am" Karin agreed, nodding her head softly

"Won't you wear these cloves for me?" Mebuki asked, smiling up at a shocked Karin amusedly, "I have other articles of clothing that are too feminine for the boys but are too small for Sakura-chan too, you can try them on if you'd like."

"Oh no miss I couldn't!" Karin shouted waving her arms in front of her, "I mean, I love the glove... I mean, I just couldn't do that it'd be—"

"You where there," Mebuki said softly, staring up at Karin with watery green eyes. "You were there nine-years ago in the raid, you are a survivor like my children but you were never found..." Karin's eyes widened further at Mebuki's implications. "From now on child," Mebuki whispered, brushing a hand against Karin's cheek, "This house is your home, this family is your family. If you ever need anything, just ask and I'll do my very best for you—" Karin didn't let the older woman finish her sentence, she burst into tears and wrapped her arms around Mebuki's neck, crying in the older woman's hold. When Sakura ducked her head in she smiled and quickly walked towards the two, she kneeled and wrapped her arms around Karin and Mebuki smiling into the red head's shoulder as she drew her into the hug.

"Congrats Sakura-chan," Mebuki whispered, patting the two girl's heads affectionately, "you just got a new sister."

"I-if that's the case," Sakura hiccupped, trying to hide the few tears that escaped her control, "Then I got a gift for you... Imoto..."

…

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><p>…<p>

Fubuki sighed as she watched Sakura and Fubuki sleep together on Sakura's queen sized bed, both curled together like serpents; their hair tangling together in one big crimson and pink mass. No matter what she was told she still couldn't belief that Sakura was the reincarnate of a child solder who just so happened to be Kakashi's first teammate _and_ the first host of the Sanbi.

It was imposable to be a reincarnate, isn't it? How could that even happen? Wouldn't death get pissed or something? Wouldn't she remember her past life? Oh hell, what if she remembers her past life? Then she would remember her first kill! She'd know what war was like! How to survive it—wait she died in the last war, how could she possibly survive the next? Would there be a next? Would the Yondaime Mizukage rage war against Konoha for her? Could they give her up to avoid war? She was-is a kunochi of Konohagakure! She's a Haruno! The Haruno clan was in these lands before the founding! Granted they were merchants back then but still! She belongs in the land of fire! She was born and raised her—both times!

_No!_ Fubuki thought straightening in her crouch outside of Sakura's bedroom window; _I will not give her up!_

Fubuki made her decision, come hell or high water (the Sanbi could pull that one off) she will go through a hundred wars to keep her little sister where she belongs. To hell with the Shodaime's tactic of keeping peace between the villages, it didn't work anyways; three great shinobi wars happened anyways.

Sakura Haruno is remaining in the land of fire, she will remain a kunochi of the hidden leaf village

The first person to say otherwise is going to get frozen and ripped apart

…

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><p>…<p>

**Thoughts are helpful**

**Opinions are wonderful**

**Helpful criticism****is**** lovely! Just don't cripple me okay?**

**Please no cursing!**

**And don't forget to**** rate and**** review!**

**Page 18**


	34. Chapter 34

**There is a reason**

Chapter 34: the first test

Koomahana

**Fubuki was 10 when she met Sakura & 11 when she was taken to the leaf village**

**Tayuya was 8 when she met Sakura & 9 when she was taken to the leaf village**

**Sakura was 3 when she was taken and returned to the leaf village**

**Yagura was 20 when he first met Sakura and 21 when he returned to his body.**

**Yagura is 17 years older then Sakura**

**Fubuki is 7 years older than Sakura and 2 years older then Tayuya**

**Tayuya is 5 years older than Sakura**

**Fubuki was a genin at 12, Chunin at 14 and Jonin at 16**

**Tayuya was a genin at 12, Chunin at 13 ½ and Jonin at 16**

**They are now:**

**Fubuki is now 19 years old—Jonin for three years (Same age as Shisui—Anbu—and Shikan—Jonin)**

**Tayuya is now 17 years old—Jonin for one year (Same age as Itachi—Anbu—and Hana—Jonin)**

**Sakura is now 12 years old—Genin (Same age as Naruto, Sasuke, Karin, Suigetsu and Haku)**

* * *

><p><strong>Okay so I thought that if you could paint seals why couldn't you sew them?<strong>

**Wouldn't they last longer as stitches in cloth then on paper that can be destroyed rather easily?**

**Hopefully I haven't confused you too much...**

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

…

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><p>…<p>

Sakura had finished pulling her hair back into a high ponytail, lined her bangs in white strips of cloth tipped with blue and green beads when she stopped to examine her accessories carefully, not sure if she should replace them with something else. Just to take page out of Fubuki's book, she had chosen wore teardrop teal earrings, a matching emerald pendent and a silver chain bracelet that held several dangling attachments. There were the original attachments from when she got the bracelet when she was eight (the crimson teardrop, silver flower, snowflake, red cat eye, crescent moon and a yellow sun) each attachment was interspaced with green and blue hollow glass beads. These blue and green beads each held a several different gases; the blue ones were highly explosive and the green ones were numbing agents that worked really fast. Tayuya came up with the idea years ago but had some trouble storing the gases so that they wouldn't leak. As it turned out the glass beads coupled with a liquid seal put the gasses in a liquid state that returned to their gaseous form when introduced with air, plus they didn't leak so the wearer didn't have to worry about suddenly exploding into a living fire ball or becoming paralyzed.

_At least they each have a double purpose,_ Sakura thought adjusting her pendent to hide the liquid inside and the seal on the back. A few years ago, some time after her mother's accident, Fubuki, Tayuya and Mebuki opened up the 'Spring Shinobi' store that became so popular there was at least one in every elemental nation that Sakura knew of. The store had two main parts in it: badass clothes and unique weapons. Her family may have been famed for their kunochi clothes with the hidden seals stitched in, their unique weapons and trap kits but not all of their famous designs could be sold to the masses.

Their long line of jewelry was apart of that particular 'special order' and 'approved only by the Hokage' kind of line. Tayuya came up with the hidden blades, bombs, poisons and any other gaseous weapon and allied them with a certain kind of bead. Fubuki would seal the gaseous agents into the hollow bead turning it into a liquid state until it was exposed to the air were it returned to its gaseous state. Then they'd put the deadly beads into a necklace, bracelet, earrings, anything a woman could access discreetly without getting caught and then proceed to kick some ass. The only other people who wore the Haruno jewelry line were those in the Anbu division and those specializing in seduction. There were also a few clan heirs—cough, cough-their friends-cough, cough—who could also get their hands on the jewelry but it had to be done in person, with approval from their parents (if they were underage) and a notification sent to the Hokage.

"Sakura-chan are you ready?" Sakura jumped at the sound of her sister's voice, she turned and smiled when Fubuki stepped into her room, her smile brightening at the sight of Sakura's newest out fit.

"Yes Fu-Nee," Sakura smiled, turning to show off the outfit. The a dark crimson skirt that brushed at her knees were stitched with red silk thread in a complicated pattern that formed small hidden storage seals; to keep herself from blushing when ever the wind blew Sakura was also wearing a pair of black spandex shorts that were hidden from view by the long skirt. Her black vest, that was almost identical to a Chunin's vest, also had a hood and had a large white circle on her back. Her shirt beneath the dark vest was a deep maroon with bell shaped sleeves that ended just shy of her fingertips and a high collar; it was also out lined in the same pattern as the darker skirt.

"My finest work yet" Fubuki snickered, smirk growing as Sakura gave a twirl for her extra bit of enjoyment. Fubuki knew Uchiha's liked their fire style jutsu's so she made sure that the entire outfit was fireproof and laced it with her own chakra to feel lighter and resistant to most water jutsu. Fubuki had even laced the front of Sakura's skirt with several small basic medicine pouches while the back half was storing extra kunai and Shiriken, if her hands were tied behind her she'd have better access to the sharp blades. Sakura's sleeves even contained a few weapons, while the pockets of her vest were lined with food and water storage seals. Fubuki knew that Sakura was just going to the chunin exam, in her own village, but she also knew that Anko was in charge of the second portion. That meant that the kids who made it that far would have to travel through 'the forest of death' and Fubuki wasn't entirely sure if Sakura and her teammates could go through that unscathed.

"You filled up these seals like I'm going to war," Sakura chuckled, knowing that the overall design of the outfit wasn't all that different from what she wore to wave, the only difference being in the number of seals hidden in the outfit. "I might as well leave the bag here; I doubt I'll need it with everything you've sealed into my clothes."

"Don't be stupid Imoto," Fubuki frowned at Sakura, half-heartedly pouting at her. "There's no such thing as being too careful..."

"Alright," Sakura chuckled, lifting said crimson bag over her shoulder;it had several pockets with little white buttons and looked to be nearly empty despite the fact that Sakura knew better. Every inch of it was lined with small storage seals, essentially Sakura's bag could both protect and feed an entire army for a day or two without any problems.

"Are you both going to be walking us to the academy?" Sakura questioned walking towards her sister with a smile. Knowing that Karin was being fitted in her new outfit down stairs and didn't know the way to the academy.

"No not today," Fubuki chuckled. "Tayuya and I have to keep an eye on a few foreign Jonin's, it doesn't look good if one or two of them try to break into our information and intelligence department."

"Boy wouldn't that be embarrassing," Sakura chuckled, "I'm sure you'll get to hear all kinds of interesting excuses!"

"Or see some unorthodox fighting styles," Fubuki chuckled.

When they arrived down stairs, they smiled brightly at a blushing Karin who stood in the kitchen with both Tayuya and Mebuki fussing over her outfit. Tayuya was a master at hairstyling and decided to focus on Karin's long crimson locks, pulling them into a high ponytail with little green and blue beads wrapping around several locks in elegant braids while her bags where pulled aside and white cloth tipped with matching blue and green beads; basically she had unconsciously copied Sakura's hair style. Karin's navy blue skirt was edged in gold swirling leaves and split up either side of her thighs revealing her black spandex shorts and kunai pouch; she wore knee high tan stockings and a pair of black healed boots. Her dark green shirt was similar to Sakura's but the belled sleeves didn't quite reach her fingers, instead they stopped just shy of her wrists. The soft golden leafs that twirled around the shirt's edges were similar seals to Sakura's own, but couldn't hold nearly as much because it was made for her when she was still in the academy, where she didn't need so many seals stitched into her clothes.

"Come on you guys," Sakura giggled, grabbing the ready-to-go lunch boxes for both Karin's team and her own, "We're going to be late if you don't let us go already."

"Oh alright," Mebuki sighed stepping away and glaring fussily at Karin's black belt, knowing that it was purposefully not sitting where she wanted it to just to annoy her. "Oh wait a moment!" Mebuki snapped her fingers as an idea came to her, she turned and quickly scurried through the various items of clothing laid out on the table behind her, she gave out a victorious shout when she found the same navy blue gloves she made and later gave to Karin the previous day.

"Wear these dear-heart," Mebuki ordered, pressing the cloth into the red head's hands "Fubuki already filled them up with kunai and shiriken, so just apply a small amount of chakra to open them up."

"Two should come out automatically," Fubuki chuckled, wrapping an arm around the flabbergasted red head and gently pulled her towards the door. "Quickly you two, before they get their senses straight!"

"Hay!"

Karin and Sakura laughed as they tore out of the house together

…

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><p>…<p>

Sakura waved Karin good-bye and gave her the large crimson lunch box, reassuring her that it was for her and her teammates, before Sakura approached her own teammates at the gates of the academy, glad that they changed their outfits as well. Sasuke was dressed in a black turtleneck with a dark blue vest with his clan crest displayed proudly on his back, black shinobi pants with his kunai pouch displayed on his right leg and his headband was resting on his forehead proudly, his Navy blue bag was resting at his feet looking like a carcass was stuffed was dressed in black shinobi pants and a black long sleeved shirt with a bright orange vest, similar to Sakura's, and a bright orange and black coat that looked a lot like his original sweat suit jacket. Naruto's headband was on his forehead and his kunai pouch was on his right leg as well, his black backpack was outlined in orange with a bright red swirl on the front of it, looking just as stuffed as Sasuke's.

"Hay guys!" Sakura laughed as she ran towards them, smiling brightly, "Looks like mom's out fits fit you perfectly!"

"Yeah no kidding Sakura-chan!" Naruto chuckled wrapping an arm around Sasuke's shoulders "we look bad ass!"

"Naruto language!" Sakura laughed, not really scolding him as much as she was agreeing with him. "Did Nee-chan give you any presents too?" Sakura asked, holding out her hands expectantly, purposefully showing off the seals sewn into her sleeves while simultaneously giving them their lunches.

"Yeah and they Rock!" Naruto agreed, smiling brightly as he gave her his left wrist, showing Sakura the beautiful Orange thread out lining the cuff in thick, beautiful swirls and lines. Sakura giggled as she ran her fingers tips over the two seals, one on back and one on front, both separated with expertly woven leaves to hide the seals sewn there.

"Are you sure Fubuki isn't a seal master?" Sasuke smirked, placing his left wrist into her right palm, smirk widening as she took in the elegant sapphire blue thread that twirled up his arms to show four seals on each arm, two on front and two on back, with similar leaves and branches enter locking between the seals and hiding them from view as well.

"She makes me wonder," Sakura giggled, knowing that over the years Fubuki really had mastered stitching the storage seal into clothing.

"Well let's go!" Naruto shouted wrapping his arms around his teammates and dragging them into their old school, laughing as they hobbled and bobbled through the halls and up the stairs.

"Naruto let go!" Sakura laughed, finally freeing herself from the blonde. She turned to go up the third flight of stairs but stopped instead, seeing that her teammates were going down a different crowded hall. "Where are you two going? The third floor is this way..."

"Come on Sakura let's check it out," Sasuke replied instead, "I'm curious."

"Curiosity killed the cat," Sakura warned as she followed him, shaking her head in amusement

"But satisfactory brought it back," Sasuke replied rolling his eyes

"Coming, coming," Sakura giggled, hurrying after a smirking Sasuke and a laughing Naruto, "What's going on anyways?"

"It looks like they got caught in a genjutsu," Naruto snickered, accidentally drawing a few curious stares. He might not have any skill in detecting genjutsu but he wasn't an idiot, there was no way that so many older kids with a hole lot more experience then them could have gotten so confused as to mix up their third and second floors.

"Man we have previous graduates in this hall and everything," Sakura giggled, spotting a few older leaf shinobi, "I'm surprised they haven't noticed the problem, I mean they are older then us."

_THWACK_

"Lee!" a feminine voice cut off Sasuke from replying and drew both Sakura's and Naruto's attention to the commotion ahead of them. "Please we just want to get through—"_thwack_ "—kyaa!"

"Ouch," Sakura hissed in sympathy for the brunet who just got knocked back next to her teammate, "That'll leave a mark."

"Dude what's your problem?" Naruto shouted out, stepping forward to glare at the two boys dressed in matching gray uniforms before two doors.

"We're just thinning out the herd," the brunet answered with a chuckle, "the Chunin exams aren't games ya know—"

"We know, we know," Sakura piped up, stepping between her teammates and rolling her eyes at the two men disguised as boys. "The Chunin exams kill more people then they pass,"

"It's a matter of life and death," Naruto rolled his eyes, nearly snickering as he remembered the lecture Fubuki and Tayuya sat the three of them through the previous day.

"Only the strongest become chunin," Sasuke replied dully, like he was calling Naruto an idiot

"You three been through this test before?" The black haired one asked with what appeared to be a 'vicious' smirk, really he looked like he was keeping himself from sneezing.

"Nope," Sasuke smirked

"Our siblings are just really over protective," Sakura snickered, confusing the two boys. "Fubuki-nee and Tayuya-nee used to tell us their experiences taking the Chunin exams as bed time stories."

"The only thing I learned from them is that I don't want to go to Kumo or Mizu for the exams," Naruto shivered as if he had been there with them for their exams, "they're meaner then Suna's giant man eating bugs!" Sasuke smirked as a few shinobi stepped slightly further away from the few Mizu and Kumo Nin in the hall.

"You're the younger Haruno girl?" the brunet asked, looking pointedly at Sakura, "Your sisters are nuts."

"I know!" Sakura laughed, surprising the boy as he was trying to get her angry, "Isn't it great?"

"Enough of memory lane," Sasuke grumbled, stepping up beside Sakura in boredom. "We have to submit our papers, either we can do it here or we can go up stairs to the real 301 examine room."

"Oh! Oh! Let's do it here!" Sakura said, clapping her hands and smiling brightly, "I wanna see why the gate guards are pretending to be genin!" team seven never saw the disgruntled look the guards shot them or the glares shot at the guards

"There is something seriously wrong with you," someone in the crowd around them murmured

"Obviously, have you seen how big her forehead is?" both Naruto and Sasuke stiffened, eyes locking in on Sakura immanently, "I bet people go blind by just look—!" Sakura was snapped around and curving through the crowd until she had clasped one hand around the older girl's neck faster then the girl could finish her sentence.

"You," Sakura growled lowly, mimicking Tayuya's 'I'll-enjoy-killing-you' face the best she could, "are a very disrespectful little girl." the brunette scratched at Sakura's wrists, tears pricked her eyes as Sakura's grip simply tightened.

"F-freak" the girl gasped, Naruto slapped a hand to his face and Sasuke sighed, slumping his shoulders.

"Why can't people just apologize when they jump off the deep end?" Naruto asked Sasuke softly

"Disrespectful little girls," Sakura murmured sweeping a foot forward and swinging the girl into the air before throwing her to the other end of the hallway and threw a wall, "Don't belong in these exams. If you're going to be rude make sure you're strong enough to back up your own taunts." Sakura straightened and marched back to her teammates with her head held high and her back straight, like she didn't just throw a girl nearly twice her height through the far wall at the end of the hall.

"If its one thing Sakura-chan hates," Naruto mumbled, smirking when Sakura stepped between him and Sasuke, barely even glancing back at the two guards in front of the door, "its disrespect."

"Let's go you guys," Sakura said moving past her teammates to return to the stairs. "I've decided that we're just wasting our time here, we have fifteen minutes to get to 301. If the people here can't figure out the problem then they won't last in the Chunin exam—just leave them behind."

"Geez Sakura-chan that girl really got to you!" Naruto laughed as he spun on his heel and took off after Sakura, "I haven't seen you that mad since Konohamaru called you—humph!"

"Idiot!" Sasuke hissed, seeing Sakura pause to glance back at them curiously, "Don't say that word or _we_ won't be taking the test until we're old and gray!" Naruto paled and nodded quickly, Sasuke released him and they quickly hurried on down the hall, trying to ignore the feeling of eyes on the back of their heads. As they hurried up the stairs Naruto and Sasuke both noticed the fine tremble to Sakura's hands as she marched ahead of them. Smiling both boys quickly caught up to her and wrapped one arm around her shoulder's, Naruto started laughing when they made her stumble.

"Don't worry Sakura-chan," Naruto laughed as he wobbled beside the pinkette, "you followed Ta-Nee's advise to the T!"

"Yeah I know," Sakura sighed, relaxing in their arms as she wrapped her own arms around both boy's waists. "But still... I _threw_ a girl through twenty feet of air and a _wall_. A _wall_ Naruto, that's not a weak old fence or a half dead tree or even the beat up old training grounds. I threw a human being _through a wall_."

"Sakura-chan" Naruto said seriously, stopping in his wobble-walk to look at the pinkette dead in the eye. "We've been telling you that you have monstrous strength for _years_, how is it that you're just now noticing it?"

"... Did you just inadvertently call me a monster?" Sakura asked with narrowed eyes, making Naruto slightly pale

"I'd never call you such a name Sakura-chan!" Naruto reassured quickly, "it's just that you can get fre—scarily strong when you're mad!" Sakura's narrowed eyes didn't lesson until Naruto was sure that she was going to punch him anyways just for practice. Instead, she smiled like an angle at him, he couldn't tell if that was a good smile or a bad smile.

"I'll kill you later"

He was doomed

…

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><p>…<p>

After explaining to a boy in green spandex with a bowl hair cut that she wasn't interested in dating anyone at the moment, the boy then challenged Sasuke into a spare for her affections and as such, Sasuke ended up getting his but kicked by 'Rock Lee'. The good news is that Sasuke earned another tomoe in his Sharingan; the bad news was that Sakura had to dump water up Naruto's nose to make him wake up so they could get to the class on time. As such, Kakashi found himself staring at a slightly bruised Sasuke, a wet Naruto and a disgruntled looking Sakura. He really didn't know if he should let them through and get sweets later or not and get a prank later... not that they've succeeded so far but he really didn't like excessive salt or explosives in his Ramen.

"Congratulations on making it this far, team seven," Kakashi said deciding to go with the safer root, Sakura could always sick Tayuya on him and the first time was bad enough. "Since you knew already that it was a test to see weather or not all of you were ready to take the test, I'm proud to say you all can enter together now."

"Like you'd stop us," Sakura giggled, not meaning it to sound as disrespectful as it came out; that was okay because Kakashi knew what she meant.

"Thanks Sensei," Naruto chuckled, smiling brightly at Kakashi

"You might regret that when you see who else is in these examines," Kakashi smiled as he stepped aside, letting the boys open the doors and walk into the room with Sakura right behind them.

"Nice out fit," Kakashi whispered to Sakura as she passed, "Make sure your kunai and Shiriken are accessible, your skirt is in the way..."

"They're accessible," Sakura whispered with a secretive smirk; straightening only when she stepped into the room, her head rising and back straighten. At that moment, Kakashi saw Tayuya and Fubuki reflected back at him, watching them walk away for their own Chunin exams. He couldn't help smiling as he leaned against the wall as the doors closed. He knew that, like her sisters before her, Sakura would walk through the first step blind folded.

It was the second portion that worried him, both Fubuki and Tayuya failed in the second portion of the Chunin exams. True Kumo was being biased with Fubuki and Orochimaru screwed up Tayuya's chances but what worried Kakashi the most was weather or not Sakura would come back with a new scar, just like her sisters did. They weren't related, not by a long shot, but he'd be damned if they didn't mimic each other to a T. Especially Sakura, Tayuya came out in her when she losses her temper and Fubuki came out when she was mad but restraining herself. Everyone beliefs in the doctored documents about their relation, so Kakashi is always hearing about the 'Haruno sisters' and what they had done again and again—only those who knew Mebuki and Kizashi on a personal level knew the truth.

_Please be safe,_ Kakashi prayed silently, closing his eyes as he listened to his students on the other side of the door. _Please, Kami-sama, keep them safe_

…

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><p>…<p>

"Whoa," Sakura snickered looking around the room with her hand on her hip and a smirk in place, "Defiantly what I thought, this'll be easy."

"Ya' think?" Naruto asked looking over at Sakura, "How many do you think are going to pass this portion?"

"With mercy? Barely half," Sakura answered, sweeping her eyes over the other gathered genin, keeping an eye on the group hiding in the corner to her left. Before she could say anything more, a loud bark took her attention to her right, where she saw Kiba Inuzuka approach.

"Hay you guys made it," Kiba said with a smirk, "And here I thought that only the best could get in here, right Sasuke?" clearly Kiba thought that only Sasuke was good enough in Team seven to take part the Chunin exam.

"Hay are you—"

"Shut it Naruto," Sakura advised softly, stepping into Kiba's view, knowing that both Naruto and Sasuke had hidden her before hand. Kiba was dressed in his normal black slacks and over sized dark gray coat lined in black fur "I see you two too liked your presents," Sakura smirked, delighted when Kiba stiffened and shifted, not liking that Sakura had spotted Akamaru's special collar or his black bracelets with the little white diamond studs with seals containing food pills. "Are you expecting—"

"Sakura-chan!" Hinata shouted racing forward and enveloping Sakura in a tight hug with Shino following close behind until he was standing beside Kiba; Shino was wearing his normal three sizes too big tan coat with the high collar blocking most of his face and his own black slacks. "Where have you been? You were gone for _five months_!" Sakura smiled and pulled back from her friend to examine her closely. Hinata had pulled her long midnight hair into a high ponytail, revealing pearl earrings and a matching chocker pendent; Sakura knew that the pendent held a nerve agent inside while her earrings were full of bleach and habanera spray, one good squeeze and her assailant would be blind for days. Hinata's dress was a simple pale violet corset top with a wide collar revealing her chocker and a darker violet coat lined in white fur ending just past her hips, revealing her black shinobi pants and a kunai holster and back pouch. Delicate looking white flowers rimmed the edges of her coat, hiding more storage seals most likely filled with healing ointments, insanely sharp weapons and possibly some food and water emergency kits.

"You're so—"

"Sasuke-kun!" both Hinata and Sakura stiffened at Ino's loud voice, watching from the corner of their eye as the blonde tackled the dark haired boy.

"Oh sorry Hinata-chan," Sakura chuckled patting Hinata's dark head reassuringly and ignoring the blonde. "We went out on a C-rank mission to the land of waves. When we got back we were too tiered to go anywhere but the relaxing bathes at the hot springs and then straight to bed."

"I see," Hinata sighed releasing her childhood friend, ignoring Sasuke's complaints about the blonde choking him and Naruto's laughter at his misfortune. "Did you bring your violin with you? I think we still have time for a practice shot before the proctor arrives."

"Sorry no I don't," Sakura sighed, slumping her shoulders, "And I couldn't take it will me on the mission either, it's been forever since I last played it."

"That's okay," Hinata giggled, "We can play together when the examines are over."

"That's a good idea!" Sakura smiled at Hinata, "oh you've grown by the way! Your head reaches my cheek now!"

"Ch, Sakura get this girl off," Sasuke ordered, reaching up to free his neck from Ino's tight hold

"Ino Yamanaka let go of him," Sakura ordered coldly, turning to look at the blonde hanging off her teammate.

"Make me build board brow" Ino shot back, sticking her tong out at Sakura but unconsciously loosening her hold on Sasuke anyways.

"Listen little piggy, I'm not in the mood to deal with your childishness," Sakura said warningly, narrowing her eyes at the blonde, "Release my teammate before I throw you through a wall."

"She's already done it once today," Naruto chuckled, smiling when Ino took a step away but left one arm still on Sasuke's shoulder

"It's best to obey her, Ino," Sasuke advised, shrugging the blonde off, "She's really not in the mood to argue..."

"Like I care what she's in the mood for," Ino grumbled rolling her eyes and crossing her arms, her dark purple shirt ruffling as she moved, her two-piece skirt flattening against her white leggings.

"Ino back off," Shikamaru grumbled stepping behind her with Chōji, he was dressed in his normal out fit of black slacks, dark gray shirt with a dark green hoodie. Chōji was dressed in his usual black kakis, large emerald green hoodie and a blue scarf Sakura recalled his mom buying a few years ago. Team ten used to get a little articles of clothing from Tayuya and Fubuki too, like the others in their year, but it looked like Chōji's scarf was the only one that survived the time of growth sprits.

"Or do you want a repeat of what happened last time?" Shikamaru asked softly, not fazed by the glare given to him by Ino

"What happened last time?" Naruto asked curiously, watching how Ino's glare intensified on Shikamaru

"Nothing," Ino growled lowly

"Hay you guys be quiet," everyone turned to see an older leaf Nin walk towards them, his dark eyes where rimmed with fine black glasses and his gray hair was pulled back into a low ponytail. "You're putting everyone here on edge."

"And that's our fault how?" Sakura questioned, crossing her arms and staring at the older boy dully, "anyone who gets nervous before a paper test shouldn't be here to begin with."

"Seriously Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked, blinking up at her

"Yeah, why'd you think the first portion is in a _classroom_?" Sakura asked with a raised eyebrow, "And don't you remember Tayuya's and Fubuki's stories from their Chunin exams? The first round is an intelligence test, the second round is a survival test and the third round is a battle royal"

"Oh yeah," Naruto chuckled, scratching his cheek, "I forgot all about that!"

"Well... I was going to say that Chunin exams were serious stuff and that it could get ugly if you guys weren't careful..." the boy said smiling and scratching the back of his neck nervously "But it doesn't sound like you care..."

"We don't" Sakura smiled

"Yeah! Besides we'll kick everyone's ass if they challenge us!" Naruto shouted earning a smack from both of his teammates

"Naruto that won't happen until the second and third round," Sakura sighed

"Don't waist your energy on small fry," Sasuke advised, crossing his arms. "Save your strength against the stronger opponents that make it to the third round, everyone else isn't worth the trouble."

"Your teammates are going to get you killed," the gray haired boy said, looking at Sakura

"Not if I kill them first," Sakura shot back with a grin, "By the way, what's you're name?"

…

"_Now Sakura-chan I want you to do something for me," Tayuya said as she finished laying out the hundreds of jewelry options Sakura would pick out in the morning for the exam_

"_Sure, what is it?" Sakura asked turning to face her sister curiously, the crimson shirt she was examining still held up in the air_

"_If you ever come across a boy with gray hair and black glasses..." Tayuya looked up at her, her face blank and eyes cold "get away from as fast as you can. I don't care if you have to mimic my worst trait, just don't let him get close to you."_

"_What's his name?" Sakura asked softly, understanding that her sister was completely serious_

"_Kabuto Yakushi"_

…

"Oh so sorry, my name is Kabuto Yakushi," He answered with a polite nod and smile, not seeing Sakura's brow twitch or how both Naruto and Sasuke turned towards him with narrow eyes.

"How many times have you taken the examine?" Shikamaru asked curiously

"Oh umm... this is... my seventh try..." Kabuto chuckled, knowing that it was pretty bad

"The exams are that hard?" Ino asked with a gasp, her blue eyes wide

"Yeah, that's what I was trying to say," Kabuto agreed with a friendly smile. "They're held every six months; this is my seventh try so I've been at this for about four years..."

"Wow," Sakura giggled, sweeping a foot out to stand protectively in front of Hinata while Naruto and Sasuke took up her sides, nearly hiding the white eyed heiress from view. "Either you're really weak but really smart or you're purposefully failing these examines so you could get something."

"Don't be stupid Sakura," Kiba grumbled at her with a frown, "the proctors would notice and so would lord Hokage. He's properly just really weak... like you said."

"Or that's just what he wants everyone to _believe,_" Sasuke said, narrowing his eyes at Kabuto warningly.

"Okay I think we got off on the wrong foot," Kabuto said raising his hands up peacefully. "I have some information you might be interested in knowing... you see I've been here for so long that I've gathered all the participants names and abilities and stored them on these ninja-cards," Kabuto explained pulling out the cards for the group of Genin to see.

"That's highly doubtful," Sakura replied, sweeping forward and placing a kunai at Kabuto's throat threateningly. "Not everyone here was at the previous Chunin exam and besides," Sakura pressed the kunai a little closer to the shocked boy's throat, threatening to draw blood. "You'd have to break into the ninja records room to get any information on anyone here, and if you did it here in this village then you'd only get information on Leaf shinobi not the foreign participants." Sakura's eyes narrowed when Kabuto's hands raised slightly higher, trying to reassure her that he's not a threat.

"The only other way to get information on other shinobi is either by breaking through their own village's ninja records or having contact with them and gaining their unrelenting trust where they'd spill their guts to you." Sakura's eyes narrowed further, noting how Kabuto's dark eyes were slightly wider as they stared down at her, sweat trickled down the side of his temple. "Unless..."

"Unless?" Kabuto prompted, he was relieved when Sakura removed her kunai from his neck, straightening and smiling pleasantly at him as she put her kunai back into her kunai holster under her skirt and backed up a few steps. "Unless what?" Kabuto asked, rubbing at his soar neck and regarding Sakura wirily; now knowing that she was the ultimate threat out of everyone in the chunin exams

"Unless you're a spy master in which case it's your responsibility is to gather intelligences on other shinobi," Sakura continued, her words making her fellow genin relax slightly. "That must mean that you have one hell of a spy net work, especially if you can get info on other shinobi present in this room."

"Dose this means that you'll trust my advise now?" Kabuto asked with a nervous smile, trying to show that he wasn't affected by the threatening looks sent his way

"But that still doesn't explain why you're still taking the exams," Sasuke said, drawing attention to the problem with Kabuto's story. "You should've passed after your second or third try like everyone else."

"As for your question: No," Sakura answered stepping back to her place in front of Hinata and beside her teammates. "I don't trust anyone who wears masks for a living. I don't care if you are an ally, there is always the chance of spy—who are often double agents—becoming turned against their superiors. That's the reason why I won't trust you; there's no one hundred present guarantee of your loyalty."

"You're very smart Sakura-chan" Kabuto chuckled, "As expected of the youngest Haruno."

"Did you expect that my sisters would sit us down and warn us about you?" Sakura shot back, unaffected by his praise. She couldn't help the smirk at Kabuto's shocked expression, "My sisters are rarely wrong when they decide to be wiry of someone. Guess you have crappy luck with us Haruno's, not one of us trusts you."

"Huh and here I thought you'd like to hear something about your sisters," Kabuto smiled back at her, his cards still in hand. "You do know that they ar—" Kabuto gasped as a kunai whizzed past his head, cutting his cheek and breaking his glasses before it embed itself up to the hilt in the wall fifteen feet behind him and just over his teammate's heads.

"Put this in your ninja deck two-face," Sakura's voice was low as she looked up at him, her bangs falling slightly to cover one of her eyes, shadowing it while the lights above them gave her other eye take on a haunting look. Sakura's expression was the perfect mixture of Fubuki's irritated look and Tayuya's madder-then-hell face; a look Sakura had been practicing for the past three years to perfect. "Sakura Haruno, the youngest Haruno, has a photographic memory—she is _unable_ to forget _anything_."

Kabuto stared at her for a moment, his dark eyes wide as he examined her glaring green eyes promising pain if he so much as uttered another word. Kabuto gave her a strained smile and quickly backed away; not turning his back on her until he was half way to his teammates where he proceeded to walk stiffly back to them and then just as quickly put his back against the wall and looked at the nine-leaf genin with narrowed eyes and crossed arms.

"You just got your ass kicked by a little pink haired girl," Yao grumbled to him, a smirk sounding in his voice

"It was expected," Kabuto replied softly, "I knew they'd say something to her... but for her to annualize me and come up with so many different possibilities so quickly... Her intelligence is higher then what the records show. She's smarter then her older sisters... and more logical then the Nara boy there..." _Who's supposed to be the genius of the group_

"You think she has experience?" His other teammate asked turning to look at him

"I think her sisters did some illegal training with her," Kabuto smirked, his dark eyes glinting as they narrowed in on Sakura who was busy smiling at Naruto and Hinata to notice. "I'm sure the Hokage would be very pleased with that information... the punishment for teaching underage children advanced techniques without proper written paper work is grounds for immediate de-ranking and a month in interrogation."

"When will you tell him?" Yao asked

"After the second round..." Kabuto smirked, _There's always that month long training period before the final round... if I time it right I can get both of them in interrogation during the attach..._

None of them noticed the red haired girl with her quieter then usual teammates sitting nearby, nor did they see the look they gave each other

…

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"Tayuya Get me everything you can on Kabuto Yakushi," he ordered, eyes locked on the pale haired boy leaning against the wall. "Sorry but you don't get to terrorize your sister this time,"

"I understand sir," the pinkette beside him nodded her head, "I don't like him and I'm glade Imoto spook up while she analyzed him. It gave us some clues to work with"

"Yeah but she might have just made herself a target," one of the other proctors whispered as Tayuya walked passed him. "If not by him then by others in there who'll now treat her like a high level threat."

"Imoto can protect herself," Tayuya reassured softly, "She's stronger then she looks..."

_I hope so_, the young man thought as he stepped up beside Ibiki, _otherwise you might end up burying her..._

_BOOM_

"Alright you baby faced degenerates listen up!"

_Yeah he wasn't working on that one all week_

…

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><p>…<p>

_BOOM_

"Alright you baby faced degenerates listen up!" Sakura and her classmates snapped around to look at the front of the room where a tall man in a navy blue trench coat stood with twelve gray-uniformed Chunin's surrounding him. "My name is Ibiki Marino and I am the proctor of this round. If you don't like it, get out!" Sakura smiled at the familiar line, glancing at her teammates she saw that they also recognized Tayuya's favorite catch faze.

"Now this portion will be a paper test!" Ibiki snapped out

"Yeah! Go Sakura-chan!" Naruto cheered loudly, laughing as he wrapped Sakura up with one arm and fist-pumped with the other.

"Shut up!" Ibiki snapped, "Or do you want to get kicked out without even going through this portion of the test?"

"Ten bucks says I finish before both of you," Sakura said, ignoring Ibiki's glare that was aimed straight at her.

"Five says I beat you," Sasuke retorted

"Only Five? I betted twice as much as you, are you scared~?"

"Fifteen" Sasuke growled at her with twitching eyebrow

"I bet twenty I finish before both of you!" Naruto chuckled

"Dube/dork" Sasuke and Sakura replied at the same time "You don't have twenty dollars!"

_Defiantly related to Tayuya_, Ibiki sighed and chose to ignore the laughing team seven, knowing that Tayuya could get scarier then him at times. Having been on Tayuya's temper more then once, the pinkette and her friends were properly immune to his glare.

"Sakura Haruno, Sasuke Uchiha, Naruto Uzumaki!" that got there attention, "You three will be silent or I'll get Tayuya—"

"Please don't!" Sasuke snapped out, paler then usual

"We'll be good!" Naruto cried out, looking terrified beside his teammates

"I don't want to die~" Sakura sobbed, hiding her face in her hands, trembling between her two teammates.

"Then shut up," Ibiki smirked _Worked like a charm_, figures that the only ones who could make the three behave were Sakura's older sisters. Ibiki ignored the three's agreeing nodes as he continued. "Each of you will come up to the front where you'll trade your admittance forms for a number, you will then proceed to your given desk number. Am I clear?" various forms of agreement given, Ibiki nodded at his nearest proctor.

After ten minutes and everyone was settled into their seats, he glared when Sakura and a red haired mist girl squealed and sat together regardless of their numbers. The boy who was supposed to sit beside the pinkette got his number switched with the red haired girls, when he protested Sakura pulled out a kunai pretended to sharpen it absent mindedly while the redhead stretched showed off her own hidden weapons that she could properly flick out without much of a thought. The boy paled and left the row, letting the two friends giggle in their seats.

Just as the last kid took their seat sullenly, Ibiki finished writing his five rules for this portion of the examine; he received a few grumbles but everyone more or less agreed to his terms. Ten minutes after the start of the exam, the first team was sent out, quickly followed by another two. After twenty minutes, there were noticeable empty places in the class; after thirty minutes half the class was empty; after forty minutes, he caught the blonde Kunochi that he knew as Inoichi's daughter use her family jutsu on Sakura. It lasted for all of a minute before the red head beside Sakura injected her chakra into Sakura, making the blonde lose control of her jutsu and forced back into her body. He looked at the proctors who caught it but they simply shook their head, she didn't have enough points stacked against her for cheating yet.

After an hour, he snapped at them to put their pencils down, he then told them that those who took the tenth question and failed would never again be able to take the Chunin exam, while those who decided to drop out now would have another chance in six months; another five teams dropped on the spot. He watched passively as Naruto slowly rose his hand shakily, he hadn't known that the boy was a—

_Slam!_

Naruto rose to his feet and glared defiantly at Ibiki, just as he was about to speak a piercing shriek echoed through the air, cutting off the blonde from saying anything. Naruto looked over at Sakura who was standing and waving her arms around and making funny sounds, as confused Ibiki was by her display Naruto seemed to understand. The blonde groaned and slammed his head against his desk repeatedly, as if keeping himself from speaking.

"...You took that threat seriously, didn't you?" Ibiki asked staring Sakura, who nodded, a glance at her teammates told him that they were doing the same. "Will you continue?" Ibiki asked Naruto, looking down at the blonde who glared furiously up at him.

"I think he says yes," Hinata answered, smiling when Naruto nodded viciously at her. "Because... because some day he'll be Hokage" Naruto grinned brightly at her. "No matter what he'll be Hokage... even if he stay's a genin for the rest of his life." Naruto shouted and hugged Hinata tightly, not seeing her bright red face. Ibiki rolled his eyes back over the group left remaining in the room, noting how all of them were suddenly determined to proceed regardless of the consequences.

"Very well then," Ibiki murmured, watching how everyone stiffened, "You all..." they gritted their teeth and glared at him, determination marring their features. "Pass!"

They were silent in confusion...

_Three..._ Ibiki counted slowly, _two... one..._

"Wait what?!"

"Ha-ha-ha, well you see," Ibiki couldn't help it, he loved screwing with people's heads; it always put a smile on his face. "Chunin's lead teams of their own and they don't always get to avoid danger; a chunin is responsible for keeping their teammates alive no matter the coast. Those who didn't pass this round don't have what it takes to be a chunin and there fore have failed. So, congrats you all—" suddenly something big and purple crashed through the window and landed before Ibiki, in a single movement the thing thrust out the ends to reveal a purple haired woman within the banner that she just strung up behind her.

"Alright maggots listen up! I'm Anko Maharishi proctor of the second round!" Everyone stared dully at the woman in the tan trench coat and dark brown mini skirt; most of the boy's were drooling and most of the girls were wondering if she was cold.

"Anko," Ibiki murmured stepping around the violet banner to look at the woman, "You're early."

"Huh? Oh, sorry," Anko grinned up at him making the scared man sigh. "Well lets see how many you left me~" Anko turned and started counting, she stopped when she caught sight of Sakura. "Oh hay you're here! I didn't know you were in the exams pinky!" Sakura smiled and waved at Anko, having had met her several times when she took Tayuya under her wing. She never did find out why Anko suddenly had an interest in Tayuya, she just knew that there was a kind of bond the two shared and that it had made both of them stronger as a result.

"You ready to play with the kiddies?" Anko asked, taking delight in Sakura's pale face, laughing when the girl slumped into her chair and buried her head in her arms, her shoulder's shaking as if she was crying. "Oh come on! They've grown since you've last met them!" Anko's cheerful declaration only made Sakura's trembling worse as she let out a sob. A long time ago, Tayuya had been forced to take care of Sakura because everyone else was out on a mission of some sort or working at the hospital. As such, she took Sakura with her to meet Anko, as nice as Anko had been to nine-year-old Sakura, she was still merciless. She took Sakura on a run through her training grounds, laughing when the pinkette shrieked at the large tigers who tried to give chase; she didn't let them get too close but that didn't seem to matter to Sakura.

How was she supposed to know that Sakura could only see the tiger's eyes in the half-light of the forest?

Or that their large shadows looking like ghosts to her?

"Alright everyone stand up! We're going on a trip to my favorite place!" Sakura let out another loud sob and curled up in her seat and stayed there until Sasuke and Naruto both pulled her to her feet and walked her out the door. A few of the older kids looked like they were starting to regret their decision of staying

"Anko did you scar that child?" Ibiki asked accusingly as team seven left, not seeing the worried looks shot their way by a few of the older genin

"Of course not," Anko answered as if she was offended by the question. "Tayuya brought her over one time and I decided to take the curious girl on a tour through the forest." Anko smirked and walked out of the room, following the last of the first round's participants and the proctors. "Get your ass's in the bus!" Ibiki smiled and shook his head at the loud declaration; the following sound of rushing feet amused him further.

…

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**The coupling votes! **** Sorry I kind of forgot about them**

**Okay it goes girl, boy, # votes, okay?**

**Sakura— Gaara 5 (with OPBBY—Over Protective Big Brother Yagura—3) —Haku 2—Itachi 5**

**Fubuki—Haku 3—Shisui 4**

**Tayuya—Itachi 3—Neji—Shikamaru—Kiba 2**

**Karin—Suigetsu 6—Gaara—Sasuke**

**Hinata—Naruto 5**

**Ino—Sai 5—Kiba—Chōji 2**

**Tenten—Neji—Kankuro 3—Sasuke 2**

**Temari—Shikamaru 5—Itachi**

**Mei—Zabuza**

* * *

><p><strong>Thoughts are helpful<strong>

**Opinions are wonderful**

**Helpful criticism****is**** lovely! Just don't cripple me okay?**

**Please no cursing!**

**And don't forget to**** rate and**** review!**

**Page 20**


	35. Chapter 35

**There is a reason**

Chapter 35: the second test

Koomahana

**Okay do you know how hard it was to adjust this chapter to keep Haku alive for all of you? I originally killed him off for the coming chapters but all of you wanted him alive so I had to make a huge six-hour long edit to this chapter.**

**I almost spent the entire day trying to fix it!**

**I hope it turned out well, please don't forget to tell me your thoughts**

**PS: The song is 'what doesn't kill you' by ****Kelly Clarkson**

**...no pun intended that was apart of the original chapter, I was just too lazy to change it**

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

…

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><p>…<p>

Anko snickered from her seat at the front of the bus; the proctors took up the back of the bus while everyone else took seats in the front. She had purposefully put the Sand team at the front, the red head alone in the front seat with the other two behind him, then she watched amusedly as the others got on. When she caught sight of Team 7 she pushed Sakura into the first seat beside the red haired boy and watched in amusement as the following, fresh out of the academy, leaf genin quickly took their seats around them, conversation still flowing unbroken between them. If anyone could get the boy to loosen up it'd be this bunch of brats but after seeing his glare aimed at her, Anko wasn't sure if she should have put the bubbly girl next to him.

Anko regretted her decision after ten minutes

Fubuki and Tayuya were waiting outside the academy for team seven to exist, when they did the sister's immanently gave each member of team seven a scroll and even Hinata got a scroll as well. Sakura opened her scroll now and simply passed it over to red head (Who tossed it over his shoulders carelessly at his siblings) and sat on the seat guard in front of her, her teammates quickly doing the same. Sasuke was holding a small guitar, while Naruto had pulled out a rubber drum set that he had mostly set up on the seats around him with his back to the window behind him. Hinata pulled out a small string instrument that she laid out in her lap, she passed the scrolls to her teammates and they each pulled out small instruments themselves. Team 10 was sitting beside team eight and Naruto passed them his scroll where they were able to get their own small and simple instruments.

Anko smirked as Sakura started the song instructing Naruto, Sasuke and Hinata into the beat she wanted, leaving everyone else to watch them curiously. It was a surprise when suddenly the bus was rocking with the loud fast pace of the chosen song, the pinkette singing strongly and loudly, her voice unhindered by the echoing in the bus.

"_You know the bed feels warmer_

_Sleeping here alone_

_You know I dream in colour_

_And do the things I want_

Anko recognized the song instantly, her eyes widened as she turned to look at the pinkette singing across from her, smiling when she suddenly punched the air, a big grin splitting across her face. The blonde and brunet of the sand team opened the scroll and carefully took out the simple instruments that they could use, amusedly enough the blond got a tambourine and the boy got tiny drums.

"_You think you got the best of me_

_Think you've had the last laugh_

_Bet you think that everything good is gone_

_Think you left me broken down_

_Think that I'd come running back_

_Baby you don't know me, cause you're dead wrong__"_

Sakura's smile was contagious as she moved her arms in the universal signs every time she said 'stronger', 'taller', 'fighter' and 'lighter', laughing loudly when her teammates started to mimic her comically.

"_What doesn't kill you makes you stronger_

_Stand a little taller_

_Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone_

_What doesn't kill you makes a fighter_

_Footsteps even lighter_

_Doesn't mean I'm over cause you're gone_

_What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, stronger_

_Just me, myself and I_

_What doesn't kill you makes you stronger_

_Stand a little taller_

_Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone_

_You heard that I was starting over with someone new_

_They told you I was moving on over you_

_You didn't think that I'd come back_

_I'd come back swinging_

_You try to break me, but you see__"_

Anko grin widened when she saw that the red head from Suna was watching Sakura with a mixture of Awe and confusion. That was good, he was loosening up, maybe he'll get rid of that 'I'll kill you slowly' Aura he hasn't dropped since he arrived.

"_What doesn't kill you makes you stronger_

_Stand a little taller_

_Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone_

_What doesn't kill you makes a fighter_

_Footsteps even lighter_

_Doesn't mean I'm over cause you're gone_

_What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, stronger_

_Just me, myself and I_

_What doesn't kill you makes you stronger_

_Stand a little taller_

_Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone_

_Thanks to you I got a new thing started_

_Thanks to you I'm not the broken-hearted_

_Thanks to you I'm finally thinking about me_

_You know in the end the day you left was just my beginning_

_In the end..._

_What doesn't kill you makes you stronger_

_Stand a little taller_

_Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone_

_What doesn't kill you makes a fighter_

_Footsteps even lighter_

_Doesn't mean I'm over cause you're gone__"_

Together the leaf shinobi in the front of the bus sang the last verses of the song

(Girls)

"_What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, stronger_

_Just me, myself and I_

_What doesn't kill you makes you stronger_

_Stand a little taller_

_Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone__"_

(Boys)

"_What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, stronger_

_Just me, myself and I_

_What doesn't kill you makes you stronger_

_Stand a little taller_

_Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone__"_

(Together)

"_When I'm alone_"

Then the sarcastic little brats dived headfirst straight into another up beat song that literally _shook_ the bus that everyone on board apparently knew because everyone was sinning along

…

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><p>…<p>

Fubuki and Tayuya giggled and laughed as they listened to the music coming from the bus beneath them, knowing that it could only be done by their younger siblings. When you put instruments in those three's hands it isn't long before they're playing one song or another. They were impressed when Sakura started singing, Hinata and/or her teammates joining in on some points, but they'd never known that Sakura could sing.

Fubuki figured it was time she got her little sister into some of her own choir sessions

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

When they got to the next stage of the exams, everyone on the bus was feeling remarkably better, they were smiling and cheerful and a few were talking loudly. Anko thought she was surrounded by a bunch of hyperactive preschoolers instead of a bunch of teens.

"Shut up!" Anko screamed out, finally having had enough of them, too bad she only succeed in startling those closest to her. Everyone else was chattering excitedly as they hurried forward toward the gates of her training grounds; it was rather depressing how everyone surrounded the musical teams as they walked and danced forward.

"Cheer up Anko" Anko turned to one of the proctors standing behind her; he shook the moccasins in his hands cheerfully. "If you can't beat 'em join 'em!"

"Die!"

"Kya!"

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Ibiki moved through the classroom, calmly collecting the test papers from the exam. He shook his head at the paper that read 'Naruto Uzumaki' with little swirls through out the entire name and not one question answered. He moved on to the other tests papers, shaking his head at the perfect score belonging to 'Sakura Haruno' (he honestly didn't expect anything less) and reached for the paper beside the pinkette's.

'Karin Uzumaki' stared up at him from the sheet, an arrow beside her name pointing to the backside of the paper. Curious he flipped it over and read the little note resting innocently on the back. At first he thought he imagined the note so he reread it... twice... thrice...

_Not good,_ Ibiki thought, quickly collecting the other papers and checking their backs automatically. _They must have heard his whispering before we interrupted them..._ he pulled out the three papers of the mist team and quickly left the stack of the other papers on a desk before he all but ran straight out the door, heading for the Hokage tower.

'_Kabuto and team planning to put Fubuki and Tayuya Haruno into interrogation after the second stage of exam, knows they'll be de-ranked and placed in interrogation for a month_'

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"Now that I have everyone's attention" Anko ignored Sakura's crying in the background. In order for her to get back control of the situation, she had literally taken Sakura's violin and slammed it into the ground until it was in tiny pieces. When she turned to look everyone else who was holding an instrument, they had immanently hid said objects behind them.

"Violins are expensive!" Sakura balled out, curling up on the ground before her broken-to-pieces violin.

"Then you should've stopped playing when you had the chance!" Anko snapped back mercilessly, "Back to the matter at hand! This is the 44th training grounds, also known as the forest of death!" At least she now had their undivided attention, "You will work your way to the center where there is a tower, carrying one of these scrolls" She held up a navy and white scrolls, the navy one reading 'earth' and the white one reading 'heaven'. "You will check in at the tower with both scrolls. There are ten scrolls of each color!"

"But that means that only half of the participants will be able to pass," Sakura said, looking up from where she was crying for her broken violin.

"That's right," Anko nodded in agreement to Sakura's declaration.

"How many days do we get in that forest?" Someone asked, which made Anko smirk at him

"You all have five days to get both scrolls and get to the center," Anko answered as she pulled out a few slips of paper from her back pocket. "And since there are so many casualties in this portion of the test I need all of you to sign this paper. It pretty much means that you understand the chances of your injuries and or death and won't hold me or the village responsible for it. If you sign this you can take the next portion of the test, if you don't you're disqualified from the exams, understand?"

…

"She hates us doesn't she?" Naruto grumbled as he walked back to his teammates with papers in hand with Kiba and Suigetsu behind him. Sakura was still curled up on the ground sobbing for her violin with Hinata and Karin on either side of her, rubbing her back and reassuring her that everything would be okay. Sasuke, Haku and Shino were standing near the girls, half watching the girls and half watching everyone else.

"I doubt she hates us," Hinata murmured, as she took her slip of paper from Kiba. She read through it curiously before she took out a pen from Sakura's bag and used the pinkette's back to write on the paper. "Sakura-chan will you be going through this second portion?"

"Yeah~" Sakura sniffed rising to look at the paper Naruto passed to her. "They seriously think we'll get eaten?"

"And drowned?" Karin asked staring at her own

"Not to mention crushed," Hinata added with a smile

_Don't say that with a smile_, Kiba thought

"There's nothing in this about surviving..." Sakura said as she read through the paper, "They _expect_ us to die." Sakura glared at the paper as if she was about to rip it up, Hinata sighed in relief as Sakura snatched her pen from her and signed her name, passing the pen to Karin who signed her own paper on Sakura's back. Karin passed the pen to Suigetsu who passed it to Haku who passed it to Shino, eventually everyone had their paper's signed and they were ready to get their scrolls.

Sakura and Karin hugged as her team went first, when they stepped out from behind the booth, Hinata gave Sakura a quick hug before she hurried over with her own team. Then team seven went and got their earth scroll, which Sakura hid in her left sleeve with a mischievous look on her face. The team ignored the stunned faces of the proctors and walked out of the booth to follow their own proctor to their given gate.

"So if there are 44 gates to this place and twenty teams participating..." Sakura said thoughtfully as she looked at the map given to them. "Then only one through twenty-four are going to get used..."

"How'd you figure that?" Naruto asked curiously, "Wouldn't it be twenty gates for the twenty teams?"

"No Naruto," Sakura sighed, "Take forty-four and subtract twenty from it, what do you get?"

"Twenty-four," Sasuke sighed in understanding, he reached over and pulled the map between him and Sakura, "They'll properly go every other gate..."

"Right," Sakura agreed stopping when the proctor stopped to face his given, she laid the map out on the ground, drawing lines with her pencil on the map. "Considering they went ahead of us, Karin's and Hinata's teams are properly stationed here and here..."

"Hay guys, how'd you know which station we're at?" Naruto asked looking at the map then up at the numbered gate in front of them. "You've got us labeled on an even number but the sign says odd..." confused both Sasuke and Sakura looked up to see that Naruto was right, their gate was labeled as 31, which would mean that thirteen teams went ahead of them...they didn't go every other gate

"Sasuke how many teams did you count go before Karin?" Sakura asked with narrowed eyes

"Ten," Sasuke answered, "With Karin and Hinata it's twelve... that makes us the thirteenth"

"And you have ten minutes," the proctor said, rolling his eyes as he unlocked the gate, "To figure out what you're going to do." Sasuke and Sakura nodded and quickly pulled out duplicate scrolls, working together they made two earth and two heaven scrolls.

"Five minutes," the proctor mumbled opening the gates. They both hid one of each in their kunai pouch and the case on their back hip, Naruto turned around just in time to see Sasuke pocket the 'earth' scroll.

"Huh? Sakura-chan why'd you give it to Sasuke?"

"Because everyone would expect me to have it," Sakura answered quickly. She knew Naruto, he always meant well but a good manipulator could insult him into giving the answer. She stood and quickly did a once over, grabbing her bag and pulling it over her shoulders and tightened the straps; Naruto and Sasuke both mimicked her quickly.

"Run at the bell," the proctor ordered

"Remember the time Tayuya found out that someone switched out her shampoo for black hair die?" Sakura asked, making the boy's pale at the memory, they hadn't actually figured out who did it but Tayuya blamed them anyways. "Well someone did it again... and she's heading towards us..." Half a second later, the bell rang and the three burst from the gates and ran into the dark forest leaving a cloud of dust in their wake that didn't disappear even after they reached the treetops.

"Damn" the proctor coughed, waving a hand in front of his face, "Didn't see that one coming, they're faster then they look."

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Sakura narrowed her eyes as she formed a hand sign, smiling she gestured to Naruto and Sasuke to lower themselves to the ground. When they did, Sakura opened her bag and pulled out a thing of water for Naruto, then passed Sasuke a similar bottle.

"Whoever has to go, do so now," Sakura mumbled as she pulled out her own bottle, "we have company watching." Naruto shifted uncomfortably in his seat then declared he had to use the bathroom, calling it 'Lu' which was their old nick-name for a pet cat they used to share. Lu wasn't the smartest animal in the world, she was always being caught in one thing or another, she was sweeter then sugar but she just wasn't that smart. Naruto just basically said that he'd set a trap for the guy by using himself as bait.

"Not in front of me!" Sakura snapped when Naruto started to go in front of them, he quickly hurried around the bush and behind the tree. Sakura counted to ten before she checked Naruto's chakra discreetly, her eyes narrowing as she saw that he was still at it _and_ their follower hadn't moved any closer. She shifted uncomfortably as she barked at Naruto to hurry up, she was getting hungry but she wasn't dumb enough to eat during the first day and sure as hell not near an enemy. She hadn't actually drunken any water, simply pressing the bottle to her lips and tilting the bottle to make her enemy think that she was drinking when she wasn't.

"S-sorry about that!" Naruto said as he stumbled out of the bushes with a shy blush, not noticing how Sakura and Sasuke looked at him strangely, Naruto didn't apologize like that. "I ended up writing my name!" Sasuke and Sakura shared a look; sighing Sakura cleaned up and put everything into her bag.

"Come on Naruto we've stalled long enough," Sakura said stretching before throwing her bag over her shoulders. She dug into her back pocket and pulled out the 'earth' scroll and presented it to the blond, "Come on, we've agreed to this." Naruto stared dully at her, mouth slightly open and eyes wide. "Naruto don't you want your turn?" he nodded dumbly and stepped forward, reaching out with trembling hands to take the scroll.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"Scatter!" She cried out just in time to avoid her teammate's getting hit head on by a sharp blast of wind that ripped bushes out of the ground and tilted the trees onto their sides. She peaked out from under the bush she took refuge in and counted to ten before she dared to move, she could feel her teammates moving now, slowly but surly getting back to her.

"Karin? Haku?" Suigetsu called as he re-solidified himself

"Suigetsu?" Haku called, his voice slightly distant

"Haku, Suigetsu?" she coughed, dragging herself to her feet, suddenly she felt another blast of chakra racing towards her, "Get down!" the sharp wind hit Suigetsu headfirst, yanking him away before Karin or Haku could get to him. Scared that the heavy bush that landed on her had hurt her, Karin counted to ten slowly before she dared to move.

"Karin?" Haku called softly, just as she got the massive bush off her so she could breathe, "Karin, where are you?"

"Here," She coughed rising to her feet and dusting her skirt off carefully, "I'm here Haku, did you see were Suigetsu went?" _ I didn't catch it before that second blast..._

"No," Haku answered, "Who are my teammates?"

"Zabuza-sensei, Suigetsu and Kimimaro are your legal teammates," Karin answered, rolling her eyes, "I'm your temporary teammate."

"Good, Sorry I—"

"It's okay," Karin chuckled, forming a hand sign and concentrated on her teammate's signature. "Suigetsu is about a mile south of us... we need to hurry Haku, a powerful signature is making his way towards us from the north sector."

"Right," Haku bobbed his head and they both took off in the same direction.

"Damn," Karin hissed, glancing over her shoulder with an irritated look, "the signature is giving chase, we better hurry or we're going to end up dead meat."

"Do you know where Sakura and her team is?" Haku asked worriedly, "Maybe they can help us?"

"If we can teammate up with them we might be able to create enough noise to get some adults curious," Karin said, her eyes widening and a smile breaking out on her face, "How many mirrors can you make?"

"As many as I need," Haku answered

"Great, I need you to make a mirror one mile directly in front of us," Karin ordered, "go through it and get Suigetsu, can you take anyone through your mirrors?"

"No," Haku answered regretfully, "What are you going to do?"

"I'm gonna make enough noise to get the adults in here," Karin answered with a smirk, "Then I'm gonna head to Sa-chan. Hay if Suigetsu can hide in his water bottle could you take it with you through your mirror to my location?"

"That's an idea," Haku grinned, "How do you expect me to find you?" Karin thrust out her hand, all but throwing one of her bracelets at Haku

"Put as much of your chakra as you can into it without exhausting yourself," Karin ordered, "but not too much that you can't fight after you teleport to me."

"Got it," Haku nodded, already doing what he was ordered.

"Hurry," Karin hissed suddenly, "he's gaining!"

"Here!" Haku said passing Karin her bracelet and forming a seal with his free hand, "get to Sakura as quickly as you can!"

"Right!" Karin stopped dead in her tracks while Haku melted into his mirror, "Alright, let's do this!" Karin spun around, golden chains erupting from her back to lock around the trees surrounding her.

_I will protect them!_

Every tree within her reach exploded into sharp shrapnel, revealing furiously howling golden chains seeking to destroy everything within reach.

_I will protect them!_

Karin glared into the thick dust and debris that blinded her, she could feel something thrash against her chains; a loud pained scream echoing in the air as the golden chains ripped it apart.

_I will protect them!_

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

He read the note in front of him carefully; setting it aside, he read the other two notes from the girl's teammates. He honestly didn't think much about the boy taking the exam so many times, he never stopped to question it as he went through the paper work for the exams. He should have realized something was wrong with the boy named Kabuto but for young Karin to accuse his teammates as well...

_I better get security detail on them_, he thought with a heavy sigh raising tiered black orbs to stare at Ibiki who was standing at attention in front of him. "What information do you have on him?"

"Not much," Ibiki answered handing over the yellow manila folder that was tucked under his arm, "Just some basic info from the academy, his adoption papers and the missions he's taken."

"We've never sent him to a physiatrist?" Hiruzen asked with a frown, staring at the horrifyingly thin document folder in his hands

"'fraid not sir," Ibiki answered, "there was never a need to."

"Once he's out of this second portion make sure he has a nice long chat with Inoichi-kun"

"Yes sir," Ibiki agreed with a smirk

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"_You're not Naruto," Sakura whispered, slamming a blue glowing palm into 'Naruto's' left arm. She grunted as he kicked at her to dodge her blow, freeing himself to run even as his disguise broke._

…

He had to get away; he had to get back to his teammates. If he didn't he might end up getting in worse condition. His left shoulder hurt but it wasn't anywhere near the pain in his right arm, he stumbled slightly as his world suddenly doubled and darkened.

_Damn it_! He cursed mentally as he finally found his teammates, he hadn't dodged her attach like he thought. He stumbled into the clearing and panted as his teammates caught sight of him and quickly hurried to his side.

"D-don't-don't l-le—" he panted harshly trying to ignore his spinning world, "L-let he-er... t-touch..." _don't let her touch you! _He thought desperately as his world darkened and he passed out against his teammate, unable to finish his sentence.

"Aw~ did the little boy pass out?" Sakura asked mockingly from where she sat in the tree high above the three Rain Nin, a kunai twirling on her pointer finger.

"Dose the poor baby need a doctor?" Sasuke asked with a smirk just behind and to the side of the team, making them snap around with wide eyes.

"Hay dose he need Sakura-chan's touch?" Naruto asked from his place almost directly across from Sasuke, the Rain Nin turned around to escape them but a great Orange wall of Naruto's clones prevented them from leaving the small clearing.

"Oh~ so I hit an arty? That's nice to know" Sakura giggled, "That means he has five minutes to get to a proper doctor, after ten minutes he's un-savable, after fifteen he's dead."

"You did this to him?" the one with one eye asked in a snarl

"Of course~" Sakura smirked down at him, "I'm a medic-nin in training. I simply sharpened my chakra when I touched him, I was aiming for his muscle but the idiot moved and made me miss. Now he's going to die if me or someone else doesn't fix that damage..."

"Give us your scroll and she'll heal you're teammate," Sasuke offered with a smirk, knowing that they weren't given a choice in the matter. If their teammate dies they're disqualified from the exams but if they give up the scroll then they still have five days to get two scrolls.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Karin grunted as a huge snake swallowed her hole, she hissed and let her chains surround her in a perfective orb, taking in a deep breath she forced her chains out, ripping the snake apart and freeing herself in the process. She felt her chains react instantly, pulling and jerking her out of the now dead snake, giving her a bird's eye view of her destroyed surroundings.

"Well, well, aren't you a find," She glared down at the smirking, yellow eyed man far below her. "I come here for an Uchiha and I find one of the last Uzumaki, one with the famed golden chains too. You my dear are one in a million."

"You don't know the half of it," Karin smirked, letting herself hang from the golden chains like a spider would hang from it's web. Before the strange man could react her chains arced up from beneath the ground and wrapped around each of his limbs, "You can die now." the man screamed as his body was ripped apart but Karin didn't stay to watch, she had a sister to find. Her chains moved and swirled around her, dropping the torn apart body and forming huge legs under her, keeping her high in the air, towering over the forest.

_Alright then,_ Karin closed her eyes and concentrated on Sakura's signature, she had it in a matter of seconds. Smirking Karin moved to head towards her child hood friend, doing so just in time to avoid getting stabbed by a glowing blade. Gasping Karin let her chains drop from under her and wrapped around the head and elongated neck of a pale skinned, yellow-eyed man.

"Monster," Karin hissed, twirling in the air and let one of her chains form a large flat surface in front of her, she slammed her open palm against the glowing surface and smirked as a series of memorized lines erupted out from her palm. She couldn't hide her smirk as electricity arced through her chains and electrocuted the man still bound by them.

_Time to go,_ Karin thought pulling three of her strands back to arc in the direction she needed to go, she let another good curse of electricity race through the man's body before she dropped him and hurried away, looking like a giant spider with a really tiny body and enormous legs. She lowered herself to the tree line and slowly used her chains for travel less and less, slowly pulling them back into her body before she left any more signs of her direction.

No matter what happened she had to warn Sakura and her team about the strange man gunning for them. With luck Haku will get to Suigetsu and return to her soon after she reaches them, maybe they can work together to get rid of the man or at least create enough noise to get help from other participants if the adults weren't quick enough.

Then again, she did destroy five Ackers of land with her fight, maybe they'd check in just to see what the hell had happened.

_Please come,_ Karin though, closing her eyes briefly to pray, _Please, someone, anyone, help us! Save us! Rescue us!_

She no longer cared who it was that she came across next, just so long as they helped her and her family, or at least battled with the strange yellow-eyed man. If he managed to survive that last attach, which she didn't doubt, then he wasn't going to take her lightly any more.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"Fine," the boy with one eye growled out, pulling his scroll out and showing it to Sakura, "But you heal him first!"

"Like you have a chance in negotiating," Sakura chuckled jumping down from her tree and quickly approached the downed boy. "Hmm, oh! I sure did do a number on him..." Sakura mumbled as she set glowing palms over the knocked out boy's arm, once it was healed she did a quick sweep over his body and found that he had a slight infection trying to take root. Pursing her lips as her hands hovered over his chest Sakura decided that she could spare the extra chakra and gave his immune system a quick boost.

"Alright," Sakura murmured, still frowning at the boy. "He had a slight infection that was trying to take root, it's not from me so don't even start, he's had it for about a week. Most likely something he ate on his way here, I boosted his immune system to help get rid of it." Sakura removed her bag and dug around in her pack, pulling out a box and opening. "This'll help him with the blood lose and the infection, make sure he takes one of each daily for a week." Sakura pulled out two small bottles and held them out expectantly the nearest teammate, "I expect you to make it to the center and give me an update and return these for the medic's aid waiting there in the tower."

"You want us to get to the tower?" one eye asked taking the bottles and handing the white scroll over a little hesitantly.

"Of course," Sakura said as she rose to her feet and started to walk away, "You've earned my respect." Sakura smirked over her shoulder at them, stepping close to the bush at the edge of the small clearing and handing the scroll over to another Sakura waiting there. After that, the one who tended to their teammate disappeared, shortly after the two bottles in the boy's hand disappeared as well.

"I'm sorry," Sakura said walking forward and holding out the two bottles that her clone had given them, "But I couldn't trust you with my life. There was no guarantee you'd let me go with the scroll in hand."

"I understand," the boy nodded and took the bottles, but hesitated when Sakura's grip on them didn't lesson

"Thanks for not trying to kill me," Sakura smiled with a soft smile at the boy, she let go and jumped backwards into the tree, using it like a springboard and launching herself higher into the air. Simultaneously there was a loud pop as Naruto's clones disappeared; Sasuke disappeared in the same smoke. This told the group that he was a clone too and that the real boy was properly hiding beside their medic teammate.

"G-Guys..."

"Shhh Gansho," the boy with hidden eyes murmured as he crouched beside his downed teammate. "The girl healed you, you'll be okay"

"N-no... she'll—"

"Rest Gansho," the boy with one eye sighed crouching beside his teammate and lifting him up with his other teammate. "Your safe and we have five days to get to the center..."

"B-but she..."

"Saved you're life," He replied "In exchange for the scroll. She also told us that you picked up an infection while on our travel over here, she gave you some medicine for it too."

"Oh... Sorry..."

"Just rest..."

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"Hay guys do you see that?" They moved to join him on his branch, watching curiously as the trees seemed to move and surge on a central point, "I'm not the only one seeing that right?"

"Right," his blond teammate agreed slowly

"They're moving away from a certain direction," his brunet teammate observed, "let's try to follow that other direction... Ino how far out can you sense?"

"Pretty damn far," the blonde answered, moving to run beside her teammates through the creepy forest. "Want me to look for familiar signatures?"

"You got it,"

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

She was almost there, she could feel herself get closer and closer to her desired destination. Unfortunately during her dead run the strange yellow-eyed man continued to give chase to her, she didn't know how he was still alive but he was and she wasn't going to question it at the moment. She landed on a tree branch, leaving behind a small seal with her landing before she took off again, smirking as she heard the tree move behind her, distracting the man still chasing her and putting more space between them. Every time she landed on a tree she placed the seal her mother drilled into her, making her repeat drawing the lines with her chakra in seconds instead of using ink and paper.

Nira had lived through the previous war and she understood that you didn't always have the luxury of having paper and ink at your disposal. So she drilled Karin to draw the seals in her mind and have her chakra recreate the seals on whatever surface she touched, she had just gotten in on doing it while moving and being attached when Karin was taken to the bridge to whiteness Tazuna's death. Although incredibly simple looking and easily destroyable, the seal she was drawing on the trees and leaving behind, effectively made inanimate objects—like cups and tables—come to life. When it was used on animate things, like plants, then the organic thing reacts to the person who places the seal on them, more often then not the seal reacts to what the caster needs—Karin needs the trees around her to protect her from the psychopath trying to kill her; so the trees were acting like giants and thrashing the yellow-eyed man into next week.

_Who knew mom's psychotic training would come in handy?_ Karin thought as she ran, moving ever closer to team seven. The bracelet that held Haku's chakra in it thumbed and she hissed at the icy feeling threatening to take over her wrist.

_Not now!_ Karin thought, gritting her teeth as she heard the man behind her fighting and cursing with the trees, not even his summoned snakes stood much of a chance with them; the only good thing was that she was putting more distance between them.

"Ow!" Karin waved her arm around, missing the chance to put a seal on a tree as she fell from the high branches and fell to the ground, "Damn!" Karin flipped and landed, taking off the second her feet touched the ground. Looking at her left wrist were Haku's chakra thumbed strongly, she glared at the ice that was trying to crawl up her arm, as if telling her of it's existence with pain and distraction.

_Not now damn it!_ Karin hissed as she ran cradling her arm close and forgetting to put the seals on the trees as she ran full tilt to Sakura's destination, _Fifteen minutes! Give me another fifteen minutes!_

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"Thanks Naruto," Sakura murmured as she raced beside the blonde. Sasuke had found him tied up just behind the bush he originally was going to leak in; Sakura untied him and scolded him for underestimating his attacker.

"No problem Sakura-chan!" Naruto shouted with a bright smile "Now lets get to the center!"

"Wait up dube!" Sasuke snapped as he chased after them, "Sakura needs to rest; you know shadow clones have an effect on her!"

"No he's right Sasuke," Sakura murmured with a frown, "We need to hurry. If one of you can carry me I'll focus on sensing the chakra's around us and try to keep us away from the other teams."

"Alright," Sasuke sighed landing beside Sakura and pulling her onto his back, "Naruto and I will switch in an hour."

"Got it," Sakura yawned, wrapping her legs around Sasuke and forming a hand sign with her right hand while her left gripped Sasuke's shoulder. "We're making pretty good time," Sakura giggled, leaning in close to Sasuke with a smile, "We should get there in thirty minutes..."

"Just so long as we don't run into any genjutsu," Naruto grumbled, "I'm crappie at finding them and even worse at expelling them!"

"Don't jinx us dube!" Naruto was prevented from replaying by a scream tearing through the forest air, snapping around team seven watched as something glowing bright gold flew past them. Sakura's eyes widened as the golden blur seemed to slow before her eyes, showing that a golden chain seemed to dance in front of her vision before time restarted and a feminine scream reached her ears, the blur flew past and through several large trees before it stopped in a clearing, gouging out a long creator while it was at it.

"Karin!" Sakura screamed, Sasuke was already moving to follow the golden blur long before she even shifted to scream over his head.

"S-Sakura," Karin coughed, pushing herself up slowly with one eye closed as her chains slowly slumped against her like tread. Team seven moved ever closer in panic, trying desperately to ignore the howling and roaring coming from behind them as they ran full tilt to the red head.

"What happened?!" Sakura shouted as they neared, "Where are Suigetsu and Haku?!" Karin flinched and lifted her arm, showing that her black bracelet was acting like ice and trying to freeze her arm. Karin hissed as team seven got a dozen feet away, the ice on her arm launched itself off her and formed a large crystal mirror beside Karin, making team seven slide to a stop.

"Karin," a voice called from the ice, a familiar looking brunet taking formation in it, "What took you so long? I was beginning to worry!"

"Damn Haku did you have to freeze my arm?!" Karin asked as her teammate stepped out of the mirror and took a look around his new surroundings, noting team seven, the huge creator Karin was sitting in, and the howling fury a good dozen Ackers from their current position

"I'm sorry," Haku said letting his mirror disperse as he crouched beside her, "I didn't know that it would do that..."

"Karin," Sakura called as she clambered down from Sasuke's back and hobbled over to the red head, "What's going on? What happened? Where's Suigetsu?"

"I'm here," a tiered voice drawled from the bag on Haku's back, slowly the flap moved and out came a liquefied white head, "Thank you for asking about me—"

"Speak up next time you idiot!" Sakura hissed as she kneeled beside Karin and took her crimson stained arm in her hands, "Where the hell were you two anyways?!"

"We got hit with a blast of wind," Haku answered, "Suigetsu got hit full force, I was to get him and bring him back to Karin while she ran to you guys for help."

"Why? What's going on?" Sasuke asked with a frown

"We were being tracked by a yellow eyed man," Karin answered, "after Haku left I engaged him. I landed a few good hits on him but it was like nothing could kill him, I'd run and get a fair distance from him only for him to appear and attach me again. Every time it was like he was never hurt, his previous wounds would be gone and he seemed to have an endless kind of energy."

"Dube sounds like someone's gonna be a real challenge for you," Sasuke said turning to look back at his blond teammate, "dube?" Naruto wasn't even looking at them, he was standing with his back to them, his eyes locked into the direction Karin had flown through before she landed. Curious Sasuke rose to his feet and approached the still blonde; stopping beside him, Sasuke activated his Sharingan and stared off in the same direction.

"What do you see?" Sakura asked, glaring at her hands that were a flickering green that threatened to go out before she finished healing Karin's ice-burned wrist.

"Trouble," Sasuke answered, "We need to move, the faster we get to the tower the safer we'll be."

"I sent out some clones," Naruto said, his face twisting into a frown as he continued to stare straight ahead, "We can't out run him, he's too fast."

"What'd your clones tell you?" Sakura asked, giving up on healing the arm completely and digging in her back pouch to grab some bandages.

"Team ten is on their way to help us," Naruto answered, Sakura groaned as she pulled out a small plastic bag of black wires instead of her bandages, "and the man with yellow-eyes... Shikamaru said his name is Orochimaru, apparently he's apart of the great legendary Sanin."

"Great, just freaking great," Sakura grumbled, pulling out her correct bag of bandages and glaring at the bag of wires sitting on the ground beside her. "Of course we just had to get the same damn exam as Ta-nee and attract the Nuke-Nin Orochimaru's attention, what else could go wrong?"

"I don't know but he's sending out three more snakes to meet with us," Naruto said, head tilting to the side slightly, "one of the clones just got eaten."

"Haku can you see how far out Shikamaru's team is?" Sakura asked pausing in her wrapping to look up at the brunet curiously, "Shikamaru is the brunet boy with the blond kunochi and the constantly eating boy on his team."

"I can check," Haku nodded forming a hand sign and creating a long line of ice mirrors that seemed to get more space between them the further out they were from him. "Found them," Haku said, "leading them towards me now. Oh... we have another leaf team heading towards us... I think you called the girl Hinata."

"Great we could use them," Sakura said turning to watch one of the large snakes come straight at them, one hand was already reaching for the bag of black wires, "Karin do you still have those head phones Tayuya gave you before we left the house?"

"Yes," Karin nodded pushing herself forward and digging in her back pouch, "what number are we settling on?"

"Let's go with three," Sakura said pulling on her own communication devises, "didn't think I'd actually use them but I'm glade I have them." Sasuke and Naruto took the wire and head set from her, quickly strapping them in place, Naruto flinched and made a few more clones before he disappeared to the forest on their right, Sasuke diving into the left with ten of Naruto's clones.

"Who ever comes across Team ten radio in fast," Sakura said into her mike, glaring at the large snake that was beginning to slow as it neared them, rising to look down on them with glaring yellow eyes.

"_Sasuke that's you_," Naruto said in Sakura's ear

"_Already got them, want me to fill them in?_"

"Follow Shikamaru," Sakura advised glancing at Haku, "Can you create a dome inside him and remove his head?" She asked, referring to the snake that stopped and hissed at them threateningly

"You want me to gat eaten?" Haku asked with a raised eyebrow

"Here he comes!" Suigetsu bellowed, Haku hissed and moved in front of Karin and Sakura, throwing Suigetsu behind him and on their lap while he was at it.

"Ice Release: Ice Rock Dome of Magnificent Nothingness!" Haku bellowed out, the protective ice covering them instantly just before the snake could stop, "Ice Release: Certain-Kill Ice Spears!" Spears of ice surrounded the outside of the perfect protective sphere that surrounded them, the snake seemed to scream as the ice ripped through it's body, tearing it apart and killing it slowly.

"Well that's cool," Sakura smirked at Haku, "how do we get out? Are we supposed to remain here until everyone else gets here?"

"_Fang over fang!_" Sakura watched as two big black blurs tore around them, ripping the snake apart and moving carefully around the spike shield and staying away from the sharp points of the ice before disappearing as quickly as it came.

"Alright, now I can remove it," Haku bobbed his head and waved his arm around them carefully melting some parts and making the water carry the larger pieces of snake away from the dome before he took down the rest.

"Show off," Suigetsu grumbled pulling himself off Sakura and Karin, watching how Haku moved the larger bits of snake off them but also using the snake's body to form a kind of shield around them.

"Sakura!" Hinata called as she jumped over the snake body and hurried to Sakura's side, sliding to a stop and wrapping her arms around Sakura's shoulders, "are you okay? My bracelet started to hum and I knew you were in greater danger then normal."

"I'm fine for now Hina-chan," Sakura said pulling away and checking Hinata's bracelet that she was talking about. She nodded and reached out to it with her chakra, the hum died and Hinata sighed in relief of the now cold black band on her wrist.

"So what's going on?" Kiba asked as he and Shino landed just behind Hinata, observing the huge snake carefully

"A man named Orochimaru is after Sasuke," Karin answered, "he told me he was after an Uchiha and found an Uzumaki instead, which is my last name."

"Sasuke did you get that?" Sakura asked, pressing the mike on her throat

"_Loud and clear, I'll stay out of sight_," Sasuke's voice sounded in her ear

"Do you guys have mikes?" Sakura asked turning to team eight curiously, lifting one hand to show them three fingers, telling them what frequency to go to

"_Team ten has mikes,_" Shikamaru's voice sounded in Sakura's ear, "_Who else has them?_"

"Mist team," Karin answered, watching Hinata pull out some mikes from her back pouch and quickly put one on, "That's Haku with Ice release ninjutsu, Suigetsu with a melting bloodline and me—"

"Team eight here, we're ready for your plans Shikamaru," Hinata interrupted as she quickly passed Shino and Kiba their own mikes. "Sorry Karin-san"

"I'll live," Karin replied smoothly watching Haku shift his water carefully to remove a large piece of spin out of their way.

"_Great, all of us rookies are together,_" Shikamaru drawled, ignoring the girl's, "_that works in our favor, team eight been spotted yet?_" _we haven't I want to keep it that way..._

"I don't think so," Hinata answered, her Byakugan pulsating around her eyes as she watched Naruto take out a snake with his clones, Sasuke working with Chōji to wrap wires around another snake's neck and relive it of it's head; and a strange man running lighting fast towards them, the only thing slowing him down was that a few trees were seemingly fighting him.

"...I might be wrong but I'm seeing trees fighting Orochimaru," Hinata said, still not sure if she was seeing clearly.

"You're seeing clearly," Karin chuckled, "those are my special seals at work, I'm surprised there are some still working."

"I see three attaching him at the same time," Hinata said, "Two just got taken out with a snake summoning... one tree left."

"_Orochimaru just fire balled it_," Shikamaru said in his mike, "_Where are you guys?_"

"Hiding behind the corps of a snake," Suigetsu answered dryly, "is no one else disgusted at the sight of his still beating heart?"

"_We see you_," Shikamaru said, ignoring Suigetsu's question, "_we're on our way_."

"Naruto said there were three snakes earlier," Sakura said, "I'm standing in the middle of one."

"Naruto beheaded one," Hinata answered

"_We just killed the third_," Sasuke said into his own mike, "_that leaves the new one, anyone got any plans?_"

"_Yeah, team eight can you ambush him?_" Shikamaru asked curiously

"No they can't," Sakura replied into her mike, "I need Hinata here to cover me and Karin, we can't fight, Shino can you send out your bugs to the edges of forest or to the tower? If you can I'm sure they can get in contact with a few Anbu teams and draw them here."

"I'll need to concentrate," Shino replied his bugs already humming loudly and escaping his coat in thick black waves, "I'm keeping some to remain with me."

"I didn't expect anything less," Sakura replied, "Shikamaru you've got Kiba, Naruto, Sasuke, Haku and Suigetsu to work with; can I assume that Ino will also cover Karin and me while Chōji helps you?"

"_I hate it when you do that_," Shikamaru replied, meaning that he hated it when she interrupted him or completely shut down one of his plans. Thankfully he already had another dozen forming in his head and he still had more possibilities to work with, "_I'll send Ino to cover you_—"

"I'm already here_,_" Ino grumbled, landing on the edge of the field to their left and hurrying over to hide behind the mass of snake, "Ew is that thing still moving?!"

"Be quiet pig," Sakura hissed, "Haku, Suigetsu, get out there and kill the snake first, Hinata and Shikamaru will give you tips if you need them. Naruto, Sasuke distract Orochimaru but keep a distance; Sasuke don't get seen, Naruto use your clones."

"_On it!_" Naruto hollered in her ear, a hundred clones burst out of the tree line and stopped Orochimaru half way through the field; it wasn't long before Sasuke was working through the cover of the trees, throwing in bombs and kunai to keep Orochimaru guessing about his location.

"We're on our way," Haku said as he and Suigetsu jumped over the snake corps and ran straight for the fray, Haku's hands moving through several signs, summoning water through the air and creating several weapons to bomb barb Orochimaru while Naruto distracted him. Suigetsu liquefied and hid himself amongst the wave of water ninjutsu coupled with small bouts of ice style fighting that looked a lot like Fubuki's fighting.

"My bugs have made contact with a team," Shino said suddenly, "leading them towards us now."

"Please tell me they're an Anbu team," Sakura said twisting to look back at Shino pleadingly

"No," Shino answered, "Hinata's cousin, Neji Hyūga, is on his way over with his teammates."

"_Tell them to wear some mikes so they know what's going on,_" Shikamaru advised

"Neji-nii-san wouldn't carry them," Hinata replied with a frown

"_Good thing I do,_" a feminine voice replied in everyone's ears, "_Glad I got the right frequency, what's going on?_"

"Shino how many bugs did you send to the tower?" Sakura asked as Hinata filled Neji's team in on what was going on.

"Two dozen," he answered, "feels like some are starting to come back..."

"Did you tell anyone you came across what was going on?" Sakura asked with a frown

"Yes," Shino nodded, "I had them form the kanji's for 'snake' and 'traitor' before making an arrow in our direction."

"You better send more bugs out to get in contact with the people in the tower then," Sakura sighed shifting uncomfortably, trying to ignore pain in her side, "sounds like you'd have better luck from there then at the guards at the edges."

"Alright I'm sending some other bugs," Shino said forming a hand sign and concentrating, "it's going to take awhile before anyone take's notice..."

"Not if you told the right person about Orochimaru," Sakura retorted

"_Fourth snake has been eliminated,_" Haku said into his mike, "_We're making our way to Orochimaru now._"

"No Haku keep your distance!" Sakura shouted into her mike, "Use your mirrors, don't let him escape!"

"Just don't get killed!" Karin shouted into her own mike, voice full of panic

"_Dube!_" Sakura flinched at the scream in her ear, followed by massive sound of 'boom' signaling that Naruto's clones dispersed.

"What's happening?" Sakura asked loudly, panic beginning to get the better of her as nothing but Sasuke's cursing was reaching her, more shouts from Neji's team as they seemed to aid Sasuke in what ever he was doing "Sasuke?! Naruto?!"

"_Damn!_" Sasuke cursed loudly in his mike, "_Orochimaru did something strange to Naruto! It looks like a weird seal!_"

"Get him over here!" Karin ordered in her mike, "I might be able to remove it!"

"_You know seals?_" Shikamaru asked in her ear

"All Uzumaki's know seals," Karin replied flinching as a wave of pain cursed through her stomach when she tried to rise to her feet. "It's our family style, like using bugs or dogs, we use seals. It's what makes us Uzumaki, why do you think our name has 'Uzu' in it? Most seals have the swirls in them that signify our name sake!"

"_Alright I don't need a history lesson_," Shikamaru grumbled, "_can you make anything that we can use against Orochimaru?_"

"Well yeah but..." Karin hesitated for a moment, the last time she got that close he kicked her hard enough to sail through nearly a hundred feet of air, "I-I can't get close enough to lay a seal on him..."

"_Leave that to us who can get close enough_," a deep voice replied in everyone's ear, "_me and Lee can get close enough_."

"That's a suicide march Nee-san!" Hinata bellowed in her mike, her eyes wide

"_Don't order me to do otherwise Hinata_," Neji growled back, eyes narrowing at the yellow-eyed man fighting the dense mist that Haku had summoned to hide everyone and keep Orochimaru on his toes, "_we just have to keep our distance until we can get the seals._"

"I-I don't have any ink or paper," Karin replied, biting her lip. Nira had trained her write the seals with pens and normal paper (that's all they could afford while on the run) once she practiced a seal a hundred times she was trained how to draw them with her chakra. As such, she had more practice with drawing seals with her chakra then with ink... but she couldn't get close to hi—

"It doesn't have to be ink dose it?" Ino asked curiously, her head tilting to the side and drawing Karin out of her thoughts

"Ink would work best," Karin replied biting her lip worriedly, "but no it doesn't have to be ink. However, I still lack something to write on." Sakura pulled her bag off her shoulders and examined it closely, eyes thoughtful

"What about a thick cloth that's resistant to blades?" Sakura asked, holding her bag up with a curious look, "Mom said this was resistant to most bladed attacks, I can take out the liner and you can write on it."

"Sa-chan that just might work," Karin grinned at her, shifting to sit on her knees while Sakura emptied her bag and started to remove some of the smaller outside pockets. Ino pulled out her back pouch and dug around for her small make up kit, quickly pulling it free and then digging out some of her lip-gloss for Karin.

_I'll have to go shopping now,_ Ino pouted as Karin worked on the first strip of cloth Sakura freed from her bag, she liked shopping and all but those were brand new bottles of lip-gloss.

"Huh, you have some expensive tastes," Karin observed as she drew with the sparkly pink gloss, "this'll get done quickly and they should hold rather well too, so long as they don't smear."

_Umm..._ Ino's eyes widened and she went back searching through her make up kit, _What doesn't smear? This smears, this smears—that's a massive mess waiting to happen..._ Ino flipped her black bag over and glared at the pile of make up seeming mocking her with it's sparkly looks and expensive name brands. _Dose everything I have nothing more then a giant smear stain?! Oh wait... _Ino held up a tube of lipstick that she hadn't had the chance to wear yet, honestly she forgot that she even had it, _this might work..._

"Oh this is even better!" Karin chimed, snatching the bottle of lipstick from Ino's fingers before the blond could blink. "This doesn't smear and it's made to work extremely well with chakra!" Ino felt like crying as the red head continued with her seals on the little red strips of cloth Sakura chakra-scalpel-ed from her bag, getting tiered of getting ripped nails for her efforts.

"Nii-san did you get that?" Hinata asked worriedly, "We'll have those seals ready for you in a little bit, keep your distance, look like one of you is hurt and retreating or something."

"_Working on it_," Neji replied coldly, pulling one of Tenten's arms over his shoulder and hurrying over to the hidden spot they had Naruto at, still unsure if he'd simply wake up or stay out like a light

"First seal done," Karin said moving onto the next small strip of red cloth, "hay Sakura-chan give me those white strips to, those are some high class cloth."

"It's resistant to spills," Sakura warned as she passed the smaller strips from the inside of the outside pockets of her bag

"But it'll absorb chakra," Karin replied working quickly on the next set of seals, "these will actually work better then your red cloth. I don't have to worry about someone smearing the lip-gloss and messing up the seal."

"I'm here," everyone looked up as Neji landed in front of them, eyes cold as he crouched in front of Karin atop the snake, "were are the seals?"

"Here's one," Karin said pointing to the finished white cloth, smiling as Sakura all but ripped out her white liner from her bag and proceeded to cut it into smaller strips for Karin's use. Easily cutting around the sewn in seals and giving Karin the left over cloth, stuffing the rest of the white cloth into her now liner-less bag.

_I'll fix it later_, Sakura thought with a depressed sigh, setting her torn apart bag aside, _maybe_

"I'm here," Sasuke said as he landed just on the other side of Hinata, holding Naruto up with one arm while Lee held Naruto up on the other side

"Here's two," Karin grinned passing the now finished seal to Neji, grabbing the next offered piece from Sakura, "please wait a moment I need to make two more for the seals to be effective."

"Set him over here," Sakura ordered Sasuke and Lee, ignoring the looks the green spandex wearing male was shooting her. "Haku, Suigetsu how are you two doing?" Sakura asked through her mike as she opened Naruto's jacket and lifted his black shirt to reveal his seal for the nine tails and the newer one Orochimaru just gave him.

"_As good as we can be_," Suigetsu grunted, "_Damn this man is slippery_."

"_He's a snake_," Haku drawled his agreement

"Then remove his head," Sasuke advised, "remove the snake's head and the whole body will die."

"_We've tried_," Suigetsu grumbled, "_didn't work out so well, fatty took a good hit to the stomach_."

"_Who're you calling fat?!_"

"Orochimaru called you fat!" Sakura bellowed in her mike, instantly drawing Chōji's wrath on to the snake Sanin instead of Suigetsu, "Work smarter not harder!"

"There the seals are done!" Karin smiled and handed the last of them to Neji who quickly disappeared from sight

"_Neji give two to Lee_," Shikamaru ordered, "_I'll be able to trap Orochimaru for a moment but I need a good distraction to do it._"

"_Right_,"

"Is this going to work?" Sakura asked worriedly as Karin turned to examine Naruto's new seal carefully

"Want me to ensure it?" Karin asked, peaking through her bangs at Sakura, who nodded worriedly

…

"_Scatter from Orochimaru,_" The boys didn't question the cold order, they scattered away from the snake man, landing several feet away from him and crouching lowly, ready to attach. Orochimaru held his kunais aloft, examining the children who surrounded him, watching him carefully.

"What's the matter children?" Orochimaru asked mockingly, slightly irritated that the children were using the thick mist to hide from him; there wasn't much he could do about the chakra-thickened air. They said nothing and he waited patiently for their next attach, he crouched lowly watching with narrowed eyes how four of the boy's moved simultaneously, running around in a circle to keep one of out of sight while another three stayed in sight. He had taken out the blond jinchūriki and the weapon's mistress earlier, he thought he had taken out the fat one but it wasn't long before he was back in the fight again. It was the smarter boys with distant attacks coupled with their close range teammates that was annoying him the most; the water user and the melting boy were particularly annoying. He was about to lash out with his sword at the closest rotating boy when he felt himself stiffen, eyes widening he stared down at the shadow connected to his feet that disappeared into the darkened woods far to his right. He growled lowly in the back of his throat, knowing that only a Nara could use the shadows to still him (which explained the two teams working almost flawlessly together despite the fact that they're from different villages). However, he was prevented from retaliating against the Nara child when golden chains erupted from the ground beneath his feet and wrapped around him tightly, letting the shadow disappear as quickly as it came.

"Damn you!" Orochimaru hissed, flinching as the Hyūga boy charged and proceeded to cut off his chakra network, not letting him spit out anther body. He felt the boy in green move behind him and hit several spots on his back, knocking his breath away.

"Uzu style: body paralyzes!" The Hyūga boy bellowed

"Uzu style: eternal chakra sleep!" The green spandex boy shouted almost at the same time as his Hyūga teammate.

Orochimaru cursed wildly as the two seals on his chest sparked into being, glowing a bright haunting blue before seeping into his skin and shutting down his brain's ability to make his body move. The two seals on his back seeped in through his clothing and into his skin, burning everything in the process and giving Orochimaru immense pain as it cut off his connection to his chakra net work.

Not even he could stay conscience with such agony ripping through his body

…

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><p>…<p>

**Okay for the next chapter, I actually managed to rewrite a part of it, unfortunately I wrote so much that I'll have to take the chapter and split it in half to keep it from hitting like sixty pages.**

**I hope you like it, I'm mad that I couldn't save the original chapter for you but I think this verson turned out better**

**Thoughts are helpful**

**Opinions are wonderful**

**Helpful criticism is**** lovely! Just don't cripple me okay?**

**Please no cursing!**

**And don't forget to**** rate and**** review!**

**Page 29**


	36. Chapter 36

**There is a reason**

Chapter 36: the prelims

Koomahana

**Fubuki was 10 when she met Sakura & 11 when she was taken to the leaf village**

**Tayuya was 8 when she met Sakura & 9 when she was taken to the leaf village**

**Sakura was 3 when she was taken and returned to the leaf village**

**Yagura was 20 when he first met Sakura and 21 when he returned to his body.**

**Yagura is 17 years older then Sakura, ten years older then Fubuki and 12 years older then Tayuya**

**Fubuki is 7 years older than Sakura and 2 years older then Tayuya**

**Tayuya is 5 years older than Sakura**

**Fubuki was a genin at 12, Chunin at 14 and Jonin at 16**

**Tayuya was a genin at 12, Chunin at 13 ½ and Jonin at 16**

**They are now:**

**Yagura is now 29 years old—Mizukage**

**Fubuki is now 19 years old—Jonin for three years (Same age as Shisui—Anbu—and Shikan—Jonin)**

**Tayuya is now 17 years old—Jonin for one year (Same age as Itachi—Anbu—and Hana—Jonin and Kimimaro—Chunin)**

**Sakura is now 12 years old—Genin (Same age as Naruto, Sasuke, Karin, Suigetsu and Haku)**

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><p><strong>Okay now I've tried to re write it but I don't know how well that worked, I'm sure that not everything was explained in this chapter I might have left out some of the more important things.<strong>

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

…

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><p>…<p>

They ran full tilt through the forest, panic and fear giving their tiered legs endurance and making them move blindingly fast, following the little black blur of Kikaichū that belonged to a young Aburame heir. There were other teams running with them but they were the closest ones and this particular team wouldn't miss a chance to beat a Sanin to within an inch of his life. Upon reaching the desired clearing, the team of four smoothly split in half, their medic swiftly moving towards the snake that was cut up in messy chunks with two young boys crouching on it in defensive postures atop it's corpse.

"Imoto!" two little girl's snapped their heads up, eyes widening as a black and white blur barreled through the two kunochi's standing guard, wrapping strong arms around them. "Thank goodness you're alive," pink hair fluttered in their vision, blinding the girls in the comforting smell of blossoms.

"We're fine Nee-chan," the two girls whispered returning the hug the best they could

"Fine my pasty white a**!" Fubuki roared pulling back and thumping both Sakura and Karin atop their heads, "You challenged a F#$%^ Sanin! You're lucky to be alive! In fact you're so lucky _I'm_ gonna kill ya!"

"Hay we didn't have a choice!" Sakura whined, rubbing at her head painfully, "Pedi-man targeted Imoto, of course I intervened! Then he showed an interest in Sasuke and we needed Shikamaru's head to survive and he was nice enough to help us! Hinata came in because she was worried! None of us _wanted_ to fight him but his stubborn a$$ didn't give us a choice!"

"_Hay Nee-chan they took Orochimaru out without getting anyone killed or seriously hurt_," Tayuya's voice hummed in Fubuki's ear, making said woman stiffen and draw a hand up to the little ear bud she was wearing, "_I'd be proud not pissed...oh no wait... I am pissed, never mind!_"

"Are you guys using head sets?" Sakura asked curiously, lifting up her bangs to show her own head set, "We're on three."

"Everyone switch to channel three," Fubuki ordered before she quickly did so herself

"_Why are we changing channels?_" a familiar voice full of agitation sounded in everyone's ear

"_...Hi Nii-san_" Sasuke said sullenly, his voice ringing through everyone's ear as he dropped from a group of trees and hurried to the snake where the rest of his team was gathered.

"_Sasuke?_" Itachi's voice sounded over the wavelength, sounding with a kind of anger only a voice could portray, "_What is going on?_"

"Pedi-man targeted me and the boys_,_" Karin answered, trying very hard not to smile as Sakura slapped a hand over her mouth to keep her snickering from being heard. "Then he saw Sasuke and tried to get him too but team eight and ten came in and saved our butts from getting kicked around the training grounds like toys for the tigers." Everyone with a mike sweet dropped as they could all nearly feel Itachi's irritation seep through their mikes as he neared them

"..._Who's Pedi-man?_" another voice asked over the wavelength, unable to stop herself Tayuya busted out laughing. It wasn't long before Kiba and Suigetsu were right there with her, gripping their sides and laughing loudly; it took everything the others had not to join them.

"Pedi is short for pedophile," Sakura explained in a trembling voice, as if she was struggling to join Tayuya, "We decided that any fully grown man who targets thirteen year old little boys to bit them, could be considered to be a pedophile." She had saw Orochimaru try to do that to Sasuke just before Haku and Suigetsu barged in on the fight, derailing Orochimaru's attach on Sasuke and giving the boy a chance to run back into the trees for cover.

"_Especially if he wants to take them home!_" Tayuya cackled from where she was laughing hysterically, unable to help herself as she remembered the kidnapping attempt years ago

"Sakura," Sasuke said looking exasperatedly at his pink haired teammate, "Please change his name."

"Why?" Sakura and Karin asked a the same time, confusion twisting their features

"Because he was after me and Haku," Sasuke replied, pausing as a shiver forced its way over his shoulders, "Haku may look and act like a girl but I refuse to do so."

"_Hay!_" Haku's voice shouted indigently over the wavelength of the headpieces, it was nearly drowned out by Suigetsu's belly aching laughter

"Ahhhh!" Kiba suddenly screamed, tears rolling down his cheeks and startling everyone around him, "Mental scaring! Mental scaring! Quick change the subject!" Sakura snickered as she heard someone stumble on the other end of the line in her ear; she swore she heard someone cursing and possibly someone slamming into a tree at some point.

"Regardless," a smooth voice behind Fubuki interrupted everyone's chuckling at Kiba's expense, "You all do realize that all of you have been disqualified for this round, right?"

"S_A_Y _W_H_A_T_?_!" every genin with an ear mike shouted together, making several of the adults around them wince at the combined voices echoing in the ears shrilly

"But we have both scrolls!" team eight, seven and Haku bellowed out together

"We have two heaven scrolls," Ino said miserably, "please tell me one of you has an extra earth scroll."

"_We do_," Neji's voice sounded as he and Lee hurried over to the giant snake with Haku and Suigetsu close behind, Shikamaru and Chōji following them within the tree line.

"Please trade one with us!" Ino begged into the earpiece

"O_u_r _e_a_r_t_h_ f_o_r _y_o_u_r _h_e_a_v_e_n," Lee agreed loudly, his voice echoing in the mike and the air with equal loudness,

"Whoa, is she hurt?" Fubuki asked with narrowed eyes as both boys slid to a stop in the gap to the trees, Lee was carrying Tenten on his back like nothing was wrong.

"Huh? Oh of course not," Lee answered as if it was a stupid question, "Tenten-chan just got kicked into a tree that's all."

_That's all?_ the girl's thought staring at the bug eyed boy as if he was an idiot, automatically feeling bad for the brunet girl for the boy's obvious cluelessness

"We have both scrolls," Haku panted as he slid to a stop just behind Fubuki, "Suigetsu landed in front of an Oto team when we got separated earlier. We got our heaven scroll then." Karin made a sound of understanding as her teammate's hurried to her side protectively

"As dose team nine," Neji said suddenly, showing everyone his heaven and earth scrolls that he quickly pocketed

"So do we," Shikamaru sighed as he pocketed the earth scroll, giving a pointed glare to the dark haired man who could almost pass as his older brother, "Can we all go to the tower together and pass this round now please?"

"Of course," Shikan smirked at Shikamaru, knowing that the young boy had just called out his bluff, "Just seeing if you were paying attention"

"...I hate your games," Shikamaru grumbled to his older cousin

"Oi! Nee-chan!" Tayuya shouted jumping over the snake and landing on Fubuki's teammate Shikan, her legs wrapping around his chest and her arms wrapped around his head, her face splitting into a mischievous grin when the man grumbled at her for being annoying. "Oro-teme is out like a light, I don't think he's waking anytime soon, what do you want to do?" She prompt her head atop Shikan's carelessly, batting her hazel green eyes at Fubuki as if she was attempting to flirt—which she was horrid at.

"We'll have to take him to T&I," Fubuki replied with a warning look at her younger sister, "Get off my teammate before you suffocate him."

"Na~ He won't suffocate," Tayuya giggled turning to look at Shikan's face, "Right Shi-kun?"

"Right," Shikan sighed, "now get off before I collapse."

"Did you just call me fat?" Tayuya asked dangerously as she slid off his back like water, eyes darkening dangerously

"Later cous'" Shikamaru smirked, "See ya pinky!"

"Who're you calling 'Pinky'?!" the three pinkette's screamed at the same time, waving threatening fists at the quickly fleeing boy, his snickering teammates close behind

"_Sasuke don't move until I get there_," Itachi said suddenly through the mike, a loud roar through the mike said that he had gotten side tracked by the tigers of the forest.

"Okay," Sasuke said clicking his radio off and quickly removing it just for safety sakes, "let's go." Sakura couldn't hold back her snicker as Sasuke helped her pick Naruto up from the ground, Karin was smiling and shaking her head as she stood with Haku's help. Together the nine children ran for the tower, leaving the adults behind to deal with Orochimaru's knocked out body and the seals burned onto his chest and back. When Itachi and his team arrived, Tayuya and Fubuki could only snicker at his glowing eyes glaring though the holes in his mask, unable to do anything more then to point at Orochimaru and _try_ to stifle their snickering.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Team seven and the mist team didn't enter the tower first like everyone thought, no, instead team seven waited patiently for Karin to remove the seal Orochimaru had placed on Naruto. By the time that was done it was the second day and three teams had tried to ambush them for their scrolls, which didn't end well for said teams. Once team seven and mist separated, team ten showed up looking worse for wear; apparently they had gotten a little too close to another team and had nearly lost their scrolls as a result.

As the days past in the tower the rooky nine plus the mist team stayed together in the same manner as the leaf genin spent their days in the academy. The boys would do or say something stupid to get a girl pissed, all the girls gathered together against the boys and proceed to hunt them down and beat them into submission. It was during one of these arguments that was quick to be followed by a girl hunt for the boys that was interrupted by a loud shout and boom, drawing the 'twelve' rookies attention instantly. Curious the twelve children hurried from the cafeteria, were they spent most of their time outside of training, to follow the sounds of shouting and cursing to the nearest training room. Upon entering the large training room, the children watched with dumbfounded expressions as Tayuya laughed hysterically on the floor around a pair of stairs just barely out of sight, while Fubuki proceeded to beat the living hell out of some poor smock trying to hug her.

"I said let go you major creep!" Fubuki screeched punching the young man's head, only for it to melt around her hand and giving her enough room to back away a good few steps in caution.

"But Fubuki-san I won the bet," the man's voice sounded as his head reformed in Suigetsu's signature body melting bloodline.

"The hell you did!" Fubuki shouted raising a threatening fist and letting ice crawl over it into a sharp point as she glared threateningly at him, "You won nothing but a knuckle sandwich!"

"Oh come on!" the man whined moving to wrap his arms around her again

"Touch me and I'll kill you!" Fubuki threatened slashing out at him, only to have her hand go through water instead of a body

"You've tried that!" the man smirked at her as he finally got his hands on her and pulled her close to himself, "oh come on! I won the bet!"

"No you didn't!" Fubuki screeched surrounding her face in a protective layer of ice, her face flushing and panic beginning to make her voice crack, "Someone else won!"

"What?!" the man asked loudly, straightening from where he had actually managed to wrap his arms around Fubuki, even as her ice encrusted hands pushed against his body, "Who the hell took your first kiss?!"

"Oh," Sakura chimed with a look of realization, "that must be the boy Fu-nee had so much trouble with when she was fourteen."

"You mean the boy she put in that massive ice bubble during her chunin exam?" Naruto asked in bewilderment

"Uh-huh," Sakura said a smile spreading across her face as Fubuki and Kanshaka argued loudly about the boy who had taken her first kiss. "Now I remember, Fu-nee tried to apologize for nearly killing him in the round. In response he said he'd forgive her if she didn't give anyone her first kiss until she was Jonin, she replied sarcastically that he'd have to do the same and that CPR didn't count."

"Of course he agreed," Suigetsu snickered

"With the declaration that he'd steal her heart!" Sakura and Suigetsu laughed together, both apparently having heard the story a hundred times before. In Suigetsu's case, he was there when it happened; Tayuya just loved torturing Fubuki so she told Sakura all of her older sister's secrets.

"I was drunk!" Fubuki shouted suddenly, silencing her little group of watchers.

"Oh this is going to get good," Sakura smiled, crossing her arms as she watched Kanshaka stare dumbly at Fubuki

"Drunk," Kanshaka repeated slowly, as if he couldn't comprehend the thought, "you were drunk?"

"Yes," Fubuki agreed with a slow breath out, glaring at Tayuya who was slowly pushing herself off the floor from where she had collapsed laughing. "It was during the Jonin celebration party I had when I made Jonin in the village," again Tayuya started laughing although not nearly as hard as she was.

"Di-Did you" Kanshaka stuttered out, his eyes widening and his breath quickening as a look of horror fell over his face, "Did yo-you gi-gi-gigive i-i-i-i-it u-u—"

"That's none of your damn concern!" Fubuki shirked again, her ice-encrusted fist slamming into Kanshaka's head and throwing him away from her hard enough to dent the training room's cement floor. Tayuya was still snickering mercilessly as she stumbled to her feet with the help of Hana and Shikan who were standing beside the stairs just out of the Genin's sight. Fubuki quickly marched away from the now knocked out mist ninja, fists clenched and face burning hot even through her little ice helmet.

"Hay Nee-chan," Tayuya suddenly called, voice dripping with laughter and amusement, "You going flying so soon? He's not even up yet!"

"Die!" Fubuki shouted diving at Tayuya with bloodlust in her eyes, Hana and Shikan shouted as they quickly dropped Tayuya and dived out of the way of Fubuki's attach. Tayuya stumbled with an expression that said she knew she was going to get hit full force, fortunately for her a strong hand grabbed her arm and yanked her out of the way just before Fubuki slammed into her with an orb of crystal ice that ruined the stairs and damaged the wall to the room, nearly knocking off the door itself.

_BOOM_

"Ow~," Tayuya pushed herself up just enough to shake her head and look down on the body she landed on top of during the fiasco. "Please get off," Shikamaru groaned with his face twisted into a wince, his lips twisted together and his brows pinched as if he was in a lot of pain.

"You'll never get a girl with that expression," Tayuya replied with an irritated look, pulling herself onto her feet and quickly dodging Fubuki's kick before it connected with her side. "Imoto save me!" Tayuya laughed as she spun and reached out for Karin and Sakura, only to find them hiding behind their respective teammates with amused expressions. Tayuya let out a yelp as Fubuki swung again at her, with one look Tayuya knew that Fubuki was already forming her liquid ice wings and quickly dove out into the hall before Fubuki could charge again. When Fubuki gave chase, Tayuya cackled out a laugh and disappeared in a puff of smoke. Fubuki responded by breaking down a wall and chasing Tayuya through the forest beyond the wall, fury alight in her apple green eyes.

"You okay Shikamaru?" Ino asked looking down at a curled up ball of Nara Heir laying in the doorway to the arena silently, "Where'd she hit you?"

"She didn't hit him," Sakura answered for him, her lips twitching into a smile she tried to fight, "it's more like: where did she _land_ on him?"

"You don't need to ask to know," Naruto hissed in sympathy for the boy curled up on the ground, "Sakura-chan can't you do anything for him? it hurts just to watch him like that" Ino's face went beat red when she saw Naruto cover his family jewels protectively, the other boys shifted nervously as realization hit them

"I'm not touching him," Sakura said with a plastic smile, "Ino can get him some ice from the cafeteria."

"Why me?!" said blond asked with a pointed glare at the pinkette

"You're his teammate," Sakura replied with crossed arms and a frown

"Here Shikamaru," Chōji said handing his friend a large bag of ice

"Or Chōji could get it," Naruto snickered, Sakura shrugged carelessly

"Anyone up for a spar?" Sasuke asked curiously, "team against team?"

"In the forest or in here?" Hinata asked curiously

"We might get interrupted in the forest," Sakura said thoughtfully, "let's have it here in the building, less of a chance of getting interrupted."

"Fine with me," Karin smiled, "how about girls verses boys?"

"But Ka-chan they'd be three girls against eight-no six boys," Sakura replied with a slight frown, she had almost counted team ten before she remembered that Shikamaru was down and out for the rest of the day and possibly the majority of tomorrow.

"But I don't wanna fight you," Karin said, giving Sakura her best puppy dog look

"You win," Sakura replied with a smile, Karin cheered and gave the pinkette a hug, smirking victoriously at her teammates over her shoulder. Both boys knew instantly that their earlier words were now going to bite them in the form of an all out spare where Sakura and Karin would tag-team them until their sensei's separated them.

"Ah, hello did you forget about us?" Ino asked with her hands on her hips, "Do you seriously think that we'll be out of this all-out spar?"

"Yes," Sakura answered bluntly, "open your eyes Ino-pig, Shikamaru's out for the count. Tend to your wounded instead of your damned pride," Ino ground her teeth as teams eight and seven walked into the arena with the mist team close behind.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Later that day

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"So, what'd you think about that team?" The brunet boy asked, dark eyes trailing to his younger brother sitting in the window seal, his older sister was sitting with her knees together on the opposite bed from where he sat. "Technically they beat us here, if they didn't stop to say good bye and argue with everyone they would've been here first."

"I know Kankuro," Gaara grumbled to him, jade eyes locked up at the nearly full moon overhead

"She has the same crest on her back as that girl from back then," Kankuro continued as if he hadn't heard Gaara, "She also has that pink hair, though her's seems to be lighter."

…

"_What the hell is wrong with you?!" the older girl asked loudly as she lifted the boy off his feet before anyone could say anything, "you don't shove sand down someone's throat when you first meet them it's not nice!" she didn't see anyone's horrified faces as she continued to shake the little red haired boy in her hands._

…

"...are you talking about that girl who hit me?" Temari asked with narrowed eyes, daring Kankuro to agree.

…

"_Don't tell me what to do brat!" the kunochi hissed, thumping the blond for good measure, "I don't care who your daddy is, you won't get special treatment from me!"_

…

"They're related," Gaara replied, preventing Kankuro from answering verbally even though the older boy was already nodding having not seen Temari's look. "Same crest, same hair, similar face...and I remember..." Temari froze mid lunge and Kankuro stiffened in his hast to doge Temari's sudden attack.

…

"_You remind me of my little brother and sister," she smiled at him, the moonlight dancing in her almost hazel eyes, making them look like the jade waters of Suna's southern border. "My Ototo is a little shy around strangers, just like you, and my Imoto is incredibly smart, just like you. You're kind of like the perfect mix between them."_

"_Do they have a monster sealed in them?" he asked with a glare at her, not liking how the older girl started to be friendly with him after what a villager had told her. Honestly it didn't make sense to him, everyone else avoided him like the plaque once they heard that he was the jinchūriki but not her, she smiled pleasantly at the villager and then decked him._

"_My Ototo dose,"_

…

"Gaara," Temari called hesitantly, a look of concern on her face, "you okay?"

"I'm fine," Gaara answered, "get some sleep; you'll need it for tomorrow." Temari snorted and rolled her eyes, she crawled into her bed anyways. Kankuro sighed and flopped onto his back, eyes clouding over with memory of an older pink haired psychopath from child hood. She had arrived just after their uncle's death and the first thing she did when she met them (in front of their father no less) was to hit Temari for being rude, hit _him_ for attempting to look up her skirt and shook Gaara for making her trip while she was walking past with her teammates. After one of the villagers told her who (what) Gaara was she decked him and nearly broke the guy's jaw, she then snapped right on around and put Gaara on her shoulders before the boy could blink.

…

"_Alright brat!" she smirked, lifting Gaara's hands to take hold of her hair that she had pulled out his way before sitting him on her shoulders. "Lead the way!" everyone, her teammate's included, looked at the pinkette like she lost her mind, "huh? What's up brat? Aren't you going to show me around your village?"_

"_No," Gaara replied with a frown and a twitching eyebrow, "put me down."_

"_Not until you show me," She paused to think, squinting up at the blue sky over head thoughtfully, "oh! How about I put you down when you show me where the training grounds are!"_

"_I can do that," Gaara's father said as he took a step towards her, "please put my son down."_

"_No," Tayuya replied with a look that said he was an idiot, "I chose this brat to guide me so you can jump off a cliff for all I care." The two brunet women on the pinkette's team slapped their faces at the same time_

"_We won't feel insulted if you hit her," the younger brunet said in a voice that said she wasn't joking, "We do it all the time."_

"_Ta-chan," the boy called staring blandly at the pinkette, "This is the Kazekage." Ta looked back and forth from her black haired teammate to the not so pleased looking adult_

"_Your point?" Ta-chan asked, tilting her head to the side; the brunet girl slapped a hand to her mouth, trying desperately to hide her amusement. The look her teacher shot her said that she hadn't been successful in hiding her snort of amusement, even as she berried her face in said woman's arm. "I don't give a damn if he's the daimyo. I serve lord _Ho_kage no one else matters to me."_

"_You mean no other political figure matters to you," the older brunet sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose tiredly. "Ta-chan, put the Kazekage's son down before he decides to have you killed for attempting to kidnap his son."_

"_I'm not attempting anything," Ta-chan replied with a bland look. "Who'd be dumb enough to kidnap a kid in front of the kid's parents? Or in front of a Kage no less? I'm not dumb enough to think that I can do something as incredibly dumb as that and not get my butt kicked in the processes."_

"_Will you put me down now?" Gaara asked, tugging on Ta-chan's hair to make her look up at him_

"_No," Ta-chan replied with an amused smirk, "You're getting the hang of this aren't you? you already figured out how to make me look at you." glaring at her, Gaara tugged on Ta-chan's hair, she followed automatically, cursing when she went face first into a wall. Finding it amusing Gaara told Ta-chan to back up, once she was on the other side of the street directly across from the wall, he pushed her hair forward and Ta-chan took off running straight for the wall. The smirk on Gaara's face said he had found away for the annoying girl to let go of him; unfortunately for him Ta-chan could climb walls without her hands. Gaara's nails bit into Ta-chan's scalp as his weight shifted dangerously on her shoulders, his distress was amusing to the girl as her laughter echoed out around them._

"_Now what smarty pants?" Ta-chan asked with a giggle, her hold on his legs tightening as she stopped upside down on the eve of the building, "Want me to let go of you now?"_

"_No," Gaara growled lowly_

"_Aw~ you're no fun," she giggled, "Show me to the training grounds and I'll put you down on your feet __safely__."_

"_Fine,"_

…

After that incident Gaara was almost always on 'Ta-chan's' shoulders amongst her entire stay in the village for the exams. Some times Gaara had so much fun with the older girl that he was smiling like his old self before their uncle was killed, the villagers slowly got used to seeing the pinkette wondering around the village with a big grin on her face and laughter erupting around her like a spring bursting into life. When it came to the month long training period for the final exam, Ta-chan all but moved in with a nurse from the hospital, trying to learn the basics of healing without relying on chakra. When she wasn't training in that field she was with Gaara in the training grounds flash stepping around him until she got to dump a bucket of water over his head.

For the final exam, another pinkette from the leaf showed up at the village and proceeded to beat Ta-chan around the training grounds for the mere fun of beating the younger pinkette. After the first hour of the pinkette's arrival, Kankuro figured out that the two pinkette's were related (the older one thumped him when he got a little too close to the women's hot springs for her liking); Temari figured it out on the second hour when the older girl caught her cursing and instantly froze her to the nearest wall, walking away with a loudly laughing Ta-chan right behind her. He recalled his father scolding both pinkette's about beating and freezing his children, the only down side to his scolding them was that they ignored his existence in favor of beating each other in their spar. Even though Ta-chan had been late to the final exam, she was on time to her round in it. Short version was that the boy refused to leave the tree he had managed to crawl up even after the round was over; to this day, the boy refused to repeat what he'd seen on the ground, so no one knew what Ta-chan had done to him.

"Kankuro," Gaara called softly, breaking his older brother out his thoughts instantly, "get to sleep, I'll take first watch."

"You always do," Kankuro sighed, rolling over onto his side, staring dully at Temari's back. She shifted as if uncomfortable and he knew that she was thinking about the pinkette they had met so long ago. Temari had a kind of grudging respect for Ta-chan because she didn't judge Gaara the way everyone else did and _he_ respected Ta-chan because she kicked everyone's ass regardless of their ranking or job description.

_Please let tomorrow be a good day_, Kankuro thought, closing his eyes to sleep. Dreaming of a time long ago when a girl from another village had managed to make his little brother laugh; kicked a few Jonin's around for the fun of it, taught Temari how to act feminine without being a complete girly-girl, played the flute when she thought no one else was watching her and antagonized their father during games of Shoji.

Back then, it was like she had always been apart of their family

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"So, what are we going to do with him?" A soft voice asked curiously, he could nearly make out the whisper in the darkness of his cell, knowing that he was a good hundred stories beneath the earth's surface. Even if he somehow managed to escape the chains and seals they put up around him, he was paralyzed from the neck down; he couldn't fight if he wanted to. Plus, the seals burned into his shoulder blades prevented him from using his chakra; he couldn't spit out another body if he wanted to.

"Well technically he's wanted dead or alive," another voice whispered back, he heard the shift of metal in his door that aloud his captures to look in on him without having to step in. "We'll have to wait for lord Hokage to make his decision..."

"We're not going to let him live anyways we?" the first voice asked almost fearfully

"Doubtful," the second replied, "two of our top interrogators want him dead. I don't think he's—kyaa!" he perked at the pained shout and the terrified scream that quickly followed it; yellow eyes rounding onto the little square of orange torch light, staring dully at the splatter of blood on the stone wall beyond it. He watched as a shadow fell over the wall, a strange animalistic noise filled the air as the shadow became more defined on the wall, showing two great horns that a bison would have. He smirked as the creature backed away from the cell door; he listened carefully, wondering just what had happened outside his cell door.

"Orochimaru," suddenly there was a plain white mask staring dully at him through the grate of the door opening, "you alive?" the voice was dull and well controlled but the eye holes barely reached over the edge of the little window, saying that the masked person was most likely a child—or a very short adult.

"I am," he replied, eyes narrowing at the little bit of a mask that he could see through the window, "Who are you?"

"...We are the foundation"

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Final day of Round 2

…

…

She woke up with a smile, stretching like a cat as she gracefully rolled out of her bed in the tower of training grounds 44. Without much thought, she grabbed her crimson bag and headed for the small bathroom with an even smaller shower inside. By the time she was out of the shower and dressed, her teammates were waiting sleepily on her bed with their sensei leaning against the wall by the door.

"Hiding your hair today?" he asked with a smirk, she shared a secretive smile with the older male before she moved silently over to her sleepiest teammate and lifted one arm over her shoulders as the other rose to his feet.

Together they left her room and went straight to the cafeteria, quickly getting breakfast together before they headed towards their assigned arena for the next portion of the exam.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"I can't believe how late they are," She hissed, fingers twisting into painful knots behind her so that her nervous tick didn't destroy her image of perfect calm.

"Relax Tayuya," Itachi whispered just behind and to her right, she shot him a glare from the corner of her eye, "They'll be here."

"...are you sure you didn't completely destroy your little brother yesterday?" Tayuya asked softly, knowing that when Itachi had finally caught a hold of Sasuke he did a proper spar that would've left normal men gasping for breath for days after word.

"I did no such thing," he replied smoothly, "I didn't touch him."

"...Genjutsu torture?" Tayuya asked with a twitching eyebrow, "That's my job, don't sell out my tricks damn it."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Itachi replied with hooded eyes and smooth smirk that was unnoticeable from a distance but not from Tayuya's close proximity to the clan heir.

"After this I'm so kicking your—"

"Welcome everyone to the end of the second stage!" Hiruzen said, cutting Tayuya's whispered promise before any of the genin before them noticed that none of his men were even close to paying attention to their presence. Tayuya huffed and looked out at the gathered teams, ignoring Hiruzen as he spook. There was Kabuto's team directly in front of her, to his left (her right) was Karin's, Sakura's and Hinata's teams (the girls all standing together whispering animatedly between each other) standing side by side with big smiles. To Kabuto's right (her left) stood the sound team that creped her out (more then Kabuto's father), beside them was—

Tayuya felt herself straighten at the sight of familiar jade staring right at her, short crimson hair framed a sad looking kanji for love on a background of pale skin. Black khakis didn't hold up the usual kunai pouch, as if he had no need for one, his black T-shirt with the mesh upper arms was half hidden behind a leather strap and white sash that helped him carry a large Sand stone gourd. Behind him, was a glaring blond with her hair pulled back into four pigtails and dressed in a simple violet dress; behind her stood a boy with purple face paint and a black suite with a matching cat hat and a mummy-thing on his back.

"Recognize them?" Itachi whispered softly, apparently he was looking the same direction as her

"It can't be," Tayuya whispered back, pausing briefly when Genma suddenly appeared and asked to proceed with the rest of what would happen because of so many graduates in this round. "Could he really be Gaga-chan?"

"I'm going to laugh when one of these days he decides to kill you for that horrendous nickname," Itachi whispered back, earning a fierce glare from his pink haired teammate

"Children," Hiruzen whispered to them, barely even ducking his head to glare at the two in question, "focus." Like properly scolded children, Itachi and Tayuya mumbled soft 'Yes sir' and sullenly returned to what Genma was saying.

"Wait what do you mean it's mandatory?" Kabuto asked taking half a step forward and waving his hands out in front of him as if he could convince the proctor to not make the prelims mandatory.

"We have eight teams passing this round; we need to cut that number—at least—in half for the final round," Genma explained, "however because of the even number of participants we'll need an even number of you genin to quite or lose a fight. Considering none of the other participants are as old as you for the exception of your team, I doubt any of them are willing to give up before we even start."

"Heh he may be sick but he ain't dumb," Suigetsu snickered out, just loud enough for team seven and Kabuto to hear him, Naruto smoothly relied the message to Kiba who couldn't stifle his snicker in time to get out the glare his sister shot him from behind the Hokage.

"Now on to the first round," Genma said, preventing any further conversations between the genin, "please look to your left where the screen is." Everyone did so and watched in boredom as a large slab of stone was pulled back to reveal a large screen with a stationary 'Vs' in the center. "The computer is loaded with everyone's names and will select two randomly." As if to make a point, the top and bottom sections started rolling through names faster then anyone could see the letters spinning.

_Ting-ting!_

_Sasuke Uchiha_

_Vs_

_Yao_

"Oh~ the first round," Sakura whistled a smile on her face as she patted Sasuke on the shoulder as he past her, "Kick his butt _Sasu-chan_."

"Sakura," Sasuke said sharply, turning to reprehend her but Sakura was already walking away with Karin and Hinata on either side of her.

"Will everyone please leave the arena for the two named contestants could do their fight and move on to the next round of the prelims." Sasuke felt his brow twitch twice as Naruto, Suigetsu and Kiba walked past him chuckling, obviously having heard Sakura's non-to quiet jab at his childish nick-name that his mother had started when he was still too small to understand the meaning behind 'chan'.

"Ready brat?" Yao asked standing across him, Sasuke could actually feel the smug satisfaction rolling off his older opponent as if he already won the fight.

"Whenever you're ready to start," Sasuke replied smoothly, stuffing his hands in his pockets and closing one eye to look dully at the older boy, knowing that his careless stance and board tone of voice would piss him off.

"Brat," Yao hissed at him, his brow twitched twice before he settled into a low stance

Point one for Sasuke—zero for Yao

_Prideful, short temper_, Sasuke noted with a mental smirk, releasing in the feeling of the older boy's agitation that literally rolled off him in thick dark waves. _Low Taijutsu ability... vein? No he wouldn't hide his face then..._

"Go!" Yao's hand flared a bright blue as he lunged forward; Sasuke jumped back word automatically, eyes bleeding crimson as he realized just what Yao was attempted to do. Yao's hand skimmed his left arm just before he was able to get out of range, which gave him the clue he needed to stay out of reach.

"I get it," Sasuke smirked drawing to kunai from his pouch and placed on in both hands, "You need to touch me to get my chakra."

"Ch," Yao lunged again and again Sasuke spun out of reach, this time ducking under his wide swig and slashing out with his kunai against Yao's leg and waist before retreating out of range again. The fight continued for a few more minutes like this, Yao lunged forward and got some chakra, Sasuke would jump back with a slash, Yao would charge again and gained some chakra before Sasuke jumped back.

_This is getting me no where_, Sasuke thought with gritted teeth, eyes spinning as another tomoe bloomed in his eye; either he suddenly had a growth sport where his arms had a longer reach then Yao's or he figured out a way to attack Yao without the older boy stealing his chakra. _I can't last like this!_

…

"_Watch closely Imoto," Sakura whispered in the arena, Hinata and Karin sitting just before her with eager smiles, none of the noticing him watching them from beside the door to the large room. "I've been working on this for a while, Hinata I'll need your help to see what I'm doing wrong."_

"_Alright," Hinata bobbed her head in agreement_

"_Karin, if this works right then we'll both learn something new for these exams," Sakura said with an energetic smile. "Alright then," Sakura pulled out two kunai that she had stored in her sleeve, held them out between the three of them, and closed her eyes. "I push my chakra into the blades, my goal is to make them sharper and stronger, I have no idea if I'm doing it right."_

"_You are," Hinata whispered encouragingly, "I can see your chakra flowing in the blades, not enough to make it glow but enough to make it stronger and sharper."_

_Sakura's smile was nearly blinding, an excited giggle escaped her lips, "Alright you guys, let's practice!"_

"_Us too?" Karin whispered with a slight frown, "but you developed that technique, should you be—"_

"_I didn't develop it," Sakura giggled, opening her eyes to smile at Karin, "I read about it in a book while on the wave mission. I wanted to figure out how to do it without using the signature glow that chakra tempered steal gets when chakra is used with it."_

"_So your enemy wouldn't notice!" Hinata whispered with a wide smile before a thought accord to her, "but we of the Hyūga clan and those of the Uchiha clan would be able to copy it..."_

"_Not if we do this right," Sakura smiled reassuringly at her, "Come on; help me fill up these kunai with so much chakra that no one else would be able to copy it."_

…

Sasuke felt himself smirk as his body slid into a stop, letting Yao get closer then before. Before the older boy could stop his momentum, Sasuke's blades glowing hauntingly and he retaliated against the bigger boy like a wind, moving around and side to side before the older boy cold blink.

"You're done for," Sasuke said spun away from Yao, keeping a tight hold on his two kunai as he quickly removed his chakra from them before he dared to put them away.

"Sasuke Uchiha you little rat!" Sasuke flinched at the loud echoing voice of his teammate, he looked up at Sakura with a slight pout, knowing she was mostly right. "We worked hard on that damn it! How dare you take that from us!"

"Oh shut it!" Sasuke replied as he stuffed his hands into his pockets and moved towards the stairs, ignoring the proctor as he called the match and the medics who hurried Yao away. "Did you have a better idea in handling him?!"

"You could've used a paper tag on him and then ran away from him!" Sakura snapped out with a glare

"That would've created one hell-of a mess," Sasuke replied, rolling his eyes as he began to climb the stairs.

_Haku Momochi_

_Vs_

_Suigetsu_

"Really?" Sasuke thought shaking his head as he walked to his teammates who were standing between eight and mist, "I thought teammate's couldn't battle each other in this thing?"

"Typically," Kakashi agreed with a chuckle as Suigetsu and Haku continued to converse obliviously, "but I think the system did what it could in this case..."

"Oi, Haku and Suigetsu, get down here!"

"Ya woo!" Suigetsu cheered loudly, "Alright it's my turn! And here I thought I'd be waiting all day!"

"Suigetsu," Karin said with a look that said he was amusing but still an idiot, "it's Haku."

"Huh?" Suigetsu blinked at Karin before he looked at the screen

"Shall I go easy on you?" Haku asked kindly, not meaning to sound as rude as he did

"Don't you dare!" Suigetsu shouted loudly, pointing exaggeratedly at his teammate, "you don't in spars so don't you dare—Ah!" Karin laughed as she purposely pushed Suigetsu over the edge of the cat-walk and then smiled pleasantly at Haku. Haku smiled back at her before disappearing in a whirl of water, quickly appearing beside Suigetsu and dragged him over to the proctor before he could start cussing Karin out.

"What?" Karin asked innocently when she found teams seven and eight staring at her, "they would've stayed up here all day and argued if I didn't."

"You're so cute!" Sakura squealed, wrapping her arms around Karin and giggling

"Ow!" a loud voice from the arena hollered out, "Damn it Haku that hurts!" blinking dumbly, Karin and Sakura looked down in the arena and busted out laughing at the sight of Suigetsu frozen from his neck down and unable to move.

"Let me go damn it!" Suigetsu glared venomously at Haku

"You said not to go easy on you," Haku smiled back

"You mean—you mean you've been going easy on me in our spars?!" Suigetsu asked with wide eyes

"Zabuza-sensei's orders," Haku smiled

"_Damn you!_" Suigetsu roared, a blush on his pale cheeks.

"The round goes to Haku," the proctor called with a sigh, not believing how quick that round was

"I wanted to look cool for her," Suigetsu whispered as Haku thawed him

"Relax Suigetsu," Haku whispered back, "I don't think she was even watching." Together both boys looked up to the two teams they had just been with, only to see Sakura and Karin leaning against each other trying desperately not to burst out laughing again.

Suigetsu wanted to crawl under a rock and possibly remain there for the rest of his life

_Ting, ting, ting—ting!_

_Shino Aburame_

_Vs_

_Zaku_

"Anyone know that one?" Sakura asked curiously, turning to look at both teams on either side of her

"No," Karin answered with a frown, "he's from sound..."

"We know from Ta-chan that sound is controlled by Pedi-man," Hinata whispered slightly worriedly, her brows pinched slightly into a frown. She looked at Sakura startled when Sakura suddenly slapped a hand to her mouth trying to stifle a laugh before it left her control.

"What?" Hinata asked, watching tears flicker to the edges of Sakura's eyes as her face stained crimson with her effort to remain silent, "What is it Sa-chan? What's so funny?"

"Hinata," Kiba said, placing a hand on the shorter girl's shoulder, "never say 'Pedi-man' with a straight face again."

"Why—"

_BOOM_

Everyone looked down to see that Zaku's arms had chakra blasting out of them from little crimson points all over his arms

"Well that was unremarkable in every meaning of the word," Sakura drawled with a frown, "talk about an easy match. Shino must be agitated for not getting a better challenge,"

"I would be," Kiba agreed watching his teammate walk towards the stairs. "Oh yeah, Hinata-chan you said that we knew that Sound was controlled because of Tayuya, but how do you know that?"

"...um," Hinata and Sakura shared an unsure look

"...they tried to kidnap her" Sakura said, her soft voice turning the statement into a question as she shifted uncomfortably and turned her eyes onto the board.

_Kankuro Sabaku_

_Vs_

_Tokao Ishuka_

"Tried?" Kiba asked, watching how Kabuto's last teammate and boy in black from sand both walked down the stairs to stand in front of the proctor, "What'd you mean by that?"

"They uh... kinda messed up?" Sakura tried uneasily, wincing when Tokao sprinted forward and dislocated his joints to wrap around Kankuro tightly, the younger boy's neck snapping soon after Takao wrapped around him.

"What do you mean 'kinda'?" Kiba asked flinching himself when Kankuro revealed that he and his puppet had switched places, the sand boy didn't even let Tokao retaliate before he got a face full of poisoned senbon.

"They uh... they missed?" Sakura tried again, eyes returning to the board, watching it shift through more names as the medics hurried Tokao out of the arena and to the medic room.

"What? Did they take Fubuki instead or something?" Kiba asked curiously, _That shouldn't have ended well for them_

"No she was in mist—" Hinata slapped her hands over her mouth with a horrified look

"Okay... so then who did they..." Kiba trailed off as his eyes widened in realization, if Fubuki was in mist when it happened and they didn't take Tayuya (their target) then there was only one other pinkette that they could have taken. _Oh Sh—_

_Ting!_

_Naruto Uzumaki_

_Vs_

_Kiba Inuzuka_

"Sakura," Karin called, placing a hand on Sakura's shoulder, "Did they take you instead of Ta-nee?" Sakura didn't look at Karin, opting instead to shuffle her feet and look sullenly at her hands that rested loosely against the guardrail in front of her.

"Sakura-chan did Sound really kidnap you?!" Naruto asked loudly, his blue eyes wide in horror, not wanting to believe that anything negative could befall Sakura while she was under his watch.

"Shut it idiot!" Sakura hissed rounding onto Naruto and wrapping her hands around his mouth in a fit of panic, "We don't want them to know that I remember!" She hissed urgently, "Now get down there and forget about what you just heard!"

_Kids really don't know how sound travels_, Kakashi thought with a sigh, watching Sakura throw Naruto over the edge of the railing, nearly taking Kiba with him. He shook his head lightly before he looked across the room at the two remaining sound teens standing together on the other side of the arena. Those two must have been able to hear them because they were suddenly stiff and looking a little guiltily at their feet, especially the girl (that might because she wasn't the one wearing the mask).

"Did sound really kidnap you?" Sasuke asked softly, watching how Kiba and Naruto started out arguing loudly

"Yeah," Sakura sighed, knowing that he wouldn't drop it until she told him, "It was before you and Naruto so don't freak out about it."

"But it was because of that, that we know that Sound is controlled by Orochimaru," Sasuke said as he watched Naruto and Kiba start fighting, "What are they doing?"

"It looks like a drunken brawl," Sakura snickered, "Oh~ do you see Fu-Nee's face? She's going to kill Naruto after this." Sasuke looked at the front of the arena where the Hokage stood and couldn't hide his smirk at the sight of Fubuki standing, glaring at Naruto. Itachi and Tayuya had moved to flake her, as if worried that she'd burst forward and start beating Naruto herself.

"This is almost boring," Sakura sighed, "come one Ba—"

"Shadow clone Jutsu!

"Man beast clone!"

"Finally," the three teams watched as the boys separated and charged again...

"Dumb Idiots," Sakura sighed, slapping a hand to her face

"Nothing's changed but their number," Hinata sighed in agreement

"Did I teach him nothing?" Sasuke sighed, rubbing at his temple. Sakura and Hinata turned to look expectantly but before Sasuke could do anything more then stare back with slightly wide eyes, there was a loud yelp and resounding pop. Looking back down at the arena the teams could see that Kiba was huddled over Akamaru with Naruto standing nervously nearby, Akamaru was laying on the stone ground with a long bloody gash on his side.

"Sorry Kiba," Naruto said rubbing the back of his head regretfully, "I meant to hold him hostage but he moved and I ended up cutting him instead..."

"It's fine," Kiba replied examining Akamaru's wound carefully before pulling out a handkerchief and holding it to the dog's side. "He moved to cover my blind spot... I should've been there to cover his."

"Ne~ why don't you work on that?" Naruto asked, "Fu-nee is always telling me that I need to make my weakness into my strength."

"Turn your weakness into your strength?" Kiba asked curiously, staring up at Naruto blandly

"Yeah! Like if you're no go at Genjutsu like me then find someone who's really good at casting them and work on finding the genjutsu and disrupting it," Naruto smiled at Kiba, "If you're bad at Taijutsu find someone who's good at it and go on weakly spares with them! Get it now? Turn your weakness into your strength, you don't have to be perfect at it just enough to make your enemies think that you have no weakness."

"Naruto Uzumaki has won this round!" the proctor called, sadly it appeared that neither boy heard him

"Heh... I still say you're an idiot" Kiba replied, pulling Akamaru into his arms and walking away

"What'd you say dog breath?!" Naruto shouted moving to march beside Kiba with a glare on his face, "You wanna go another round?!"

"Oh like you can talk about bad breath!" Kiba shot back in irritation, letting a medic take Akamaru from his arms carefully "I'm five feet from you and I can still smell your breath!"

"Shut up! I don't have a toothbrush!" Naruto whined at his old friend

"Then eat a mint!" Kiba shouted, bobbing his head at Chōji as he passed

"I don't have any!"

"Naruto get up here before I come down there and start hitting you!" Sakura bellowed down to them, leaning over the rail dangerously and waving her fist at the blond threateningly

"Yeah Naruto go to your girlfriend!" Kiba cackled, nearing the doorway with medics just feet in front of him. Naruto blushed brightly and moved at the stairs as fast as he could while Sakura stilled and stared down at Kiba calculatingly

"Shut up Kiba," Sakura warned, "I know where you live!"

"That's not creepy!" Kiba cackled as if he couldn't help himself

"I'm sure your mother would love to know about those mag's you've got hidden in your room," Sakura replied with a viscous looking smirk, Kiba paled and dived for the doorway, eager to catch up with the medics and Akamaru. If it was one thing Tsume Inuzuka hated about having a son, it'd be the disgusting habit of keeping mags full of women in revealing clothing.

"That's funny Sakura-chan!" Naruto laughed as he returned to his team's side, "How'd you know he had them?"

"I didn't," Sakura smiled at him, "I saw yours a few years ago, I figured that since you both were friends he'd properly have a stash too."

"That's not right Sakura-chan," Naruto said straight faced and eyes slightly wide, "Don't tell Kaa-chan okay? she'll murder me" of course everyone laughed mercilessly at him.

"Chōji and Dosu get down here!" the proctor called, Sakura perked at the called names, immanently she saw the metallic object on the older boy's arm as he rubbed agitatedly at it as if uncomfortable with the weight. Sakura frowned to herself and carefully removed her bag from her back, searching through the scraps of her once liner, picked out one and then quickly performed the release on it. with a puff of smoke a book was revealed, Sakura carefully lifted and examined Dosu's metallic arm band carefully before she flipped through the pages.

"Chōji's doomed," Sakura said suddenly, paused on a page and staring at the image shown to her and the information the book gave her.

"What the hell Sakura?!" Ino shouted, ignoring how Chōji exploded into his family's technique and dove for Dosu. Ino didn't get enough time to continue shouting at Sakura before the pinkette held the book out for the blond to see, before her sight could focus on the page Shikamaru reached around her and picked the book from Sakura's fingers.

"Oi!" Sakura called with an irated look at the Nara heir

"She's right, Chōji's doomed," Shikamaru drawled, Azuma was reading over his shoulder and even he bobbed his head in agreement

"Shikamaru, Azuma!" Ino said a scolding tone of voice, "Have you no confidence in him?! Chōji will—"

_BOOM_

"Huh?" Ino leaned over the edge of the rail to see that Chōji was embedded in the wall directly beneath her, Azuma plucked the book from Shikamaru and turned the page again, ignoring Shikamaru's grumbling about turning the page too soon.

"Dosu wins!" the proctor sighed in boredom, he watched the medics take the boy away before he called out the next two contestants. "Shikamaru Nara! Kin! It's your turn!"

"Hay Sakura I'm not done with that!" Shikamaru said as he ran down the stairs, Sakura immanently held her hand out to Azuma expectantly

"I'm holding onto it for Shikamaru," Azuma drawled lazily as he flipped the page

"Shikamaru you've got five minutes before I take it back and hide it!" Sakura shouted at the boy, said boy finished his round in record timing, not even bothering to explain his line of thinking when he actually managed to get the girl to knock herself out. Sakura rounded onto Azuma with a fierce glare, "If I find so much as a scratch on that book I'm gonna prank you both like you've never been pranced before."

"Where'd you get it?" Azuma asked curiously, ignoring the hateful glare Sakura shot his cigarette

"The market," Sakura answered snapping around walking back to her teammate's

"Hay Sakura!" Shikamaru shouted as he skidded to a halt beside his teacher

"Azuma has it," Sakura drawled in boredom as she returned to her friends with a tiered look on her face, "I'm never gonna get that book back am I?"

"I'll make sure it gets back to you," Kakashi smiled at her

"Now I know I'll never get it back," Sakura sighed, bowing her head

"Hay cheer up Sakura-chan!" Naruto laughed, "You'll get it back just not in the same condition!"

"Shikamaru!" Sakura bellowed snapping around with a glare, "You'll give that back by the end of the day or so help me—"

"Karin Uzumaki! Kabuto Yakushi! Get down here!" the proctor shouted, stilling Sakura and stiffening the group of leaf genin. Sakura turned to look at the boy leaning against the wall closest to the stairs, eyes narrowed as he smirked and lifted himself off the wall and walked down the stairs.

"Sakura-chan," Karin called, putting her hand on Sakura's shoulder comfortingly

"Be careful of him," Sakura ordered, eyes locked onto Kabuto as he moved down into the arena, "Don't let him touch you."

"I understand," Karin sighed, "any ideas?"

"...Don't use them," Sakura said turning to look at Karin seriously, "Don't use your chains innless you have no other choice, okay? Ta-nee and Fu-nee don't like him so don't hold back on him, okay?"

"I understand," Karin bobbed her head, "Can I use seals?"

"Yes," Sakura agreed glancing down at Kabuto as he stopped before the proctor, "Use any that would delay his reaction time or numb his body. Those would be best, especially if you can draw them with your chakra."

"Guess Mom's training came in handy then," Karin smiled glancing down at Kabuto who stood in front of the proctor, waiting patiently for her, "I have a limited set of attacking seals but I can use them..."

"Just don't let him touch you," Sakura whispered wrapping her arms around Karin in a tight hug, "be careful."

"I know," Karin whispered back, "Hay, can I use _them_?"

"Of course," Sakura smirked, pulling back and nodding her head at Karin.

"I'll be back sooner then you can blink," Karin smiled, taking a step back to run at the rail, using it to gain height and distance before she landed four steps away from the proctor. "I'm ready when you are," Karin smiled putting one hand on her hip and smirking at the two surprised males in front of her

"I was beginning to worry," Kabuto smiled at her, "I was surprised to see Sakura-chan—" Kabuto flinched when a kunai flew past his face and embedded itself into the wall directly behind himself.

_Defiantly related_, Kabuto thought glancing back at the kunai a little wirily, remembering Sakura had done a similar stunt even though she had done it without seemingly having moved.

"_Haruno_," Karin hissed at him angrily, her hand still stationed in the air before her from where she let the kunai fly. "You have no right to speak so familiarly to or about her."

"...Sounds like you two are close," Kabuto smiled, trying to show that he wasn't affected by the little cut on his ear that was trying to bleed

"Of course we are," Karin replied, sliding into a defensive stance and summoning two kunais into her hands, delighted with the familiar hum she felt in her palms. The Kunais didn't look any different then any of her others, the biggest clue to them being different was that they appeared to be carved from obsidian instead of steal.

"Go!"

Kabuto started off with throwing some shiriken and kunai at Karin before he charged her, Karin immanently blocked them and then blocked Kabuto's punch with her own blade, smirking when he jerked back quickly, trying to aim a kick to her side instead. Same song, second verse. Kabuto hissed and jumped back from Karin, kneeling he quickly healed the cut on his leg before he regarded Karin a little more wirily; taking note that she didn't move much from her original stance.

_I can't get close to her,_ Kabuto thought, fingering a kunai, _I can't counter her blades either._ His earlier thrown projectiles laid at Karin's feet, cut cleanly in half, the blades didn't even touch his when they just fell to the ground like led weights.

_Alright then, let's see just how flexible she is,_ Kabuto burst forward again, quickly spinning around her with a scalpel already taking form in his left palm, he curst as Karin spun and drew her kunai blade along his back and upper arm. She didn't move fast enough to stop his palm from hitting her thigh, she slashed out at him but he simply jumped out of her range.

"Heh," he smirked at Karin as she fell to the ground, glaring up at him defiantly, Karin pressed one hand to her thigh, her palm glowing a bright emerald. "You're a medic too," Kabuto murmured dejectedly, "This is going to take a while."

"No kidding," Karin replied with her own frown, "I don't have as much experience at healing as you do, you'll undoubtedly win this fight."

"Then why don't you give up?" Kabuto asked, readying himself to charge again, _I don't want to win but I can't just quite either..._

"Because," Karin smirked at him, her bright red eyes glinting in the light of the arena, "I don't feel like it." Kabuto's eyes widened as inky black lines burst out from Karin's hands that were pressed against the arena floor, arcing around her in a perfect circle with smooth lines reaching out towards him with haunting crimson characters. Karin climbed to her feet stiffly, rubbing at her thigh as if it was sore, knowing that she had stopped the majority of the problem but would be unable to do anything about already there damage.

"Looks like I'll have my work cut out for me," Kabuto remarked thoughtfully, regarding the seal surrounding Karin from under the catwalk. He glanced over to the proctor and the Hokage, knowing they were watching him closely, _Maybe I should just qui—_

"Kabuto~!" Tayuya smirked at him, her eyes dancing mockingly, her amused voice caught everyone's attention

"Give us a show," Fubuki smirked, crossing her arms. The two Jonin's shot Kabuto a challenging look, knowing that he wouldn't be able to help but accept the challenge because he did crappy in their own sparing; which is why they knew he didn't belong on a genin cell.

_Damn you two,_ Kabuto thought with a narrow eyed look at the two pinkette's that were currently the bane of his existence. _Now I'm given no choice, they'll be critiquing my every move from now on..._

"What's the matter white head?" Karin called from her crimson glowing seal, "Scared?"

"Not of you," Kabuto replied with a frown. He couldn't walk through that seal it was a good way to end up dead if he wasn't careful, he didn't know what that seal was for. For all he knew it could suck him dry of chakra and give it all to Karin. If only he could—Kabuto's eyes widened when the large seal retracted, shrinking into the soles of Karin's shoes.

_It doesn't last long,_ Kabuto thought with a smirk, dropping from the catwalk and throwing a kunai at Karin. _The only question now is: what do I do now?_ Karin frowned at the floor where the seal was, as if she was disappointed that it disappeared so soon. That was good, it meant that she didn't have much practice with it; perhaps she didn't have much practice with seals...

Kabuto charged, zigzagging to keep the red head guessing, tossing out a kunai to keep her busy while he moved around her to strike from behind. The only problem was that she realized what he was doing and dropped her left arm so that when he went to spin around to her other side he literally ran himself through on her kunai.

"Got ya," Karin smirked, eyes bright and shinning, her left lifted to slam down on his closest foot

"Damn," Kabuto coughed, one hand wrapped around Karin's hand that held her black kunai knife in his stomach

"Let go," Karin ordered spinning to face him and jerking on her hand, "Let go!" she glared at him, worry tinning her voice and uncertainty flashing in her ruby red eyes. "Let go!" her foot slammed into his thigh, pain arced through his system; quickly followed by another blast of pain as Karin's other foot slammed into his undamaged side, making the kunai slide through his stomach painfully.

"No," Kabuto smirked, his free hand flashing out and slamming against Karin's shoulder, earning a pained shout.

"Karin!" Sakura screamed ready to jump over the edge of the railing, only stopping because of Kakashi's restraining hand. Karin coughed and shied away from Kabuto's free hand, grinding her teeth Karin slammed one foot forward and yanked her kunai out of his stomach before jumping away to a safe distance.

"Ow," Karin flinched and pressed a glowing palm to her left shoulder, trying to heal it before she bled out internally; Kabuto was already tending to his own stomach wound.

_Damn it, she told me not to let him touch me! I got careless..._ Karin glared at Kabuto as he struggled back on to his feet, eyes glinting dangerously over his glasses. Karin panted as she readied her chakra automatically, knowing that he no longer would go easy on her, before she flinched as she recalled that she wasn't supposed to use her chains in this exam.

_I need to think and I need to do so clearly,_ Karin thought moving to dodge Kabuto's kunai, throwing one of her regulars at him while she was at it. _I can't let him touch me, not if it's going to take time to heal my self every time he dose..._ Karin hissed as she ducked under his kick and jammed her kunai into his knee before twisting behind him and out of his rang, flinching as she felt his fingers rack painfully through her hair.

_Wait!_ Karin's eyes locked onto a strand of blue and green beads that she had forgotten were still in her hair. Blue beads were poisonous gasses and their green partners were their antidotes... the white ones were tear-gas bombs, the yellow ones flash bombs...

_I got it now,_ Karin smirked removing her right hand from her shoulder, knowing that it was as good as she was going to get it while running and dodging Kabuto who appeared to be in perfect health. Karin had forgotten that Tayuya specialized in genjutsu but she also majored in chemicals, Fubuki was known for her unique ice ninjutsu but she specialized in seals, Mebuki ran the Spring shinobi store that specialized in undercover agent gear, Kizashi specialized in traps, Sakura made use of what her sisters deemed useless.

And all of them put her outfit together

Tayuya did her hair

Fubuki made her outfit

Mebuki gave her the tolls

Kizashi showed her the tricks

Sakura gave her the stones she put together

...her mother taught her seals but she won't always have paper and ink

_I better get creative_, Karin thought with a smirk, spinning into a low stance, both of her obsidian kunai held at the defensive. _Alright you medic reject_, Kabuto slid to a stop, regarding her wirily now that she was in a new stance and smirking again, _Let's see you dodge this!_ Karin burst forward, Kabuto smirked at her and readied himself to dodge her obvious swing. What he didn't notice in time was that Karin slammed her heals together and spun in place, angling her blades before and behind herself, her hair nearly glowing as her chakra flowed into the metallic hair piece she still wore, turning her whipping hair into a blade on it's own and the edges of her skirt flared out in a bright flash of gold.

Kabuto couldn't touch her without being torn apart

Before she slowed, Karin released her special kunai, letting them fly out of her hands and slam into Kabuto's shoulder and thigh. Ducking low under his halfhearted swing, Karin slammed her fist into his chin nearly knocking him clean off his feet—her second punch to his gut did knock him off his feet. Kabuto coughed when he landed, her blades still in place, Karin over him with her hair piece glowing bright silver and her skirt edged with five golden pointed blades that swept out during her spin.

"N-not over," Kabuto coughed forming a hand sign, Karin's eyes widened the feeling of burning on her back.

_No!_ Karin hissed, forming her own hand sign, _Not yet!_

She remembered when she had stabbed him in the stomach earlier he had touched the small of her back; she didn't think anything of it, assuming that it had been his elbow and not his hand.

_BOOM!_

Karin's world turned black as two voices screamed in agony

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

He'd have to work quickly if he wanted to get those seals off in time. The more important ones were on his chest, which kept him paralyzed from the neck down because of their station on his shoulders. If he wasn't careful when he tried to remove them then his paralyses would be permanent, that'd be a good way to get himself killed for his efforts. He sat back in his seat, dark eyes still locked onto the pictures taken of his target's seals; he wasn't cut out for seals, at least none of the advanced stuff. He could make the basics sure, those were easy, but once someone got into double or triple or even quadruples seals—like this one—then they might as well be talking to a brick wall because he was clueless on the matter. The ones on his chest looked like two emergency locks that needed the key inserted and turned at the same time just in seal form, the ones on his back looked similar but the keys were external and mostly likely would be in the form of another seal that only the caster could perform.

_Crap_, he sighed and rubbed at his temple tiredly, he was tasked with undoing the seal but there wasn't a way to undo it—at least not without the key. In order for him to remove the seals he'll need to convince the seal master to give him the key but that was all but a suicide march. The seal master would be curious or at least know what the keys were for, or more like _who_ they were for. Its not like the seal master put these seals on a lot of people, these were complicated drawings requiring time and training and took a lot of chakra to perform.

_Might as well kill my self now_, he thought, glancing back down at the file beside him, were the image of two little girl ran beside each other with blinding smiles, both looking like a poor mirror of the other. One dressed in crimson with long bubblegum hair and the other dressed in green with long mahogany hair, both with their hair pulled back in matching strings of silver headpieces with green and blue beads. According to the file, the red head (Karin) was the one responsible for the seals but if that was the case, she had to have been training with seals since childhood and there just weren't that many seal masters out there to do that. The only one he could think of was Jiraya of the Sanin and that man didn't know squat about quadruplet seals and he hasn't taken on any apprentices' sense the fourth.

_Well,_ he thought with a sigh, _might as well pick out my head stone and all_

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"No Sakura!" Kakashi shouted, wrapping his arms around Sakura just in time to keep her from jumping over the edge of the rail and killing Kabuto while he laid groaning on the pavement below. A glance where Hiruzen stood said that Itachi and Hana were restraining Tayuya on the floor while Ibiki and Shikan were restraining Fubuki. Putting a low grade paper explosive on Karin was properly Kabuto's biggest mistake in his entire life, the Haruno family were going to make his life a living hell.

_Of all the things you could've done, it had to have been a damn bomb!_ Kakashi thought as he struggled in keeping a tight hold on Sakura; she was surprisingly flexible even with Sasuke, Naruto _and_ Hinata jumping on her to hold her in place. The boys had literally wrapped their arms around Sakura and him to keep Sakura from killing Kabuto before the medics could arrive to help them. Luckily for him, Haku and Suigetsu didn't need the same restraining as Sakura, a glance showed Kanshaka had melted himself around both boys to keep them in place.

"Karin!" Sakura shouted, struggling in her team's tight old, "Karin!" Kakashi ground his teeth together as Sakura continued to struggle in his hold, "Karin!"

"Damn it," Kakashi hissed, readjusting his hold on Sakura again, "Quite it! Let the professionals handle—"

"Karin!" Sakura's voice broke and the tone of voice she used stilled Kakashi and her sisters, everyone turned to see the red haired girl in the arena had pulled an arm up, struggling to pull herself up.

_How the—_Kakashi's eye widened as he saw the bright golden glow on the small of Karin's back beneath her burnt shirt where the bomb must have sat.

"Good girl!" Sakura shouted, relaxing in everyone's hold, "That's right Karin get up!" Karin coughed and fell again, "No! Get up! Karin get up!"

"Shut it!" Karin shouted suddenly, making Sakura all but collapse in her teammate's arms in relieve, "I'm moven aren't I?!" Karin turned her head to look over her shoulder at Sakura, agitation and pride shinning in her eyes like a flame.

"That's my girl!" Tayuya shouted tears threatening her eyes, "That's my Imoto! Good job!"

"Thank goodness," Fubuki sighed, relaxing in Shikan's shadow and Ibiki's arms, "She's alive, thank goodness, she's alive..."

"Heh, you almost got me," Karin smirked at Kabuto's body, burnt up because she managed to turn at the last second and used her chains to protect her from most of the damage of the explosion while the rest of it engulfed Kabuto. "Too bad... I win..." Karin coughed, her shoulder's shaking with the effort to stay up and with the exhaustion of forcing her chains out only partially so they wouldn't tear her shirt up. It was difficult having them only half formed to great a protective layer on her back to keep her mostly safe from the blast but she had forgotten to cover her legs with the chains as well.

_Damn_, Karin thought looking at her bloody appendages that was going to take some time to fix. The medics might be able to deal with the majority of the burns but she'd have to do the rest and that just might drain her if she tried to do it all at one time.

"Winner! Karin Uzumaki!"

Karin gratefully slipped into the stretcher that the medics hurried over to her, one for Kabuto and one for her, once she was laying on her stomach Karin looked up and waved cheerfully at her sisters—then she past out

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

**Well, originally I had managed to fit all of the fights into this chapter but if I write much more I'll end up having like fifty or sixty pages in this chapter. Sorry but I'm not working that hard for this chapter, you'll just have to live with getting the rest in the next chapter.**

**Thoughts are helpful**

**Opinions are wonderful**

**Helpful criticism is**** lovely! Just don't cripple me okay?**

**Please no cursing!**

**And don't forget to**** rate and**** review!**

**Page 32**


	37. Chapter 37

**There is a reason**

Chapter 37: the prelims part 2

Koomahana

**Song: Reflection**

**From: Mulan**

**I did some editing in the previous two chapters, shifted a few scenes and corrected a lot of grammar and spelling**

**Please don't be too made at me **

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

…

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><p>…<p>

He glared hatefully at the boy nurse beside him, taking a wet sponge and gently cleaning the burns on his chest. Just because he couldn't move and didn't have access to his chakra didn't mean he was completely useless, he could clean himself... okay so he was paralyzed from the neck down, so what? That didn't mean the boy had to treat him like a glass figurine.

"I'll take pleasure in killing you," he said spitefully, feeling irritated when the pale boy didn't respond, simply ignoring him and patting gently at his burns as if to mock him. He glared at the boy, trying to remember his face so he knew who to kill when he got his body back in working order. Short, straight jet-black hair, grayish white skin, thin nose, dull almond eyes the color of obsidian, a thin mouth, smooth jaw, almost feminine looking cheeks...

"Who are you?" He asked, brow twitching when the boy pressed the sponge against a particularly tender spot on his chest

"I am one of many roots," the boy answered evenly, unaffected by his tone of voice and glare

"You have no name?" he asked, yellow-eyes narrowing at the pale faced child

"We are nameless," the boy replied, looking at him as if he couldn't care about the significance of a name, "We are the roots of the great tree: Konoha."

_That's new_, he thought, watching the boy place ointment onto his wounds, when he had been apart of the foundation they were aloud to keep their birth names and they weren't so heavily rained to keep their faces as blank masks.

…

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She watched the two familiar older pinkette's struggle in the proctor's holds as the red haired girl was escorted out, the younger pinkette still looked like a criminal with the Jonin behind her and the three genin restraining her limbs with iron clasped hands. It'd take a moment for the arena to clear up again, the medics mopping up the blood before they bothered with letting anyone else back into the arena. She was thinking about going to the other side and asking the closest leaf genin what was going on between the pinkette's and mist kunochi but just as she was about to speak to her brother's the black board began to ring through names again.

_Ting—Bing!_

_Temari Sabaku_

_Vs_

_Tenten_

_Great,_ Temari thought with a sigh, she was looking forward to having some extra time chatting with a few leaf genin and, hopefully, get some info from them. _I better make this quick..._ Temari launched herself over the edge of the rail and landed in the arena below, it wasn't long before her opponent mimicked her and approached her cautiously.

"GO!" the proctor jumped away at the same time as Tenten, the younger girl was judging her distance and regarding her seriously. Temari felt her smirk widen slightly as the girl studied her, she felt the need to antagonize the brunet so she started counting slowly in her mind

_Five... six... seven..._

"Fine!" the girl swept back and through a bunch of kunai at her, "I'll make the first move!"

_Big mistake_, Temari's smirk didn't falter as the wind automatically came to her defense, sweeping the blades aside and burying them into the ground. "Sorry, did you do something?" Temari asked mockingly, eyes dancing as the brunet scowled at her

_Good,_ Temari thought, eyes narrowing at the girl challengingly._ Get mad, make mistakes..._

"Ch," the girl held out to scrolls on either side of her, sweeping through a few hand signs. With a cloud of smoke the scrolls shot up spinning in a beautiful show of shrills and inky seals. Temari raised an eyebrow ass the leaf kunochi jumped with the aid of chakra and spun in a near perfect circle, chakra encased fingers brushing against the inky seals, grabbing a summoned weapon and throwing said weapon down at her all in the same smooth movement.

_Heh, weapons mistress,_ Temari's smirk didn't fault as a memory of a similar shinobi pulling a similar stunt against her years ago, _You're done for!_ Her fan twitched open and the weapons scattered around her in a perfect circle, never even getting within reach of her. Temari saw the brunet narrow her eyes at her, eyes filled with frustration and irritation.

_Come and get me, little girl_, Temari thought, knowing that her taunt was echoed in her teal eyes. As if in answer to her taunt the weapons surrounding her started to move, she could hear the combined noise of the moving weapons and the sound of aggravated voices above her. The weapons lifted into the air, looking like hundreds of snakes glaring spitefully down at her, if she stopped to see who was speaking and try to read their lips then she'll end up missing her chance to show off for these little genin.

_Too bad,_ Temari thought with a sigh, locking her sea-green eyes onto the brunet high overhead. _Better end this and try to figure it out later,_ Temari watched as Tenten looked down on her with a triumphant look, weaved her hands in wide arcs and her fingers bending graceful. _Nothing like Kankuro_, Temari smirked as the weapons lunged for her, the girl's moves were slow compared to Kankuro's quicker movements that he sometimes used against her. Temari reached up and clasped one hand on her fan, with a smooth yank and a slight step back, Temari swung her fan and let the wind fly out of her fan to smash into the weapons, derailing them and flinging them back to their caster.

_You lose,_ Temari smirked, watching her wind play with Tenten and her weapons before letting her drop. The weapons rained from over head but the wind didn't let any of them get too close to her, letting their mistress slam onto Temari's fan tip instead.

She didn't even need to move to win the fight

"Temari Sabaku is the winner!"

Smirk widening Temari lifted her fan smoothly and let Tenten drop from it before she smashed the wide side into the younger girl's back, letting the girl fly through the air and smack straight into her teammate who jumped down at the last second to catch.

"That was not very—"

"Shut it bug-eyes," Temari rolled her eyes, saving herself from a scolding by the green spandex wearing genin, "she lost. Deal with it," Temari smoothly turned on her heal and walked away, ignoring scolding the boy tried to give her as she walked away.

"Who's next?" Temari asked her brothers when she got to them, "Who's left?" she amended quickly when Gaara glanced blandly at her

"the blond, pinkette, Green boy, the two white eyed brats and Gaara," Kankuro answered, "Who do you think is next?"

"How should I know?" Temari asked with a cocked hip and raised brow, "I wanted to go against pinky but I got the weapon girl instead." Gaara said nothing as Temari and Kankuro bantered back and forth about the possible matches to come, thank fully they didn't say anything about his own match.

_Ting, ting, ting_

His siblings shut up when they heard the noise, their eyes turning to lock onto the black screen in eager anticipation

_Ting—Bing!_

_Sakura Haruno_

_Vs_

_Ino Yamanaka_

_...Interesting..._

…

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"Have no mercy on her," Hinata whispered in Sakura's ear, her arms wrapped around the pinkette's shoulders tightly. She didn't look at the blond as she marched away, ignoring the whispered encouragement of her own teammate's tried to give her.

"Sakura / Hinata," the two childhood friends parted, turning to look at their teachers and teammate's with blank expressions. Kakashi and Kurenai had spoken at the same time and the red-eyed woman sighed at Kakashi, letting him continue instead.

"Don't forget your bag," Kakashi sighed, handing the crimson object over, "It might still be useful..." Sakura nodded absently and pulled the red pouch over her shoulders, knowing that Fubuki had used a chakra-powered needle and thread to put the previous seals into the crimson fabric so they could still be useful to her. Naruto and Sasuke shared a look before they actually tried to give her an encouraging smile, one that didn't reach their eyes. Sakura bobbed her head and stepped onto the rail, before anyone could say anything Sakura jumped off. When she felt gravity start to take hold on her again, Sakura took a deep breath and let the world spin out of perception, appearing again in a crouched position before the startled blond and surprised proctor.

"Flash step," Gekko grumbled thoughtfully, "that's supposed to be a Jonin trick." He glanced over his shoulder at a nervously smiling pinkette who happened to be rubbing the back of her neck. Tayuya had learned the flash step when she was still in the academy hadn't technically mastered it until she was ten or so, could Sakura have taken after her sisters more then everyone thought she did? "I take it your sister taught you?"

"Yes and no," Sakura answered rising to her full height and taking her place at Gekko's left side, "technically I taught Ta-nee." _I'm the one who had to read the book to her, show her the proper hand signs, AND the appropriate mixture of chakra._

"...whatever," Gekko coughed and raised his hands between the two kunochi's cautiously, "you two ready?"

"You cut your hair," Ino said, ignoring the proctor

"Why? Dose it remind you of something?" Sakura asked, smoothly sliding into a defensive position

"_Ino!" the pinkette struggled in their grasp, tears pricked at the edges of her eyes, "Ino! Ino help!"_

"_Why?" she asked, moving to turn away from the three bullies and their victim, "you deserve that and more."_

"Ready when you are _pig_"

"Still cocky I see," Ino replied sharply, mimicking Sakura's stance

"Go!"

…

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"Hinata," Kurenai called softly, worry and confusion marring her features, "I've never heard you speak illy of anyone or to anyone. What was that about?" Hinata didn't say anything as she watched Sakura and Ino start off in their academy Taijutsu style, slowly before moving a little faster and faster.

"Hinata," Shikamaru called from his place beside the mist team to Hinata's left, "Do you know what happened between them?"

"_Why Hinata?" she sobbed curling around her like the brokenhearted child that she was, "Why'd she say that? What did I do wrong?"_

"Ino is a traitor," Hinata answered simply, turning to look dully at Shikamaru. Her eyes weren't excessively cold nor where they hard, they weren't soft nor where they expressive like normal. They were dull and lifeless, as if she was simply stating the well-known fact that the sky was blue and grass was green. To Hinata, Ino was a traitor and that was that; nothing more, nothing less.

_What the hell did you do Ino?_ Shikamaru thought, turning to look down at his female teammate a little worriedly. _When did everything change between you three?_

…

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_The girl in front of her was standing in front of the midnight sky, her kimono mimicking the night sky perfectly, making it appear as if the sky was wrapped around her in a graceful dress. Her full head of waist long pastel locks were entangled with graceful white thread and silver beads, making it look even paler then she knew it to be. The girl's eyes were bright and wide like emerald stones in an owl statue, her skin just as pale as the moonlight that shinned down on them in beautiful strokes._

_Perhaps she was a fairy princess or maybe she was one of Tsuki-Hime's daughters?_

"_Hello," the girl said softly, her pretty smile never faltering, "My name is Sakura Haruno, what's yours?"_

_Haruno? She was human?_

"_Ino," she whispered, surprised that her voice didn't reveal any of the awe she felt, "Ino Yamanaka."_

…

She hissed as she ducked back words, barely managing to dodge the kick aimed for her head. She tried to counter the strike with a punch to the knee but her fist phased through the body like it was wind. Gritting her teeth she spun on her heal and dodged the ax kick aimed for her shoulder, she through a rigged kunai and quickly ran out of range, the pinkette was quick to follow.

_Damn, _Ino thought countering Sakura's lunge with crossed blades, _she's gotten better!_ Ino hissed as Sakura slammed the edge of her foot down the length of her shin, tears springing to her eyes as she tried to ignore the feeling of searing pain running up her leg in waves.

"Give up!" Sakura ordered, her foot slamming into Ino's stomach sending the blond flying

"No!" Ino shouted defiantly, flipping mid air to land on her feet and skid to a halt, she quickly jumped to avoid another Ax kick that flat out dented the stone slab beneath her. Ino panted as she backed away from the pinkette, blue eyes sharp as she blocked and dodged the other girl's quick punches and kicks. They had been at this Taijutsu level for sometime and she wasn't sure what Sakura was aiming at, she should've pulled out her ninjutsu like every other opponent had long before them.

"What's your game?!" Ino shouted jumping away from Sakura and blocking the thrown kunai, "Why're you going easy on me?!" Sakura didn't answer as she flash stepped to appear in front of Ino, kunai in hand. Ino hissed as Sakura slashed out at her, giving her little choice but to block and throw a kick, hoping that it'd distract Sakura long enough to give her a moment to gain the upper hand. Gritting her teeth, Ino stopped retreating and regarded Sakura levelly as she raced towards her; Sakura smoothly slipped through several hand signs and suddenly there were two other Sakura's running beside her.

_Just gotta figure out the difference,_ Ino thought watching the three pinkette's wirily, suddenly her eyes widened she just barely dodged the punch thrown at her from the smoke of two of the pinkette's who flaked either side of her. Spinning through the smoke, Ino flinched as she felt Sakura's fingers rack through her hair, threatening to pull her back. Ino didn't let it happen, preferring to keep moving away from the pinkette who burst from the smoke and followed after her with a high spinning back kick followed by a front-two knuckle punch aimed at her throat. Unfortunately for Ino, Sakura hit her; fortunately for Ino, Sakura hit her jaw and not her throat. Ino coughed as she was sent careening back from the pinkette, landing and rolling on the hard stone floor before stopping beside the proctor.

"You haven't changed at all," Sakura sighed as if disappointed in the blond, "you're still unobservant."

"What're you—" Ino cut herself off as the proctor beside her burst into smoke and a hand launched out and latched onto her silver locks in an iron tight grip.

_Damn!_ Ino thought with a hiss, following the hand's harsh jerk so she sat on her bottom, the kunai she had drawn skittered out of her hand and out of reach. The proctor she thought she had landed beside had actually been a disguised Sakura, the real proctor was crouched beside the Hokage watching them almost wirily, but how did Sakura great a solid clone? More like, _when_ did she create—no when did she _learn_ to do such a strong jutsu?

"When-how did you—" Ino hissed as the Sakura behind her yanked harshly on her hair, making her grit her teeth in pain.

"What are you going to do now Ino?" Sakura asked, "If you don't do something you'll lose this fight."

"Uh-huh," Ino rolled her eyes, "okay now I know you want me to do something, now what is it that you want?"

"Think of it this way Pig, if this was a mission, you'd have died a thousand times over by now," Sakura replied coldly, lifting her kunai blade and glaring at Ino over it. Ino glared back for the insult, wincing as the Sakura behind her yanked harshly on her hair, as if trying to remind the blonde of her presence.

"Why don't you cut your hair?" Sakura asked as she approached the suddenly very still blonde, "after all, so long as I have a hold on you, you aren't going to be moving." Sakura reached Ino and stomped down on Ino's left hand as she tried to reach for her kunai knife, "Here, I'll do it for you."

"The hell you will!" Ino shouted slamming a fist into Sakura's knee and off setting her balance enough to kick her feet out from under her. With a hiss of pain Ino reached for a kunai and let it slide through her hair like a hot knife through butter, the second she felt free Ino was back flipping away and smoothly picked up her previous kunai and landed into a defensive stance, glare set in place as the clone dispersed and Sakura picked herself up slowly.

"Shall we up the anty?" Sakura asked rising to her full height, "Come on pig, I know you have better moves then the academy's crappy Taijutsu. Didn't your father teach you anything?" Ino growled and lowered her stance, eyes narrowing further into a look that would've sent her teammate's scattering for cover, "What about your teacher? Surely he had to have taught you something,"

"Of course he did," Ino growled grabbing a hand full of shiriken and chucking them at Sakura, "More then you'll ever find out!" Ino charged after her weapons, one kunai in hand

"Then use it!" Sakura smirked back, pulling two blades from her right sleeve gracefully. Slamming her feet together, Sakura let her chakra flow and her arms to move gracefully as she blocked the thrown weapons easily.

"What the hell?!" Ino shouted sliding to a stop and looking at her ripped apart weapons in disbelief, they clattered to the ground in sections of half's. In Sakura's hands were two kunai but not the normal looking kunai. These ones were as black as emerald could get, the blades smooth and elongated as if someone had taken Tanto, cut it in half and put it on a kunai handle.

"What did you do to your kunai?" Ino asked loudly, knowing that the strange blades were at fault for her weapon's destruction. Those shiriken and kunai were a special present from her father, they were made to resonate with her chakra and give every strike and blow twice as much power as a normal kunai would've been able to provide; yet Sakura had sliced through them like they were nothing.

"I've been working on these two kunais for the past four days," Sakura replied, sliding into a defensive stance, one kunai in each hand, her right rising to cover her head and back protectively while her left covered her front in a similar manner. "I've filled them with my chakra, making them stronger, sharper and lighter. If not for Hinata I never would've been able to complete this project of mine nor would I have been able to get so far with it like I have."

"_Sasuke Uchiha you little rat!" Sakura roared, leaning over the rail edge, the two girls on either side of her restraining her so she wouldn't jump down and possibly beat Sasuke into next week. "We worked hard on that damn it! How dare you take that from us!"_

"So that's what you meant earlier!" Ino shouted in realization, "That's why you called Sasuke-kun a rat! He did the same thing you and Hinata had been doing to your kunai!"

"Well at least we know you're not deaf," Sakura smirked, "Yes, Hinata, Karin and I have been working on these blades for the past four days. Happy now?"

"No I'm not!" Ino snapped, one hand slipping into her pouch on her back hip, "Those kunai and shiriken were from my father! They're expensive!"

"Guess you shouldn't have thrown all of them at me then," Sakura replied calmly, not moving from her stance as Ino snarled at her.

…

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"What do you want with me?" yellow eyes regarded him coolly, "What's the point of helping me?"

"You still have a use," the old man looking down on him replied just as calmly

"...This is the perfect opportunity to get rid of me," he replied, "I can't fight and I sure as hell can't move. What use could I possibly have for you?"

"I have yet to figure out just what that is, I'm sure you still have one," the old man answered

"What are you going to do? Lift the seals?" he snorted at the thought, "you have no sealing knowledge"

"Nor do you," the man counted just as smoothly, "But your teammate dose."

"Jiraya? He won't lift these seals, I doubt he knows how"

"That is a possibility," he relented turning on his heal and moving towards the cell door "but he'll be intrigued by the seals all the same."

_Slam_

Intrigued would be a good description for Jiraya, he'd sit down and look through the seal and tinker around with it until he had the answer. He'd unconsciously give him the key he'd need to restore his body and chakra system! And he wouldn't even realize it until it was too late!

"Heh," a smirk spread across his face, "he-he-he... ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha—_ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!_"

…

Outside his cell, two boys with trays of food and medical supplies listened to the mad laughter from the cell; they shared a look and turned right around, leaving the stone hall.

Perhaps they should return later... when their patient wasn't sounding like a deranged lunatic

…

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"This is starting to get boring," Kankuro sighed, watching the pinkette and blonde glare at each other, neither one having moved for the past two minutes, "how long is this going to—"

"Enough of this!" Ino shouted loudly, flinging one hand out and sending another two kunai at Sakura. The pinkette frowned and blocked both blades easily, only to have her eyes widen at the sight of a small purple ball attached to the one kunai. Before she could do anything more then gasp, the ball exploded and she was engulfed in bright periwinkle smoke.

"That's a little different," Temari drawled in boredom, she could see a dark figure in the brightly colored smoke, arms raised as if to protect their face from an attack, she could even hear the figure inside coughing as if the smoke burned her lungs. "Why doesn't she just dive out?"

"Straight into the blonde's waiting kunai?" Kankuro asked with a frown, watching the blonde hurry over to the edge and place her hands on the ground quickly, closing her eyes as a bit of the smoke tried to swallow her. "It's a little risky but she's actually safer in that gas then if she was just too suddenly jumped out of it." Ino rose to her full height and jerked her hands back as if she was pulling something from the smoke, smoothly her earlier weapons returned to her in perfect condition.

"What the—I thought those were destroyed?" Temari asked straightening from her slouch against the rail, eyes widening as Ino dropped another smoke bomb on the pinkette and quickly threw a few of her repaired kunai and shiriken. She watched as the shadow in the smoke blocked a few but it looked like one of the kunai went through her guard and cut her hair lose from what ever binding she had put it under to keep it out of her way.

"What's the matter Sakura?" Ino asked as she moved around the smoke again and through a few more kunai at the shadow inside the smoke, "having a hard time breathing?" Ino dived in and tried to engage Sakura in a blind Taijutsu match inside the smoke but Sakura had jumped out just as she had jumped in. Sakura grabbed the edge of the platform and flipped her feet over herself to land on the railing, then she used the railing like a spring board and launched herself higher once she saw that she was going to fall again she flash stepped again, gluing her feet to the ceiling.

"I see now," Sakura whispered to herself, unaware that the more experienced shinobi could hear or read her lips. "That's Ta-nee's smoke bomb..." _When did you get it?_ "Since that's the case..." Sakura reached behind her and pulled out a rigged kunai and through it down at the violet smoke so far below.

"Ino!" the blonde's teammate shouted desperately, the kunai flew past the sand team, only Gaara's eyes remained on the pinkette, reading her barely moving lips. "Get out—"

_BOO—OM_

The explosion did nothing to hide the blonde's pained scream

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_What is this?_ He thought staring dully at the blinding white overhead, unsure of how to regard the simple looking thing over him. Slowly the ringing in his ears gave way to an annoying beeping and just as suddenly there was a burning in his throat, as if his throat was forced open to three times it's normal width. _Where... where am I?_ He blinked slowly and turned to look at the person sitting beside him, not sure how he knew that someone was there but knowing all the same.

"Ah, you're awake," the tall man smiled at him, the look was a little broken looking as if he feared the worse and was still expecting the worst. "Good morning... you did good in your fight but you'll have to sleep now," he blinked sleepily at him, not quite understanding who this stranger was, so he tried to take the man's face and compare to any memories he might gain from it. The man was in his forties, nicely tanned, smooth dark hair and kind brown eyes, a square jaw and straight nose, square-ish cheeks...

"Sleep now son," the man whispered, his eyes misting over as he reached over and patted him gently on his shoulder, "you'll need all the rest you can get to recover..."

_Oh..._ he thought, his eyes sliding closed as his world once more turned black, _dad..._

…

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He watched as the girl's face twisted into regret, her eyes misting over as if on the verge of tearing up. Then like someone flicked a switch, the girl closed her eyes and her face fell blank, she took several deep breaths before she opened her eyes again to reveal hard, emotionless jade.

"That particular smoke bomb was made to explode when a flame or a bomb got too close!" Sakura said loudly, her voice echoing down to the curled up blonde on the smooth stone floor far below her. Sakura released the chakra from her feet and let herself free fall to the ground, eyes locked onto the curled up body of her once-upon-a-time friend.

_I see,_ he thought, watching the pinkette descend from the ceiling, her long pink trashes trailing after her in elegant whipping. _She didn't want to hurt her..._

"You should've known better then to use a Haruno product against a Haruno!" Sakura shouted as she readied herself to land on the hard stone floor, charging her feet with her chakra to soften her fall so she wouldn't break anything when she landed. Unfortunately, she didn't take into account of her velocity, the floor rolled and bucked under Sakura, like the large tiles wanted to rear up in defiance but settled for cracking instead. Sakura sighed and pulled herself to her full height, cocking one hip and glaring over at Ino from where she stood in her little indent of the arena.

"You lose, Ino Yamanaka," Sakura said coldly, stepping out of the dent and approaching the whimpering mess of burns and blood that now made up her opponent.

_Huh?_ Sakura felt her eyes widen when she saw that Ino wasn't as burned as she was expecting, her dark violet outfit was intact, a little scuffed up but still in one piece. Her now short platinum hair covered her neck protectively in a bright blue halo, signaling Ino's attempt to protect her spine from the blast. What revealed skin the blonde had was covered in minor burns and scraps, she'd be out for a while, possibly hoping that the blast had killed her when she woke up but she would live with little to no scaring.

_Heh, so you still took Ta-nee's warnings to heart,_ Sakura thought with a smile, staring at the knocked out blonde. Shaking her head, Sakura turned to walk away but stopped when she felt her foot hit something metallic; looking down Sakura observed the broken shiriken at her feet. Crouching Sakura ignored the whispering going on behind her between the proctors and her sisters, she poked the broken pieces curiously and smiled when she felt Ino's chakra respond to her prob. The several long hairs wrapped around the broken pieces flexed and tried to tighten their hold on the broken weapon, as if trying to pull it back together.

"Ingenious," Sakura whispered, ignoring the steps that were approaching her from behind, choosing instead to look at the curled up blonde, "not perfect but—" Sakura's eyes widened at the sight of Ino's baby blue orbs staring determinedly at her.

"Light st-style" Ino whimpered softly, "Soul tran-transfer..."

Sakura's body stiffened and Ino's fell limp

…

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_What is this?_ Hayato Gekko thought with narrowed eyes, he felt the burst of chakra from the blonde but he wasn't sure if it was a failed jutsu or if she tried her mind transfer jutsu on the pinkette. Slowly the pinkette's body began to trembling as if it was taking effort for her to move, but she hardly had a scratch and what scratches she did have weren't serious enough to impede her movement.

So what was going on?

_One...two...three..._

…

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_What is this?_ She thought her eyes opening in the two-colored abyss that greeted her sight, _I'm not supposed to be here..._ the world she found herself in was full of swirling colors in sea foam green and Azure—no wait, if she looked closer she could almost make out a faint streak of gold mixing with the green at her feet and to her left she could see something that almost looked like magenta merging with the bright blue as if it was being swallowed hole; the gold turned the bright splash of green almost neon and the bright pink turned the dark blue almost teal.

_What's going on?_ She took a step forward and suddenly felt as if she was trapped in Shikamaru's shadow bind, unable to move her body, her head being the one exception. Taking in a deep breath she closed her eyes and concentrated, she stretched her senses far enough she could figure out where Sakura's conscious—

_What the hell?!_ Ino gasped as her eyes flew open, sweat broke out on her brow, "_Who-who's there?!_"

…

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"Wait, did Ino just?" Shikamaru locked his eyes on his still teammate and the trembling pinkette, did he really see the blond for her signature hand sign?

"I think she did," Azuma murmured beside him, a smirk spreading on his cheeks as the pinkette slowly rose her hands to grip at her head as if she was having difficulty moving, "Ino captured Sakura in her mind switch jutsu. Heh, wouldn't you know it Kakashi? I won the bet, Ino won the round" _Had me worried for a bit there, good job Ino_

"I wouldn't be so sure of yourself," Kakashi mumbled with slightly narrowed eyes at the two kunochi's in the arena, "Sakura won't let Ino off just like that." _Please Rin, if you're truly in there, don't get discovered!_

"You know something that I don't?" Azuma asked with a slight frown at the gray haired man not far from him.

_I hope so_, Kakashi thought, afraid to hope but still wishing that Rin was there to back Sakura up. He did want his entire team in the final round just so he could rub it in Azuma's face later but he also didn't know what he'd do if Sakura really was Rin's reincarnate. Should he continue to treat her as he has been or should he teach her the annoying '5 Ds' that Rin was obsessed in using against him when they spared before her death? Unfortunately he did have those '5 Ds' memorized and not do to the Sharingan, no that eye of his just cemented those ridicules moves in his mind that he already memorized.

"I know so," a soft voice said suddenly, drawing the three Jonin's attention instantly. "Sakura will win, she doesn't have a choice," Hinata said, watching the pinkette tremble from where she stood, looking like a leaf could blow her over.

"Hay missy, the Yamanaka jutsu's aren't exactly something you can break, ya know," Azuma said with a frown at Hinata. "It's impossible to break—"

"She'll break it," Hinata interrupted, not looking at the now irate Jonin, being interrupted wasn't something Azuma liked. "Ino tried that jutsu before and it failed, either by Sakura's own strength of will or Ino's lack of experience with the jutsu is unknown. Sakura still freed herself from Ino's technique and she'll do so again."

"When was that?" Kurenai asked curiously, "When did Sakura and Ino get into a fight so bad that Ino tried to capture Sakura with her mind transfer jutsu?"

"...When we were ten," Hinata answered slowly, "Towards the end of one of the many clan celebrations, Ino and Sakura had gotten into a fight, Ino tried to control the situation by trying to take possession of Sakura's body."

…

"_I will say this only once Ino Yakamaka," She turned and glared at the startled looking blonde just behind her, her hands gripping the pinkette just a little tighter. "Never come back to this compound ever again, if you do I'll beat you into next week. Your clan can come here for I have no power to stop them but you are another story all together."_

"_You can't order me to do anything!" the blond shot back, one eye closed as she gripped at her head in pain, "This is the clan celebration! You don't have that right!"_

"_You're right she doesn't," a low voice interrupted them, turning both girls saw their fathers approaching with disapproving looks._

"_How's Sakura Hina-chan?" Kizashi asked as he moved closer to the little Hyūga with pulsating eyes_

"_She'll be okay," Hiashi replied calmly, letting his Byakugan retreat_

"_Ino I'm very disappointed in you," Inoichi sighed, "you had us worried, what would you have done had someone tried to kidnap you three?"_

"_Hinata I could understand, but no one would want Sakura," Ino grumbled pulling herself back onto her feet and dusting the dust off her skirts. "She's a freak of nature—"_

**THWACK**

_Ino stared up at her father in surprise, one hand rising to rub at the bump forming on the top of her head beside her ponytail_

"_Hiashi-san I'm afraid my daughter and I will return home early tonight," Inoichi sighed turning to the clan head and giving him a regretful look_

"_Understandable," Hiashi replied coldly turning to look at his own daughter, "Come Hinata."_

"_Yes father," Hinata sighed, releasing her stubborn hold on Sakura, letting Kizashi lift his knocked out daughter into his arms. For the sake of the other clans, the three girls played nice during the celebrations that happened once a month but out side of those celebrations, the three girls were never seen side-by-side again._

…

Hinata raised her eyes and stared dully into Azuma's surprised dark orbs, "it failed miserably."

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"_Who's there?_" she tried again to move but her body wouldn't obey her movements, her head moved to her left side still trying to look behind herself but to no avail. "_Who's there? Show yourself!_"

"_Ino_," she snapped back around to look at the abyss before her, her eyes widening at the three feminine figures standing in front of her. The one to her directly in front of her had long watermelon pink hair and sad emerald eyes, dressed in the same dark crimson skirt, black spandex shorts, black vest, maroon shirt with bell shaped sleeves and a high collar. The one just to the right and behind of the pinkette had long blush red hair and hard jade eyes glaring daggers at her, she was dressed in a matching out fit as the pinkette but in black and white instead of the three different shades of red. The one to the pinkette's left and directly across from the red head didn't look anything like the two girls before Ino. This one had short walnut hair and chocolate eyes with nicely tanned skin; she was dressed in a dark navy blue top with long tight sleeves, black spandex shorts beneath a cream-colored two-piece skirt that tied around her waist and long brown stockings that ended just above her knees.

"_What is this?_" she whispered, her voice shaking, "_you're supposed to have only the one soul... this isn't normal—you're not normal!_" she already knew that from the last time she tried to possess her but she had hoped that it had just been her imagination or that Sakura had just grown out of it, that the person she saw as a child was just an imaginary friend like kids were prone too.

"_Calm down Ino_," the pinkette urged, "_I don't know how you managed to get here but you need to return to your body and rest! You've been hurt badly!_"

"_Yeah little pig!_" the red head snarled at her, "_Get out of our body! You don't belong here!_"

"_You should be kinder to our guest,_" the brunet sighed to the redhead, a disapproving look on her soft features

"_Hay! I exist just as much as you do!_"

"_Yet neither of us will survive at this rate,_" the burnet replied calmly

"_Please Ino you must leave,_" Sakura begged urgently, as if she didn't hear the bickering going on behind her, "_you don't understand, you don't belong here—_"

"_And they do?!_" Ino shouted with a pointed look at the two arguing girls behind Sakura, "_Just what are they? Why are they here? How do you have so—_"

"_Imoto!_" Ino stared incredulously over Sakura's head at the distant figure running towards them, Sakura continued to stare pleadingly at her as if she didn't here the loud mescaline voice approaching from behind her.

"_Don't you hear that?_" Ino hissed at Sakura, wanting to step back from the pinkette, "_Can't you hear them?_"

"_They're just my thoughts,_" Sakura replied, raising her hands peacefully to the blonde, "_Please you have to leave—_"

"_What are they?!_" Ino shouted, "_They're not supposed to exist! You're supposed to have only the one soul!_" _You only had the brunet last time, where did red head come from? Who's that man who's running towards us? Why dose the brunet and him have different signatures then you? Even the red head is slightly different, like she's the medium__—_Ino flinched back from Sakura's fingers, her eyes wide as the thought rang in her own mind. If the red head was a medium between the brunet and Sakura then it would explain why the brunet had such a weaker signature then before. The brunet and Sakura were molding and the red head was the perfect thing to make it easier without being obvious about it.

"_You're dyeing,_" Ino said turning wide eyes onto the brunet behind Sakura, watching said girl flinch harshly, "_That's why your signature is so weak..._"

"_Enough Ino_," Sakura interrupted, her eyes misting over as the two girls behind her regarded Ino with cold eyes and pleading looks. The red head wanted her gone and the brunet wanted her to be quiet about her assumptions. "_Please Ino, undo your jutsu,_" Ino's eyes locked onto the running figure far behind Sakura she could almost make out his physical form now, "_Ino!_" she jerked at the sound of her name, Sakura's hand clasping her shoulders and shaking her, "_Undo it! get back to your body!_" Sakura was crying now, fat tears rolling down her cheeks, "_please Ino, get back to your body, you need to rest._"

"_Imoto!_" The man's voice shouted but Sakura didn't respond to his shout, she just collapsed to her knees and sobbed. Ino looked up at the male running towards them, letting her curiosity getting the better of her, she wanted to know what this other soul looked like, why he was so persistent in calling Sakura 'Imoto' and why she refused to acknowledge his existence.

"_Please_," Sakura begged, "_Please Ino... go... go and don't say anything about this... please Ino... just leave..._"

Ino did eventually leave Sakura's mindscape but it wasn't because of the pinkette's sobbing or because she finally saw the young man's face. It was because behind the boy she could make out the figure of a monstrous being towering over everyone in the swirled abyss, one crimson eye glaring down at her as if it was thinking about squishing her beneath one of it's massive paws. It's chakra suddenly lashed out and smashed against her own meager amount, throwing Ino out of Sakura's mind and breaking the connection she had. The man who was running towards them burst into emerald dust, his pink eyes wide in panic, disappearing before Ino's jutsu could finish unraveling. The demon looked at the three feminine figures and heaved a heavy sigh of acceptance; he closed his one good eye and faded away from the mindscape.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Gekko was just about to call the match a tie because Ino wasn't moving and Sakura was having a mental break down when suddenly Ino's chakra gave out another burst and Sakura's body nearly collapsed against the stone floor, her trembling arms stopping her fall at the last second. He watched as Ino panted from where she laid, her eyes wide with terror; Sakura herself didn't look much better, her body still trembled and her eyes were just as wide as Ino's.

"Oi, you two still going at it?" Gekko asked the two girls, the two girls looked at each other, their eyes relaying a silent conversation that he wasn't privy to. "Hay you two—"

"No," Sakura panted at last, turning with a slight tremble to her body, a fake smile slipping onto her face as she looked at the proctor steadily, "No, Yakamaka-san and I are finished fighting." Ino's eyes rolled into the back of her head, Sakura struggled to her feet and moved away from the arena as the medics hurried forward took Ino away.

"Sakura Haruno has won!" Gekko announced, eyes narrowed on the pinkette as her trembling stopped and she continued to walk away with a straight back, not seemingly glancing back at the blonde that she had hospitalized. He knew from experience that time was different when a Yakamaka entered your head; you could spend an entire day in someone's head and come out to find out that only an hour passed. Those two had undoubtedly spent at least an hour together in Sakura's mind, he knew because it wasn't long ago that the blonde's hands had collapsed before her. He had actually counted to twenty-five before her jutsu broke, so whatever was said between them would remain between them.

Sakura ignored the proctor's declaration as she walked towards the stairs, she ignored Shikamaru and Azuma as they ran past her while she walked up the stairs, she ignored the curious looks of Gai's team and the mist team as she past them. She only responded to Hinata's tight embrace when the pale-eyed girl wrapped her arms around her shoulder's, Sakura wrapped her own arms around Hinata's in a lose fitting hug, burying her face into the midnight haired girl's shoulder, fighting not to start crying hysterically.

"I'm sorry_,_" Hinata whispered, trying her best to not start crying, "I'm so, so very sorry"

"It's okay," Sakura whispered back, eyes glancing down at the arena and the team of medics cleaning up the mess left behind by her fight. "I doubt she'll blame you... I don't but that's not the problem at the moment," Sakura pulled back from Hinata to look into the misty-eyed girl's seriously, "We need to work on your blades, out of the three of us yours are the weakest." Hinata sighed and bobbed her head in acceptance, knowing that Sakura's kunais were the strongest because Sakura had put more time into it then she and Karin.

"When do we start?" Hinata asked softly, raising a hand to whip at her eye

"As soon as possible," Sakura answered turning to look up at the two spinning names on the black board, "Let's pray that you're not next, we'll need as much time as we can get." Hinata nodded in understanding and pulled out her two kunai in question; without looking at anyone, she sat cross-legged on the ground and held them both in her lap, her chakra already flowing through the two twisted blades.

_Gaara Sabaku_

_Vs_

_Rock Lee_

Sakura stared at the two names on the board for a moment before she spun and sat in front of Hinata in a single graceful movement, her hands reached out for the two blades in Hinata's hands. The three Jonin's surrounding them knew the second Sakura moved to help Hinata in what ever they were doing with the blades, the two blades flared a bright blue and an even brighter green. They watched as the two colors combined, the metal shifting and twisting with ire clicking and clanking as it strained under the pressure of the two girl's chakra types.

When Lee removed his weights, the three Jonin's attention was drawn back to the fight, eyes widening as Lee's speed increased two fold. While Azuma watched the fight with rapt attention and while Kakashi and Gai argued about what Gai's teaching tactics with the younger boy; Kurenai's eyes remained locked on the two girls at her feet. She ignored the explosions and growling and shouting of the longer then should be fight, she ignored the entire thing for watching the two girls twist and bend the metal with their chakra. The only time Kurenai looked away from the utterly focused girls was when Lee let out a bone-chilling scream, her eyes snapped away from Hinata and Sakura to focus on the heavily damaged boy in the arena. Sand was wrapped around his leg and arm, looking to be crushing it with a mere squeeze of the red head's hand. With a deranged looking grin the redhead sent more sand towards the knocked out boy on the ground, with a flash of green Gai blocked on the attack with a swipe of his hand.

"He lost," Gaara stated with a look of confusion, "Why defend him?"

"Because," Gai replied with a glare, "he is someone precious to me."

"_Because" she grinned, ignoring the trail of blood dribbling down her chin, "you are someone precious to me; just like my siblings. I will fight for you again and again, never forget that."_

"Gaga-kun" he turned at the familiar nickname that he hadn't heard since childhood, he stared dully up at the Magenta haired girl behind him, misty hazels stared down at him in sadness. "Have you forgotten?" The familiar looking woman asked softly, gripped at his head with a hiss, "Ga—"

"Stop," he hissed glaring up at the woman who reached for him, "don't touch me, _traitor_." The woman flinched back, surprise and regret twisting on her face, he looked away quickly and stumbled to his feet, eager to get away from the grown up memory. He walked away, ignoring the feeling of being stared at and the sound of whispered words between the two elder pinkette's.

"Give him time," a familiar sounding deep voice whispered to 'Ta-chan' who gave out a weak 'uh-huh'; He glanced at the green spandex male still watching him closely. "he'll come around," the deep voice whispered, "just give him—"

"I quite," the hell he'll come around, he had full intentions to stay away from his once friend

"...Gaara Sabaku... has won by default," the proctor replied slowly, "Rock Lee has lost do to interference." Gai nodded his head in acceptance, turned and carefully helped put Lee into a stretcher that the medics brought. Gaara ignored them as he returned to his placement between his siblings in a swirl of sand, the rest of his guard returning to him soon after. He watched as the medics hurried Lee out of the arena, the few Jonin's who knew earth ninjutsu stepped forward and fixed the damage he and Lee had done on the arena, and he watched as the pinkette and the white eyed girl sat transfixed on a pair of teal glowing blades held between them.

_Ting, ting, ting—ting!_

He didn't need to look to know who was next, they were the only ones who hadn't gone yet

"Hinata Hyūga! Neji Hyūga! Get down here!"

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

He stared out the window of his hotel room, pretending to be staring at the women's bath house when he was actually eyeing the small group of men hiding in an ally way three streets up from his right and two buildings down from the corner of the street. The men thought they were clever about their placement, knowing that no average man would be able to make them out a that distance and that with the women's hot spring so close to his own window he would be distracted by their giggling and laughing.

They were dead wrong

He was still trying to decide weather or not to ambush them and take them out or to sit back and see what they'd do when the door to his room opened to reveal a rather attractive looking woman standing with a tray of what looked like Sake. He turned and ogled the woman just for show, already knowing that the woman wasn't civilian based on her stance, her well hidden chakra signature and the slightly unsure way she held the tray, as if she thought it'd break.

"Compliments of the host," the woman smiled at him, he could almost see the imaginary glitter that sprung into being around her when she did so.

"Be sure to tell him that I said thank you," He smiled back, "now then, are we talking about you or the wonderful smelling bottle of Sake?"

"The sake of course," the woman chuckled good naturally, stepping into his room softly, "Where would you like me to set this?"

"Hmm... there on the stand please," he answered, turning to eye her like his reputation led everyone to belief him to be. She smoothly set it on the stand and straightened again, calm smile in place as she looked expectantly at him, "Is there something else you'd like?" he asked glancing at his bed meaningfully, at least he earned a giggle for his efforts; He watched as she turned around and began to smoothly leave his room.

"You know something miss?" he called with a smirk, turning to look back out at the distant ally he could still see clearly, "your teammate's are rather crappy at hiding, perhaps you should fix that, Hmm?"

"...I see," the woman whispered stiffly, "Do make sure to drink your Sake," and she disappeared in true ninja fashion, not even leaving behind a smidge of dirt in her wake.

If it was a summoning from one of his contacts, he just might decide to deck the guy for being so bloody obvious about contacting him

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"Hinata Hyūga! Neji Hyūga! Get down here!"

Sakura opened her eyes at the loud shout; the first thing she saw were Hinata's remorseful looking pale Lavender eyes. The first thing she heard was a pair of footsteps marching away from them and down stairs like angry ants marching on the warpath. Her hands reflexively tightened around Hinata's encouragingly before she rose to her feet and helped Hinata to her own, they shared a quick hug and whispered encouragements before the dark haired girl moved gracefully to the stairs and followed her cousin to the proctor.

"Sakura," Kakashi called softly, stepping up beside the pinkette as they watched Neji glare at Hinata

"She'll lose," Sakura replied softly, surprising those surrounding her, "I just gave her a fighting chance."

"_Don't let him forget it,"_

"_I won't"_

"Go!" the proctor jumped back quickly, hoping that this fight wouldn't be anything like the last two

"Hinata, quite now, you don't have it in you to finish this," Neji growled just low enough for her to hear it

"I know," Hinata replied softly, knowing that only Neji would be able to hear her, "I'm the kind of girl who shouldn't be a shinobi... but I am and I'm not ashamed of who I am."

"You will fight me?" Neji asked with narrowed eyes, "You can't hope to win against me, quite now"

"No," Hinata said closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, "I will not lose!" Hinata moved like water, slipping into her defensive stance that she always took when it was her turn to spare against Neji.

"Fine," Neji growled, moving into his own stance, "You'll only regret it later."

"Perhaps," Hinata agreed, Byakugan flaring to life as Neji charged, "But you won't forget!"

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

'_Do make sure to drink your sake_' he thought mocking the woman's words before she disappeared out of his hotel room, leaving him to grab the note under the Sake bottle and then run like the hounds of hell were on his heals. He smoothly dodged a barrage of shiriken and kunai, jumping higher into the trees and putting even more effort in his move back to his home village.

_What the hell did I get my self into?_ Jiraya thought as he ducked under a branch and performed a quick substitution to avoid getting impaled by a sword. Who ever it was on his tail not only had numbers on their side but also determination. They were hell bent on preventing him from getting back to Konoha, after running and dodging for three hours, he was growing tiered of the cat and mouse came. Hissing when a kunai blade went straight through his jacket, Jiraya spun mid air and spat out a fire ball, a lighting the forest in a bright orange glow.

_Double time,_ Jiraya thought landing on the ground and running full tilt towards the closest water source, the last thing he needed was to be caught in a fire that he created.

"Idiot!" a woman's voice bellowed out, he watched as a woman dressed in bright azure ran several feet to his right, crimson hair whipping behind her like an angry cat's tail, "Who the hell throws a fire ball during the driest season?!"

"My apologies lovely lady!" Jiraya cackled moving into the woman's point of view, nearly melting at the sight of her furious indigo eyes, "I didn't know you where here!"

"You're Jiraya of the Sanin!" the woman shouted as she ran, her skirts in one hand

"The one and only," He grinned back, unsure if she was a threat or ally

"Once we're out of here I'm gonna kick your a**!"

Temporary ally it is

_I wonder where I heard that one before_, Jiraya thought with a chuckle moving to grab the woman around the waist and throwing her over his shoulder just in time to keep her from getting several kunai in her back.

"Alright you damned lecher what's going on?" the woman asked lowly from over his shoulder, dark eyes like glaciers as she watched the out of control fire raging around them

"I kinda have a hunter party after me," Jiraya answered, "Not a clue as to where they came from."

"Is that kind of like being sort a pregnant?" the woman growled in his ear, "Are they after you or not?"

"They're after me," Jiraya chuckled, "Now do you know these woods or am I running blind?"

"You're running blind," the woman hissed, nails digging into his back, "remove you hand from my rear or so help me—dodge your left!"

"We can make one hell of a team!" Jiraya laughed as he glanced back at the shadow that was now trapped under a burning tree

"Put me on the ground!" the woman hissed suddenly, "We're surrounded!"

"Really because I can see something straight a—"

"That's a cliff face idiot!" she snapped, hissing in displeasure when he slid to a stop hurriedly, "See?" she growled out, twisting to look up at the gray face of the sheer cliff before them, "Nice job trapping us idiot."

"Hay is that anyway to treat a man who saved you?" Jiraya asked as he set the woman down and turned to stand protectively in front of her, eyes narrowing at the two teams of black dressed, white masked men who landed in front of him. "Can't I at least know your name pretty lady?" Jiraya asked turning to glance down at the pretty redhead he had encountered, only to freeze at the familiar looking face glaring up at him.

"It's Nira you pigheaded idiot," Nira hissed, raising a hand and pulling her wild Mahogany hair out of her eyes, revealing buttermilk white skin covered in scratches, dirt and a bit of mud. "And I have a bone to pick with you old man," Nira grumbled rising to her feet, deep blue eyes locking onto the two men cutting off their only other exit, "Though it looks like I'm not the only one. So who's wife did you hit on now?"

"I didn't hit on anyone," Jiraya grumbled back with a frown at the woman, swearing that she was familiar some how. "Why are you so familiar?"

"You know anyone by the name of Kushina Uzumaki?" Nira asked taking her place to his right, placing one thin hand on her cocked hip. Her teal blue tunic rested just past her hips, clothing her arms in wide bell shaped sleeves that ended just shy of her elbow. She wore black knee length shorts and a white skirt, a kunai holster on her right leg and elegant black heels adorned her feet.

"Of course," Jiraya answered seriously, "She married my student"

"Guess that makes you kin," Nira replied, watching how the eight men soon turned into twelve and she could sense another two teams approaching fast. "Doesn't mean I'm gonna teach you squat."

"You lost me," Jiraya commented watching Nira form three hands signs before slamming her hands against the ground, his eyes went comically wide as a wide arc of seals erupted from her palms, forcing the earth to buck and roll beneath their feet until it broke.

"Hold on!" Nira shouted, spreading her hands out, the earth broke again, making it look like they were standing on a platform of earth. The team of shadows tried to attach but the previous section of earth rose up and blocked their attach, the second portion that Nira and Jiraya stood on then bucked and shot up the cliff face like a fast moving elevator.

"Jump!" Nira shouted spinning on her heal and grabbing Jiraya's sleeve yanking him back to the moving wall of the cliff face

"But that's a wall!" Jiraya shouted slightly panicked, _a moving one that'll turn us into minced meat!_

"NOW!" Nira shouted yanking him again and nearly throwing him off the platform just as the top of the cliff was revealed to them. Nira quickly followed him, landing on the ground and rolling several times.

"Hay Nira-chan!" Jiraya shouted as he stumbled to his feet and hurried over to the red haired woman struggling to pull herself up, "You okay?"

"no I love landing on a sharp rock and splitting my side wide open," Nira growled sarcastically, pressing a hand to wounded side and glaring up at him in pain and agitation.

"Well we have to move," Jiraya said as he carefully pulled her a little higher, gritting his teeth in sympathy when Nira hissed in pain, "that thing is going to land on us if we don't." Nira looked up and calculated the large platform falling towards them and the shadows jumping over the edge of the cliff and moving towards them.

"No time," Nira hissed, ignoring Jiraya's effort to pull her onto his back, forming a hand sign instead. "Hold still," Jiraya glanced back at the woman seeing a line of the black clothed shinobi instead, like she had said earlier they had surrounded them. "I have a plan so don't move," Nira hissed when she felt him tense as if ready to jump, the shadow of the platform neared them and she watched it carefully before she made a new hand sign against Jiraya's back.

"Trust me," Nira whispered in Jiraya's ear, smirking at the effective blush her low voice produced, she ignored the fact that her chest was also pressed tightly to his back, "I won't die here... not before I see Konoha."

_BOO—OM_

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

She watched passively as the two white eyed teens fought against each other, the boy moving back just in time to avoid the girl's weaponized rotation; her special kunai turning the pastel blue orb look more like a pastel blue corkscrew. There really wasn't much that the boy could do against the girl's battle style, instead of using her fingertips to hit his pressure points she was using her deformed Kunai to do so and if he didn't pull back at the right moments then she could have killed him several times over. Still they fought, their limbs moving like pale blurs between them, their feet spinning and rotating under them as if they were skating on ice, not a single movement went to waist in their graceful battle.

She swung, he ducked; she kicked, he blocked

Their strange dance continued back and forth, neither gaining the upper hand until—

"Sakura," Kakashi sighed a note of agitation in his voice

"She'll lose," Sakura murmured, eyes never leaving the fight, "her stamina isn't even close to his, she'll slow down soon."

"It's been ten minutes," Kakashi replied, as if he was trying not to get bored with watching the two cousins fighting. A sharp clanking noise shattered the stillness of the spectators, their eyes rounded onto the two participants, watching as Neji swept forward and continued slamming his finger tips into Hinata's now numb arm before landing a solid kick to her midsection and sending her crashing to the ground.

"Told you," Sakura whispered, eyes dull as she watched Hinata coughed as she struggled to push herself back up

"Yeah! Go Hinata!" Sakura's wide eyes rounded onto her hyperactive blonde teammate "Show 'em you're not afraid of him!"

"Naruto you idiot!" Sakura shouted at him, her voice breaking at her sudden volume making her teammates flinch back at the screechy sound and the sight of her misty eyes. "Don't you know anything about the human body?! She's coughing up blood! If she continues, she'll die! Do you want her to die and then to have Neji die because he killed the clan heir?! Think before you—"

"S-Sakura," Hinata called, cutting her friend off with a cough and wheeze, "Pl-please Sakura-chan... let me do this..." Hinata turned and smiled up at Sakura "Please... let me sing, my own song." Tears sprung to Sakura's eyes, her teeth grinding together as her friend pushed herself up to her feet and settled into her stance again, whipping the trail of blood from her chin stubbornly.

Sakura took a deep breath and about the same time she started singing, Naruto and Sasuke started the soft sound track to Hinata's favorite song. Hinata smiled and charged, sweeping low and throwing her legs out at Neji, laying her one blade along her leg to protect it from his attempted jab while she grabbed her dropped blade.

"_Look at me__,  
>I may never<em>_ pass for a perfect bride, or a perfect dau__ghter.  
>Can it be<em>_,  
>I'm not meant to pla<em>_y this pa__rt?  
>Now I see<em>_, that if I were truly to be myself,  
>I would break my family's hea<em>_rt.__"_

Neji flinched at the soft song he heard float through the air, seemingly giving Hinata the added strength she needed to nick his cheek before she retreated and panted. He moved forward again, trying to ignore the song being played by team seven, it was difficult hearing the sadder then usual song. He had heard the song before, when Hinata would have it turned up to loud while she danced to it with her fans, yet it still sounded so strange with Sakura's almost heart broken sounding voice.

"_Who__ is that girl I see, staring straight back at me__?  
>Why is my reflection someone I<em>_ don't kno__w?  
>Someho<em>_w I cannot hi__de  
>Who I am, though I've tri<em>_ed.  
>When will my reflection show, who I am, insi<em>_de?__"_

Neji cursed as he ducked back words from Hinata's wide arc, her twisted metallic blade dropping from her hands so the large loop on the end swung around her small wrist, threatening to cut his thigh. He reacted instinctively, slamming a chakra coated palm into the blade and sending it back to it's master, he spun lowly to get away from Hinata's strike. Crouching lowly, Neji observed the twisted metal of the once kunai, noting how the smooth blades weren't as straight as they appeared, curing around Hinata's elbow gracefully so they wouldn't cut her.

"_How I pray, that a time will come,  
>I can free myself, from their expectations<br>On that day, I'll discover someway to be myse__lf,  
>and to make my family pro<em>_ud.  
>They want a docile la<em>_mb,  
>No-one knows who I am.<br>Must there be a secret me__,  
>I'm forced to hi<em>_de?__"_

Neji moved like the wind, sweeping forward and blocking Hinata's strike with her twisted kunai blades, his free arm moving forward to slam against her chest, knocking the wind out of her. Taking the opportunity Neji moved quickly and closed off as many gates as he could, trying to ignore the tight feeling in his chest as the final verses were sang.

"_Must I pretend that I__ am someone else for all time?  
>When will my reflection show, who I am insi<em>_de?  
>When will my reflection show, who I am insi<em>_de?__"_

Hinata collapsed on the ground coughing, blood spilling past her pale lips. Neji watched her passively for a moment, hands clenched at his sides, before he turned and walked away, knowing there wasn't anything he could to do to stop her bleeding or the too tight feeling in his chest.

"Neji Hyūga has won!" he paused at the sound of his name, which was quickly followed by Naruto's shout to Hinata. He watched as the blonde jumped over the railing and ran full tilt to Hinata, who already had Fubuki at her side with glowing palms on her chest and back, a frown twisting her heart shaped face. he watched as Hinata passed out in the pinkette's arms, she quickly pulled the girl into a stretch the rushing medics brought and then with Tayuya and Itachi's help flash stepped to the entrance of the arena and quickly hurried down the hall in burst of flash stepping and running. Naruto growled behind him, his fingers dripping with Hinata's blood as he raised a fist at him and made a vow to make him understand what Hinata tried to say but couldn't find the words for. Yet Neji found himself ignoring the voice that suddenly sounded around him, Naruto was arguing with Sasuke, the two mist boys were chatting as they moved down the stairs, the sand kunochi and the puppet boy on her team seemed to be arguing softly, the Jonin were arguing too.

But Neji wasn't listening to any of them, instead he found himself staring at Sakura who had jumped down at the same time as Naruto but hadn't rushed to her child hood friend's side. She calmly knelt on the bloodied tail and lifted the kunai knife Hinata had been using in her fight; taking a closer look at the blue obsidian blade, Neji saw that the metal wasn't as twisted as he first thought it was. The kunai was smooth like silk without a dent, the blade itself was needle thin and curved only at the tip where it could hook around Hinata's bony elbow without harming her. The handle was a little longer then on a normal kunai, it's hoop at the end thinner and wider, enough so that Hinata could slip her hand through the loop and still use the distorted kunai as if she was holding it normally.

Sakura gracefully rose to her feet and moved towards the other kunai knife; she carefully pulled that blade into hands as well. Rising to her full height, Sakura moved gracefully to her approximate landing spot, glanced at Neji, and jumped. Sakura's pale fingers curled around the edge of the catwalk, her other hand holding the dangerously sharp kunai close to her chest, flipped over until her feet were above her and clued to the railing before she flipped again, her free hand griped onto the rail tightly. With down cast eyes, Sakura moved off the rail and presented the two kunai to Kurenai and her team, both hands beneath the once-kunai.

"These are Hinata's," Sakura said softly, "Be careful, they're vary sharp."

"I understand," Kurenai nodded, carefully pulling both blades into her hands before she turned and ran out of the arena, panic in her steps and fear in her scarlet eyes.

"Will all the winners of the prelims please step forward," Gekko called out, pausing to cough while the genin did as was asked of them, the majority of which calmly walked down the stairs and approached the proctors and Hokage as calmly as they could. Sasuke forcefully moved Naruto into the crescent shaped line before the Hokage and proctors, glade when Sakura took her place on the blonde's other side, putting space between him and Neji. Sakura calmly took stock of their placements and waited patiently for the proctors to continue speaking

Sasuke, Naruto, Herself (Sakura), Haku, Shino, Neji, Dosu, Kankuro, Gaara, Temari

"Alright, now everyone will draw lots," Anko said stepping forward with a box in hand, "I will draw for Karin Uzumaki and Shika—"

"I'm here!" everyone turned to see Shikamaru come running through the doors and didn't stop running until he reached the line, "I'm here, I didn't get disqualified did I?"

"No," Anko rolled her eyes, "take your place and listen up."

"Yes ma'am" Shikamaru bobbed his head, glanced at Sakura, and took his place between Haku and Shino, having caught sight of Sakura's grip on Haku's sleeve.

"Now as I was saying, I will draw for Karin Uzumaki," Anko continued, "Now the numbers you draw from this box will determine who you'll fight in the final round a month from here."

"Now we've chosen a month from now because we know that all of you need time to train and gain a new trick away from prying eyes," Ibiki said, drawing everyone's attention to himself, "Plus the final round is treated kind of like a celebration or carnival. Daimyos and feudal lords come from across all five elemental nations and see the talent of this year's chunin-to-be's."

"This is so that future clients can chose what shinobi they want on a specific mission," Anko continued, "the final round is to show off the strength of the village not just to select those who could become Chunin."

"Yeah, yeah can we just continue please?" Naruto asked impatiently, "I wanna know who I fight!"

"Shut it dube," Sasuke hissed

"I'm gonna laugh if she hits you," Sakura whispered softly, not intending for anyone else to hear her

"I'll hit all three of ya' if you don't be quiet!" Anko hissed, glaring at the team interrupting her, "Now before I was so rudely interrupted," Naruto pouted at her and drew little lines with his toe in the dirt covered stone floor, Sakura blinked dumbly at Anko as if she didn't have a clue as to what she was talking about and Sasuke 'hn'ed and turned his face away as if the little jab didn't matter to him.

_I'll enjoy beating you three later,_ Anko though with a glare at the three teens, "Take one slip of paper from the box and don't look at it until I say so." The teens nodded and calmly took a slip of paper when she walked past them; once Sasuke got his slip of paper, Anko spun on her heal and quickly replaced the empty box with a clipboard, "You red eyes, start first!"

Sasuke glared at the rude nickname but spat out his number anyways, "three"

"One," Naruto grumbled, as if disappointed

"Eleven" Sakura

"Seven" Haku

"Ten" Shikamaru

"Six" Shino

"Two" Neji

"Twelve" Dosu

"Five" Kankuro

"Four" Gaara

"Nine" Temari

"Alright these are the match ups," Anko said, flipping her clip board over to show the final rounds pairs

Naruto Uzumaki Vs Neji Hyūga

Sasuke Uchiha Vs Gaara Sabaku

Kankuro Sabaku VS Shino Aburame

Haku Momochi Vs Karin Uzumaki

Temari Sabaku Vs Shikamaru Nara

Sakura Haruno Vs ...

Sakura let out a groan a the name stationed beside her own, that wasn't someone she was looking forward to going against

"Heh, no worries pinky," Dosu snickered turning on his heal and moving away from the group, assuming they were don. Sakura's eyes flashed brightly, she spun on her heal and drew a single kunai from her sleeve. She didn't care that the other contestants, their Jonin instructors, the proctors—_Their Hokage_ were all watching her, she just moved without thought.

"I'll go eas—" Dosu cut himself off, one foot hovered over the ground, his dark eye wide as he stared down at the glowing kunai blade stationed at his throat. Beside him stood Sakura, left arm out stretched and holding the kunai aloft as if it were a simple feather, her long bell shaped sleeve settled against her wrist as if it finally had the option of doing so.

"Underestimating your opponent," Sakura murmured her voice soft yet loud in the silence of the room; her eyes snapped over to look at Dosu, cold and hard like the glaciers of her sister's homeland, "Can be deadly." Sakura and Dosu continued to stare at each other, Dosu wondering when she moved and Sakura with no readable expression on her face. Finally Sakura moved, her kunai lowing as she walked serenely away from the crescent shaped line of genin; her back straight, her head high and her walk purposeful.

None of the other participants would dare to underestimate Sakura after such a stunt; even her own teammate's shared a look before they looked expectantly to their teacher.

…

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><p>…<p>

**Okay, sorry for making you all wait**

**The prelim chapter is VASTLY different from the original chapter, I actually think this one turned out better **

**Okay, you know the contestants for the votes! Here's the update!**

**Girl—boy # (votes)—boy #—boy #**

**Just a name means that they've been voted for once **

**Get it? **

**Sakura— Gaara 10 (with OPBBY—Over Protective Big Brother Yagura—4) —Haku 2—Itachi 5—Sasuke**

**Fubuki— Haku 3—Shisui 5**

**Tayuya— Itachi 4—Neji—Shikamaru—Kiba 2**

**Karin— Suigetsu 7—Gaara—Sasuke**

**Hinata— Naruto 6—Kiba 2**

**Ino— Sai 5—Kiba—Chōji 2**

**Tenten— Neji—Kankuro 4—Sasuke 2**

**Temari— Shikamaru 6—Itachi**

**Mei— Zabuza 2** **(this one is basically finalized :)**** )**

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><p><strong>Thoughts are helpful<strong>

**Opinions are wonderful**

**Helpful criticism is**** lovely! Just don't cripple me okay?**

**Please no cursing!**

**And don't forget to**** rate and**** review!**

**Page 31**


	38. Chapter 38

**There is a reason**

Chapter 38: preparing for the final

Koomahana

**Fubuki was 10 when she met Sakura & 11 when she was taken to the leaf village**

**Tayuya was 8 when she met Sakura & 9 when she was taken to the leaf village**

**Sakura was 3 when she was taken and returned to the leaf village**

**Yagura was 20 when he first met Sakura and 21 when he returned to his body.**

**Yagura is 17 years older then Sakura**

**Fubuki is 7 years older than Sakura and 2 years older then Tayuya**

**Tayuya is 5 years older than Sakura**

**Fubuki was a genin at 12, Chunin at 14 and Jonin at 16**

**Tayuya was a genin at 12, Chunin at 13 ½ and Jonin at 16**

**They are now:**

**Yagura is now 29 years old—Mizukage**

**Fubuki is now 19 years old—Jonin for three years (Same age as Shisui—Anbu—and Shikan—Jonin)**

**Tayuya is now 17 years old—Jonin for one year (Same age as Itachi—Anbu—and Hana—Jonin and Kimimaro—Chunin,)**

**(Temari is like fifteen and Kankuro is like fourteen when they first come into the story line... I'm pretty sure Gaara was at least twelve... he might have been eleven but I'm not sure...)**

**Sakura is now 12 years old—Genin (Same age as Naruto, Sasuke, Gaara, Karin, Suigetsu and Haku)**

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><p><strong>I did some minor editing, like grammer and spelling :)<strong>

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

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The second round of the chunin exams had ended the previous day and everyone was out looking for someone to teach them for the following month, Yet Sakura still found herself sitting in the hospital chair beside Karin who was sleeping soundly, waiting to be discharged from the hospital. Karin's legs would heal just fine, most of her wounds were minor third degree burns, what few internal wounds she had from her fight with Kabuto were healing at an unnatural rate. The medics had decided that Karin would be out of the hospital in two weeks time, her legs would remain sore for a few more weeks but she wouldn't scar and she wouldn't have to worry about any lasting, permanent damage. Sakura smiled when she heard a soft snore, glancing slightly at the pale head of Suigetsu, Sakura couldn't help but to chuckle at the sight of the small snot bubble trying to take form at the edge of his nose. Suigetsu was still hell bent on going all out against Haku but because Haku had ice release as a bloodline and Suigetsu had a water-based bloodline... well their fights just never lasted long.

"Sakura-san," she turned to look at the end of Karin's bed and her smile widened slightly as Kimimaro stretched in his seat between Haku and Suigetsu, both knocked out cold. "What time is it?" he asked with a tiered yawn, blinking sleepily at her

"Five till eleven" Sakura chuckled amusedly, "Did you get into contact with Zabuza-san?"

"Yeah he'll be here in a few days to escort us back to Mizu," Kimimaro answered rubbing at his eye sleepily. Zabuza wasn't able to escort his team to Konoha, choosing instead to have Suigetsu's cousin, Kanshaka, do it for him. "Karin agreed last night to return to the mist for a little bit, she wants to participate in Haku's chunin graduation ceremony."

"Sounds like Haku had better get his chunin rank," Sakura smiled, turning to look back at Karin's sleeping face, her own slipping into a worried look. After the prelims were finished and everyone was escorted back home, they (team seven) had been told that Orochimaru had broken out of T&I. No one knew how or when it happened but everyone involved in his capture would be walking around the village with an Anbu guard until he's found again. The mist team had the bad luck of having to leave the fire nation after the chunin exams, then they were on their own. Taking a deep steady breath and trying her best to ignore the twisting feeling in her stomach, Sakura tried to speak calmly. "Will you do me a favor Kimimaro?" she wasn't successful, her voice cracked and Kimimaro straightened into attention, his eyes locked onto her like an owl would be locked onto a mouse

"What is it?" he asked, tilting his head to the side, trying to act like he didn't hear the crack in her voice

"Kill every snake that you come across between here and Mizu," Sakura ordered turning her eyes back onto him, knowing that her eyes would be just as hard as her sister's were famed for. "Orochimaru has a summoning contract with them and Karin developed a fear of them during the second round. If you find them, kill them on sight."

"Of course," Kimimaro grinned at her, his eyes flashing dangerously, "Orochimaru threatened to kidnap and experiment on two of Mizu's strongest genin and threatened our walking, talking peace treaty with Konoha. He's made number one on Mizu's most wanted dead list." _He's been on Yagura-sama's most wanted dead list for years though, should I tell her that?_

_Good,_ Sakura smiled at him, her eyes dancing in amusement. _She'll be safe for a little while longer..._ It was quite for a few moments, Kimimaro watched Sakura as she watched Karin sleep, lost in her own troubling thoughts.

…

"_Do you understand Kimimaro-san?" Yagura asked from his desk, his back turned to the wide-eyed boy behind him, amazement etched on his face as he stared at the countless paintings cluttered around his room like piles of forgotten treasures precious only to the Mizukage. "Kimimaro-san," Yagura called turning in his seat to stare back at the white haired boy behind him, blinking dully when he saw said boy staring at one of his more recent white washed images. "Kimimaro!" the boy jumped, his eyes nearly bugging out of his head before he turned to look at him like a startled child who had yet to decide to run or scream._

"_Yes Mizukage-sama?" Yagura sighed at the boy's bland voice, he had been working with him since he was a child and he still hadn't managed to break that annoying tone of voice._

"_I asked if you understood your mission," Yagura repeated, resisting the urge to rube at his temple_

"_I...I understand," Kimimaro said slowly, glancing at an image of familiar almond shaped emerald eyes with a button nose on a colorless background yet with wind blown pale locks obscuring most of the feminine face._

"_Do you recognize her?" Yagura asked, his face slipping into his blank mask that he was known for when he was suddenly serious—as in serious enough to go Bijuu on someone _

"_she..." he hesitated, knowing that if he was wrong that he could possibly destroy two or more lives for the rest of eternity, "she... she looks kind of... familiar..."_

"_...She wouldn't happen to be the same leaf kunochi you met with in wave country is it?" Yagura asked curiously, "you know the one that K—"_

"_That Karin calls Sa-chan?" Kimimaro interrupted with a nervous look, "yeah... her..." Yagura turned to look at the only painting he had of his 'little sister's' face. There honestly wasn't much for him to work with, no defined cheeks or well-defined jaw, no distinctive features of any kind..._

"_...Your mission stands," Yagura sighed, turning back around at his desk to move through another bout of paper work, "Destroy Orochimaru—__**if**__ you can."_

"_Yes sir," _I won't let you down

…

"Um, Sakura-san I have a favor to ask," Kimimaro said drawing the pinkette's attention to him, successfully distracting her from her own mind, "Will you—could you possibly take a picture with us before we leave?" _You look so much like the paintings; I just want to make sure it's not you... _

"I don't see why I can't," Sakura smiled, her hand gripping the pendent she always wore self-consciously. "I have a present I want to give you three anyways, when do you leave?"

Kimimaro shrugged his shoulders clueless, "About a day after Zabuza-sensei arrives."

"Alright," Sakura nodded slowly, "Do you know where I live?"

"Karin told me the general location," Kimimaro answered, "your family has the clan crest hanging out side of the house yes?"

"Yeah," Sakura agreed

"Then it shouldn't be too hard for me to find," Kimimaro smiled at her softly, "When sensei get's here I'll pay your house a visit."

"Thank you,"

…

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An hour later

…

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Sakura stared at her three teammates, Kakashi chuckled nervously, Sasuke all but oozed smug satisfaction, there was a medic smiling goofily beside Kakashi and another Jonin to his other side glaring at Naruto who of course glared right back.

"...You're teaching Sasuke for the final round aren't you?" Sakura asked crossing her arms and shooting Kakashi a very unamused look

"Well," Kakashi chuckled scratching the back of his neck, "I have a technique he can use for the final round against Gaara..."

"You have nothing about what I should do with Dosu?" Sakura asked with a raised eyebrow, "What about Naruto? He's going up against a Taijutsu master, got any pointers for him?"

"Ah yes, Ibisu-san will be handling Naruto's training," Kakashi said, gesturing to the glasses wearing Jonin still glaring at Naruto. "As for you... Um, I got one of the top Jonin medics here, I thought you might like to learn from the same man who taught your sisters..." Sakura looked at the goofily smiling Jonin, her brow ticked twice

"No," Sakura said flatly, glaring up at Kakashi and ignoring the surprised sputtering from the medic. "If anyone's going to teach me medic-nin jutsu it'll my sisters or someone I deem to be worth my time. Medic-san falls into neither category"

"Kakashi is it common for your students to show so much disrespect to an elder?" Ibisu asked, adjusting his glasses, he was speaking about Naruto but he really didn't notice just how bad his timing was until he saw Sakura's glare that was hard enough to wipe off Sasuke's smirk and make Naruto hide behind his other two teammate's fearfully.

"Shut it you," Sakura hissed, a threatening aura rupturing out of her as she gave the older man one of Tayuya's special glares that sent most boys running for cover. "I wasn't talking to you for starts and as for us being disrespectful to our elders, we of team seven give respect when it has been earned. A complete freaking stranger will be treated neutrally until they've proven to disserve _or earn_ our respect."

_Glad I'm not teaching her,_ Ibisu thought glancing at the very pale looking medic beside him, his smile replaced with a look of terror, _I kind of pity him..._

"Ah~ Sakura-chan, dishing out your sister's genjutsu against your superior isn't looked well upon ya' know," Kakashi said with a serious glint in his dark eye, attempting to remind the girl that she was a genin and she needed to be respectful to a Jonin.

"I can't cast Genjutsu," Sakura dead panned, surprising the three older males; Naruto and Sasuke already knew that, having grown up with her. "At least not without my violin..." Sakura added thoughtfully, crossing her arms and wrapping one hand around her chin as she thought about the subject.

_She's that scary on her own?_ Kakashi thought, not sure to be proud or concerned; after all, even Tayuya needed to cast a minor genjutsu to make herself look as scary as Sakura had just done. Clearing his throat pointedly, Kakashi tried to focus on the matter at hand: getting Sakura and Naruto distracted so he and Sasuke could run before they caught on.

"Be that as it may, I'll need you two to behave for Ibisu-san and Yakushi-san," Kakashi said, gesturing to the two men to his right

"Your 'no' just went to 'hell no'," Sakura told the medic smiling at her, her own face looking like the blank mask of a hunter Nin.

"Sakura," Kakashi groaned, "Don't you want to learn Medical-ninjutsu?"

"Not from him," Sakura replied straight faced, ignoring the man's crest fallen face, "Besides I already know mystical palm technique, the chakra scalpel was ridiculously easy to figure out—even if it was accidental," Sakura said giving Naruto a sharp look. "I already know about herbs from Fu-nee and the Taijutsu basics from Ta-nee, the diagnosis technique, the bandaging processes and everything else that a chunin medic would need to know. The only difference is the knowledge in chakra healing, which is something that I do technically lack... well, I already know them I just haven't put them into practice."

"How the hell do you already know chunin level medical ninjutsu?" Yakushi asked with wide eyes, "no one here has informed me about teaching any academy students."

"I doubt Fu-nee practicing me counts as actually teaching me," Sakura deadpanned, "how else did you expect her to practice? She'd first beat me into submission _then_ practice her healing techniques"

"Us," Naruto grumbled from behind Kakashi, stepping out from between the Jonin and Sasuke unsurely, "Fu-nee 'practiced' against me too."

"Only when she couldn't find her," Sasuke rolled his eyes, "She came after Itachi once when she couldn't find you or her own teammates."

"So... What dose Fu-nee do when Naruto and I and her teammates aren't found?" Sakura asked looking curiously at Sasuke, his face drained of color

"If Fubuki says anything about a game of tag, _run_. Don't ask any questions, just _run_" Sasuke replied, looking as if he saw a ghost.

_I don't wanna know anymore,_ Sakura thought, already knowing that her eldest sister could be a terror all on her own if she chose to be

"Kakashi-sensei I don't want this jerk to teach me!" Naruto shouted suddenly, pointing exasperatedly at Ibisu

"Ha, I suppose I should be insulted," Ibisu mocked, readjusting his glasses again, "It is I who has better things to do then to waist my time on—"

"You couldn't teach me if you actually tried!" Naruto shouted out

"Why you little twerp!" Ibisu growled, "I could teach you if I tried!"

"Could not!"

"Could Too!"

"Could not!"

"One down one to go," Sakura said straight faced, staring expectantly at her teacher, ignoring the loudly arguing Jonin and genin not that far from her

"Could too!"

"Could not!"

"Could too!"

_She already knows..._ Kakashi thought staring down at Sakura a little worriedly, _Fugaku was right, she'll be a terrifying politician... no wait, she'll be a horrifying Jonin._ His concerns for her passing the chunin exam just disappeared; it just became impossible for her to lose

"Could not!"

"Could Too!"

"Prove it!" Naruto bellowed out suddenly, "If you don't catch me by noon then you can go teach someone else!"

"Noon was five minutes ago," Sakura commented, glancing at the clock on the wall behind them

"If you don't catch me in an hour then you can go teach someone else!" Naruto shouted, quickly running down the hall and jumping out the first window he came across

"Deal!" Ibisu shouted giving chase

"...Naruto dose realize that if he loses the bet then he has to let Ibisu teach him right?" Sakura asked, looking at Sasuke

"I doubt it," the boy sighed

"So Sakura-chan—"

"_Haruno-san_," Sakura growled out, snapping around and glaring spitefully at the older male who tried to pacify her quickly

"Ha-Haruno-san," Yakushi stuttered out with a weak looking smile, "Sh-shall we have a similar bet? But with rules of course!" Sakura turned to lecture Kakashi but found he and Sasuke had disappeared when she wasn't looking at them.

_I'll kill 'em later,_ Sakura thought with a low growl turning to glare up at Yakushi, "I'm listening." _Not by choice_

_**Listen closely then decide,**_ that whimsical voice whispered tiredly in the back of her mind, _**everyday is a learning day**_

"Well for starts, we won't leave the hospital grounds," Yakushi said, "And we have three hours," he needed to be safe, if she was as fast as either one of her teammates he'd never win, "and... uh..."

"I won't hold back," Sakura said crossing her arms defiantly and leaning away from him, "Neither will you."

"Right and no ninjutsu!" he added with a smile, "this is a hospital, we can't have any casualties."

"Have you no faith in me?" Sakura asked with a devious smirk, "I don't need Ninjutsu to avoid you."

"Huh?"

"I already have a head start," _Poof_

_Just when did she?!_ He looked both directions, he was standing in a 'Y' section of the hospital, his left led to outside, his right to the patients rooms and straight a head led back to the information desk.

"Ah to hell with it!" Yakushi shouted diving to his left and out the swinging doors, he figured that if he was a genin and bound to the hospital but on the run, outside would be the first and obvious place for him to go. Unfortunately for him, Sakura had sensed her teammates five minutes before she approached them and had scent a clone a head while she went in another direction. So while Yakushi went running around out side, Sakura stepped out from behind the corner to the information desk and continued down the right side of the hall; Shaking her head in amusement as she walked quietly down the hall, now knowing that she shouldn't have to worry about him for a few minutes.

…

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"I can't find her Sensei, her father is out of the village on a mission, her sisters are still baby sitting a few of the foreign Jonin, and her mother is busy with the store." He stated staring at the mask of a monkey smiling back at him, "Are we clear on what I need you to do, Saru-san?"

"Of course," the young man behind the mask practically sang, "Find Hime and bring her to you as soon as possible."

"Don't do anything—" _poof_ "—extravert" he sighed and turned back to the papers that littered his desk, he highly doubt the young man could find the girl too quickly, he might as well get his paper work down so it's out of the way when she arrives.

…

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"How is she?" Sakura asked as she stepped into the hospital room that Hinata was resting in, she came in every morning just to check up on her childhood friend before she left to visit the other two girls in her life.

"She's doing good," Kurenai said, smiling at Sakura, "She woke up for a little while. I told her about what you gave her and... Well she said you'd need them for the final exam" Sakura sighed and shook her head, a fond smile spreading across her face. she smoothly lifted the distorted looking kunai she had helped Hinata make from the table beside the midnight haired girl's bed and fingered the soft leather sheath stamped with whimsical leafs and flowers. There was an adjustment belt, made to be worn around the waist or on the back; Sakura buckled it around her waist as she walked past the red-eyed Jonin sitting beside Hinata's bed.

"Haruno-san" Kurenai said softly, making Sakura stop at the edge of Hinata's bed, "Do you have anyone to train you for the final round?" _Can I teach you a thing or two?_

"Kind of," Sakura answered, moving forward to lean against the window seal and to take in Hinata's damaged body a little better. "I'm sure one of my sisters is available for the next month... at least that's what I'm hoping for."

"Kakashi won't be teaching you anything?" Kurenai asked curiously, _So I can teach you? Please say yes!_

"No, he'll be teaching Sasuke" Sakura sighed, eyes locking in on the breathing mask covering Hinata's sleeping face. "Naruto is supposed to be working with Ibisu-san but they ended up making a little bet instead."

"Oh?"

"Yeah supposedly if Naruto can out run him for an hour, then Ibisu-san can go teach someone else," Sakura chuckled, shaking her head in amusement as she opened the window behind her.

"Kakashi didn't pick anyone to teach you?" Kurenai asked with a frown, _I want to teach you, do I have to ask your new teacher or do I have to ask Kakashi?_

"Technically he did" Sakura sighed, slumping against the window seal with a bland expression, "but the guy is creepy on a hole new—"

"Ah Haruno-san I found you!"

"—Level" Sakura sighed, looking up at the medic standing in the doorway to Hinata's room like a jittery schoolgirl. "Hello Yakushi-san, yes you did," Kurenai raised an eyebrow at Sakura's board-to-tears voice "but you didn't catch me." Kurenai snickered as Sakura flipped back words and went strait out the window and outside, Sakura's feet brushed the edge of the wall and she kicked off to land in the tree close to the window. She clasped onto a branch and flipped herself up higher and out of view, forming a hand sign Sakura formed a clone and disguised herself; she made her clone run on ahead, making the doctor take off after her quickly. Sakura then flapped her navy black wings and flew back into Hinata's room, removing the disguise when she landed.

"Smart" Kurenai chuckled at her, a smile curving her face. _Curious that she picked a crow_

"No he's just dumb," Sakura shot back straight faced "Tell Hinata I said hi and to take her time healing. Nothing works over night so I don't expect her out of the hospital until the end of the month or later"

"I will," Kurenai agreed, watching how Sakura hurried out the room and down the hall after looking both ways. Kurenai was curious as to where the pinkette was going but she figured that she didn't need to guess either—she was headed in the direction of the burn unit—Sakura didn't want to hurt Ino and Kurenai would be the first to point it out should anyone say otherwise.

…

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"No" she said bluntly, arms crossed as she leaned against the wall, unimpressed with the black haired boy standing in front of her.

"Please!" he shouted, drawing her charges attention instantly, "I learn fast and it's really easy to teach me and—"

"I said no," Fubuki huffed, glancing up to see that the sand siblings were watching them discreetly, "I'm on duty."

"When are you not on duty?" Haku asked

"I'm always on duty," Fubuki answered coldly, her apple green eyes narrowing at him

"You must have a break at some point!" Haku said loudly, adopting to take Suigetsu's suggestion and just annoy the older woman until she caved, "come on, please?! I won't take up much of your time, promise!"

"My style of fighting is the constant use of water, wind and ice elemental ninjutsu," Fubuki said, down right glaring at the boy, twitching eyebrow and all. "I'm constantly shifting between water and ice, even bending water in it's gaseous form to confuse my enemies. You took my advice years ago about entertaining children with water and you grew from that experience, what do you expect me to teach you now? Air ninjutsu? We have three people in the village with that chakra signature, one a Jonin and the other two or my younger siblings; I doubt you can learn anything from them."

Haku remembered the time when Zabuza took him to the hospital full of wounded and sick kids, when the nurse asked him why they were there and heard his answer; she immanently called security and kicked both of them out. The same thing happened at the orphanage and again at the preschool. Haku ended up having to sneak into the hospital when no one was looking and cheer up the kids by himself, he was supposed to have Zabuza with him to make sure he didn't do anything too stupid but no one was willing to let the famed demon of the mist anywhere near their next generation. Haku was another matter entirely, as one of the last of the Yuki clan he could damn well go anywhere he wanted to so long as he didn't break the laws or do anything too obnoxiously stupid.

"Please?" Haku asked shaking his head to get rid of the memory, having not heard her earlier words about Air natured chakra; he also didn't see how Fubuki's eyes were locked onto the sand siblings as they started to move away. "I promise not to get in your way—"

"You're already in my way," Fubuki drawled lazily, waving her hand carelessly at him. Haku hissed as a wave of water pulled from the air slammed into and froze him to the brick wall of the building he had cornered her in. while he struggled to free his hands to melt the ice; Fubuki rolled her eyes and took to the roof, eager to get back to her watching detail.

_I still don't get why Tayuya couldn't do this_, Fubuki thought while she ran, catching up to the genin cell easily, _She's the one with history with them._

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

_Now, where to look_, He mused, his eyes flashing crimson as he examined his village. Off in the distance he could make out Ibisu and Naruto running across the roofs in what he assumed to be a game of tag.

_Fubuki is with the Sand team..._ he thought glancing at the great crimson roof he could barely make out from where he sat on the top of the Hokage tower. _Tayuya is baby-sitting the sound team... oh yeah didn't Sakura-chan make friends with that one mist team?_ As far as his knowledge went, the Mist team was still gathered in the hospital, waiting for their female teammate to get discharged...

_Better check the hospital first_, he smirked as he bounded towards the large white building

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

She swept in after the nurse into the burn unit, eyes scanning the rooms of the patients as she followed close behind the nurse. Catching sight of a familiar name, Sakura stopped and dodged into the room before anyone could notice that she wasn't following the petite woman anymore. Turning Sakura stepped further into the room and around the curtain; she stopped at the end of the bed, eyes scanning over the body that laid there. Sakura didn't know how long she was standing there, just staring at the sleeping blond and the damage she caused, but she knew that it was too long when a heavy hand landed on her shoulder and scared the living daylights out of her.

"Kyaa!" Sakura slapped both hands over her mouth almost the same second the startled sound escaped her mouth, turning slightly Sakura stared up into irritated teal-blue eyes.

"What are you doing here Haruno-san?" Inoichi asked coldly; Sakura flinched at his voice, her eyes dropped and she fidgeted uncomfortably.

"Ah Haruno-san I found you again!" Sakura twitched at the voice; looking around Inoichi, Sakura stared tiredly at the man standing in the doorway to Ino's hospital room.

"Still haven't caught me," Sakura retorted, to which Kabuto's father smiled and lunged forward quickly. Smiling Sakura pulled and pushed at Inoichi's separate shoulders, using him to block Yakushi's clasping hands while she ducked out of Ino's room laughing. Yakushi cursed and quickly hurried out of the room after Sakura, they ran through the hospital, Sakura's laughter echoing around them.

"And to think you're a medic Jonin!" Sakura taunted as she dodged him by jumping onto a long counter and running over the surface, "Kind of sad that you can't touch me!" Then she switched to running on the roof just to mess with the man. When he ran into the wall at the end of the hall, having tried to keep her in sight, Sakura dropped to the floor and spun on her heal, running down the hall with laughter echoing after her.

"Damn it Haruno-san!" Yakushi shouted as he chased after her, tears of pain blurring his sight, "I never had this much trouble with your sisters!"

"I'm not my sisters!" Sakura cackled as she stopped and ducked under his out stretched arm, smiling when he ran right by her because he wasn't as fast her. He tried to catch her by swinging his foot up to meet her face but Sakura ducked under it and pushed it even higher, off setting his balance and making him tumble to the floor in a heap.

"Still too slow," Sakura chuckled, flinging open a window and jumping out, quickly running up to the roof and flipping out of sight.

_Clap, clap, clap, clap_

"Ow~" Yakushi moaned on the floor, he flipped over and looked up to see Inoichi and Shikamaru walking towards him, Inoichi clapping his hands mockingly.

"She has a point Yakushi-san," Shikamaru grumbled glancing at the open window thoughtfully, "A Jonin at anything should still be able to catch a genin."

"Especially one fresh out of the academy," Inoichi agreed, crossing his arms with a disapproving look at the medic still laying on the floor

"She said she wasn't going to hold back," Yakushi sighed pulling himself up and dusting himself off. "I don't understand why she doesn't want to learn Medical Ninjutsu, both of her sisters came to me to teach them." _I'm the head of the hospital so it makes sense that I would have the most to teach them... why doesn't she wan to—_

"Sakura isn't like her sisters," Shikamaru grumbled, stuffing his hands in his pockets and startling the older male out of his thoughts. "Sakura is a genius on a whole other level; she just doesn't like to flaunt it."

"You sound as if you know her," Yakushi grinned at Shikamaru, thinking that he just found away to trick Sakura into letting him teach her, "Do you know how I can bait her into letting me teach her?"

"Get her sister to do it," Shikamaru answered bluntly, surprising the salt and pepper haired man. "Seriously, Sakura obeys no one but her family and recently Kakashi Hatake—her teacher." _And that's on a good day_

"What does that have to do with me being able to teach her medical ninjutsu?" Yakushi asked, tilting his head to the side

"You can't teach her squat," Shikamaru sighed, shocking the man. "First off you're a complete stranger so that's a minus five points in your favor, second you're not related to her so that's another minus ten points and third you haven't been introduce to her family by either one of her sisters and that right there has shot your chances of teaching Sakura anything straight to hell."

"So because her sisters haven't introduced me to her family..."

"She doesn't think you're trust worthy," Shikamaru explained tiredly, "That's why she won't let you near her. Her life revolves around her family—you just don't qualify."

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"See?! That's exactly what I meant!" Fubuki sighed as Haku popped into being beside her, ignoring her protection details, who were now sitting in their hotel room trying to ignore them without bursting into laughter. "Please teach me!"

"I said no!" Fubuki snapped, the air around her wavering as her chakra automatically reached for the water partials surrounding her and lowering the temperature at the same time, "Find a different water user!"

"No!" Haku replied just as stubbornly, "No one in this village is as good as you at using ice style; no one in my own village is as good as you! Hell, no one in any of the hidden villages are as good as you!"

"There must be someone who can teach you water style," Fubuki growled, "the basics is a good place to start!"

"I've already mastered them," Haku replied, making Fubuki's brow tick in irritation, "and the only ice users are those from the hidden snow village but they don't create ice they just use the ice that surrounds them. They're just cheap imitations compared to what real ice wilders can do!" _like you, the only one in history who can use it without being from snow country or from my clan_

"That's my home land brat so you better back up," Fubuki growled lowly, her eyes flashing menacingly, "Do you even know what my signature move is?"

"Yes," Haku grumbled with a pout, surprised that she was actually from the land of snow, "the Tsubame Fubuki no jutsu and the Tenshi no Yuki no jutsu."

"Uh-huh and just what is the Tsubame Fubuki jutsu?" Fubuki asked, glare not lessoning

"...ice shaped into the form of sparrows," Haku answered

"Right and do you know where I learned that jutsu?" Fubuki asked, turning to look back at the sand siblings, making sure they didn't move too much

"No," Haku answered with a huff

"I learned it from Yukigakure academy," Fubuki replied, "all kunochi's were required to know that one."

"...so, technically you're a kunochi from the hidden snow village?" Haku asked with a frown, only to wince when Fubuki's fist landed along side his head

"I'm from the hidden leaf!" Fubuki hissed, water droplets forming around her threateningly, some even parsley freezing "I may have been born in snow country but Konoha is my home!"

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Right after she landed on the roof of the hospital, Sakura spun on her heal and ran full tilt to the far end. Her quick run was cut short as a shadow appeared out of nowhere and swept her over his shoulder and ran in the opposite direction—then disappeared before she could say anything.

"I feel sick," was the first words out of her mouth when her world stopped tilting dangerously and the shadow released her. Sakura immanently decided that the floor was her best friend and that she didn't give a damn about the chuckling voices she was hearing, she just wanted the spinning to stop.

"Yeah sorry about that Hime," a voice chuckled over her, "I forgot that I haven't given you a ride yet so you didn't know what to expect."

"Shisui if that's you, I suggest you start running before my world _stops_ spinning," Sakura growled out warningly, already comparing his flash stepping to Tayuya's and deciding that it was somehow worse then gut wrenching feeling and blinding flash of crimson that always seemed to accompany Tayuya's random moments of kidnapping her little sister to agitate their mother or sister who never failed to give chase.

"Tell your sister I said hi!"

"Tell her yourself," Sakura hissed, pressing one hand to her mouth as she tried to push herself up to look at her new surroundings. The room she found herself was not what she was expecting at all, at first she thought that her world was still spinning...

"Are you feeling better now?" Hiruzen asked, a smile dancing in his voice. Nope she wasn't hallucinating and the world wasn't spinning, not even tilting.

"A little," Sakura admitted pushing herself up onto her knees, not trusting her legs, "Was there something urgent you needed me for, Lord Hokage?"

"Yes and I apologize, I wasn't expecting him to catch you so soon and forcefully bring you here..." Hiruzen chuckled, surprising Sakura "I thought you would arrive sooner if you had someone you knew asked you here..."

"And the idiot Shisui was the first person to come to mind?" Sakura questioned with a raised eyebrow, even she could've named a few people who could've delivered the summons without making her physically sick.

"Actually your sisters and parents came first," Hiruzen chuckled, "I would have gotten your sensei to do it but he disappeared on me..."

"Lord Hokage," Sakura called softly, "Kakashi-sensei is teaching Sasuke out side of the village." Sakura paused for a moment, there was no way Itachi would let his little brother go out of the village with anyone for his month long training session, he was libel to tag along and possibly play mind games with the two for the hell of it. "...with Ita-nii..." it was best to be safe then sorry

"Oh yes, I forgot about that request... the joys of being old I guess," Hiruzen chuckled to himself, "Anyways to the point of the mater, the reason why I summoned you here."

_That would be helpful,_ Sakura thought tilting her head the side and blinking curiously at Hiruzen

"Would you like it if I was your teacher for this month?" Hiruzen's smile widened as Sakura blinked dumbly at him; obviously, she hadn't seen that one coming. "And possibly take you on as an apprentice after word?"

"I'm sorry I think I miss—"

"You didn't"

"...Are you serious?" Sakura gasped, eyes bugging out of her head

"I wouldn't ask it if I wasn't," Hiruzen chuckled

"No sane shinobi would reject such an offer," Sakura mused, sitting back on her hunches thoughtfully, "Sorry lord Hokage, but no."

_Wait, what?_ It was Hiruzen's turn to look dumbly at Sakura; she just said that no sane shinobi would reject the offer, did that make her insane?

"You're busy enough and with the final coming up at the end of the month..." Sakura's eyes locked onto the pile of paper work on Hiruzen's desk meaningfully, "I'm sure the last thing you need is trying to teach me..."

_Ah, that's why_, Hiruzen couldn't help but snicker at Sakura.

"No worries about that Sakura-chan!" Hiruzen chuckled as he rose from his seat and made a familiar hand sign, "You're not the only one who can make shadow clones." Sakura couldn't help but cough as the dust exploded into the room, shortly after revealing another Hiruzen now sitting at the desk smiling at her pleasantly.

"Come along now Sakura-chan we have to hurry," Hiruzen said as he hurried over to the wall and pulled out a book that quickly revealed a hidden entrance; She didn't think twice about hurrying after Hiruzen into the deep dark tunnel. Sakura waited hole ten minutes, when they were far enough in the tunnel then she didn't have to worry about her voice bouncing back to the main office, to speak out her curiosity.

"Lord Hokage, where are we going?" Sakura asked softly, hurrying after Hiruzen, amazed that he could still move so fast despite his age.

"To my favorite training place," Hiruzen whispered back. Sakura didn't speak again as she followed him through the maze of the dark tunnels, eyes watching her feet and Hiruzen's back, hands brushing against the walls gently. It wouldn't be until an hour later that Hiruzen would be able to open up a door that let out a blinding white light. Sakura hissed as she covered her eyes, feeling Hiruzen tug at her arm gently, she followed the old man blindly.

"Can you open your eyes now?" Hiruzen asked as he closed the door after himself; Sakura flinched as she tried to let her eyes adjust to the low light of the room. "What do you think?" Hiruzen asked, turning to look back at Sakura with a smile.

"I think you buried the library," Sakura whispered as she stared wide-eyed at the floor to—_hundred foot_ _high_—ceiling of rows and rows of shelves holding thousands and thousands of books.

"That was my first reaction to seeing this as well," Hiruzen chuckled at her, "the first Hokage made this library, his original intention was for it to be an underground bunker but after so many years and the wars and the need to hide precious knowledge from spies... well it kind of became a library instead of a bunker."

"Who all knows of this place?" Sakura asked as she followed Hiruzen through the rows and rows of the shelving.

"Oh every Hokage that's ever lived," Hiruzen chuckled, making Sakura pause to stare at him blankly. "This library has been passed down from Hokage to Hokage; the last Hokage who walked through here was the Yondaime Hokage." Sakura was silent a moment as she reexamined her new surroundings, noting that they came to a wide hole in the floor with elegant railings. Looking over the edge Sakura saw that the hole dropped another hundred feet and that there was a maze of paths, criss-crossing down to the final floor. Looking up Sakura stared dumbly at the large glass dome that must been part mirror because about half the light it was getting it was reflecting down to the bottom level.

"Lord Hokage I'm a little confused," Sakura murmured softly, backing away from the edge and looking at Hiruzen with an expression he couldn't quite name. "You said it was passed from Hokage to Hokage... if that's the case why did you bring me here? Shouldn't it be Naruto standing here instead?"

"You believe he'll be Hokage?" Hiruzen asked, suddenly very serious, unlike his other councilmember's, he believed that it was Naruto's right to be trained to ascend to the Hokage position.

"I believe that once he's matured enough and he is old enough," Sakura started slowly, features twisting into a thought full look. "I believe that Naruto will surpass everyone, even the previous Hokage's and become something akin to a true sage."

_A true sage?_ Hiruzen thought, staring at Sakura's eyes and noticing that they were a little darker then normal, looking almost hazel in the low lamp and candle light of the library.

"Well rest assured child I'm not training you to be the next Hokage," Hiruzen smiled as the girls' shoulders slumped and she let out a relieved sigh, "I'm training you to be my apprentice."

"Huh?"

"You heard me," He chuckled, smiling when he caught sight of a familiar looking man approaching, "Ah Shikaku-kun, glade you made it." Sakura twisted to see that, yes, it was Shikamaru's father walking towards them.

"Minato-kun, the Yondaime, trusted him to be his confident with the library," Hiruzen explained to Sakura. "Each Hokage gets to choose someone as a confident in regards to the library. Hashirama chose Tobirama, Tobirama chose me, Minato chose Shikaku." _He almost chose Kushina_

"Who did you choose Lord Hokage?" Sakura asked curiously, turning her attention from the box Shikaku was carrying to look up at the old man beside her.

"You," Hiruzen chuckled, watching amusedly as Shikaku kneeled and set the box down on the floor between them "I chose you." Sakura was prevented from speaking when Shikaku lifted the latches on the box, barely a hair's breath of air shifted in the box's lid before Sakura fainted into Hiruzen's ready arms.

"That's not normal," Shikaku grumbled, rising to take the pinkette from Hiruzen, "No one's fainted before it's fully opened before."

"But not unexpected," Hiruzen sighed, releasing the girl slowly, "She's just that much more sensitive to _it_, that's all."

"So we're no longer guessing about weather or not she's the reincarnate?" Shikaku asked as he adjusted his hold on the girl, Hiruzen nodded a he stooped to lift the box into his arms. Shikaku sighed, there may not be many who knew about Sakura being the most likely candidate, but everyone knew about the Mizukage searching for his 'little sister' who just so happened to be a reincarnate of the first Sanbi jinchūriki. He himself knew that the other villages were scrambling to find the girl so they'd have an advantage over the Mizukage, with Konoha as the one exception.

"Is the room ready Shikaku?" Hiruzen asked instead, eyes narrowing in on the box in his hand. It was a simple box, with the image on the cover being the only intranet thing about it; a single knot work circle created from the roots and branches of the tree stationed in the center. Yet despite this simplicity, Hiruzen saw so much more then the simple circle knot work with a tree in the middle: he saw the nine twisting tails of the Kiyobi and diamond eyes of the Ichibi, the flames of the Nibi, the wings of the Shichibi, the horns of the Hachibi, the Sanbi's shell's pattern was like ghost figures against the wood of the box, the Gobi's hooves, the Younbi's four tails, and the Rokubi's bubbles. As the box should appear, considering that inside the box held a small sample of each of the tailed beast's chakra's—the Sanbi's included

"Yes," Shikaku answered, rising with Sakura held to his chest like a child holding a precious toy

"Good, Good," Hiruzen sighed as he looked up at to examine the near empty halls surrounding them; if he wanted her to get stronger they had five seconds to disappear. "Let's go," Hiruzen murmured as he swept forward with the wooden box in hand, stroking it affectionately.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

He flinched as he felt the Sanbi shift in his subconscious; he slowly put the papers in his hands down and straightened in his seat. Trying, and failing, to appear as if nothing had changed but it seemed as if the councilors knew that something was up. They waited patiently for him to pass out as he often did when his reincarnate was in danger or if he could suddenly get in contact with her. Mai hovered near his seat worriedly; her temporary teammate Ao was watching the council calmly, as if daring them to move in the wrong direction.

_Sanbi?_ Yagura questioned silently, curious as to his sudden shift in his mind, as if he heard something of interest to him.

_**Your statue is glowing,**_ Sanbi replied softly, making Yagura stiffen, plans already forming in his mind to end the council meeting early and return to his room where he could meditate. _**It has a different color Yagura... I think it's time for my host to mold with her reincarnate.**_

_Are you sure?_ Yagura asked curiously, his right eye beginning to glow crimson, telling everyone that he was speaking with the Sanbi but he was still conscious of reality.

_**No,**_ the Sanbi admitted slowly, _**I think someone found a source of my chakra without confronting you and sealed it into the reincarnate.**_

_Why?_ Yagura asked with a frown, _What's the point of that?_

_**It strengthened our bond**_, the Sanbi replied coolly, _**from now until they finishing the last of my chakra source, from wherever they got it, we can speak to her whenever you enter your mindscape. Although it will most likely be difficult, we'll have to find the door first and see if we can't access her mindscape through it.**_

_Is that even possible?_

_**Don't underestimate me brat**_, the sand replied with a tone of mocking and amusement, _**take your time brat, finish your meeting, you'll have plenty of time to speak with her later**_

_Are you sure?_

_**I wouldn't tell you to focus on your meeting otherwise**_**,** the Sanbi mocked, the glow faded from Yagura's eye and he refocused on the meeting at hand as if nothing had happened. Everyone was too shocked and surprised to question him so they just went with it, glad that he didn't faint but silently irritated that he didn't feel the need to explain to them what had just happened.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Two days later

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

As he had promised, he had arrived at the Haruno household the day after his sensei arrived in the village. Karin had to be snuck out of the hospital so she was sitting in a wheel chair behind him at the base of the stairs, Suigetsu to her right and Haku to her left with Zabuza behind her, hands on the bars of her chair. It wasn't hard to get out of the hospital, with the most difficult portion being distracting Karin's medics so they wouldn't check on her every ten minutes like they were, and they had hurried over to the large Haruno house—only to be greeted with glaring hazel eyes and a sleepy pout.

"Are you sure?" Kimimaro asked, frowning at Tayuya who glared right back at him

"Yes I'm sure bone-boy," Tayuya growled, she didn't stay up all night long just to come home and deal with a pest desperate to annoy her into giving her little sister's location. "Sa-chan went off with lord Hokage for training; she hasn't been home since the day before yesterday!" the only warning they had was a sticky note on Sakura's door, a letter on the kitchen table and messenger waiting on their door step to keep them from going into full blown panic mode.

"That's so strange," Kimimaro said turning to look back at his teammates, "She said she had something to give to each of us."

"Tayuya? Who's there?" Kimimaro watched as an older pinkette stepped behind Tayuya curiously, "Ah! Karin!"

"Nee-chan!" Karin laughed, waving as Fubuki burst from the house and nearly tackled the red head in a hug, "have you seen Sa-Nee? She told Kimi-kun that she had gifts for us and she promised to take a picture with us!"

"No I haven't seen her," Fubuki answered pulling away with a disappointed sigh "Although I can see if she left anything on her desk. She dose that sometimes when she doesn't think she'll have enough time to give a present to someone."

"Thank you," Karin said watching the older girl disappear

"Man, I was looking forward to seeing Sakura" Suigetsu mumbled pouting beside Karin

"I'm sure you did," Karin giggled, "But you gotta work pretty hard to get Sa-chan's affections."

"No matter what you say I aint given up," Suigetsu warned with a frown at his red headed teammate, earning a giggle in answer

"Found it," Fubuki said jumping down from the second story and landing a few feet from them. "I apologize about Sakura not being here for the picture with you," Fubuki said handing a crimson wrapped package to Karin, "But if it's alright I have a photo you can have of her, Karin."

"That'll work just fine," Karin smiled, accepting the package with a smile as Fubuki disappeared again. "You boys ready for what Sa-chan gave us?" The boys each smiled and nodded in agreement, prompting Karin to open the package. Inside the little red box was a pair of emerald green earrings, an emerald flower pendent and four black bracelets with emeralds and sapphire studs.

"I call the earrings," Karin giggled, pulling them from the box and putting them on

"I should hope so you're the only one with pierced ears," Zabuza chuckled, lifting the chunk of emerald, "Plus it's the most feminine of all the presents."

"That's a flower sensei," Kimimaro observed dully, "Is there something you need to tell us?"

_Thwack!_

"So that means we split the black bracelets right?" Suigetsu asked, ignoring Kimimaro and Zabuza as they started in hand-to-hand fight and lifted one of the bracelets up to examine it closely.

"I suppose," Haku said blandly, not really looking at Suigetsu as much as he was staring determinedly at Fubuki when she returned

"Not going to happen brat," Fubuki replied coldly, turning to look at what Suigetsu was holding

"Whoa, when did Sa-chan get those?!" Tayuya asked leaning over Fubuki's back to look at the two black bracelets in Suigetsu's hands

"You know what they are?" Karin asked curiously

"Of course," the sister's grinned at them

"Those gems are full of Sakura-chan's chakra," Fubuki explained, catching Zabuza's attention instantly, "She must have gotten them on her way back to the village from that one mission, they're only made in Mizu."

"What's the point of this?" Zabuza asked, pulling the pendent over his head and hiding it under his vest as he returned to his teammates with a sullen looking white haired boy just behind him

"Properly so you can find her if you need her," Tayuya chuckled "it also means that she can find you too."

"Well better her then someone else," Suigetsu said smirking as he pointed to something on the inside of one of his bracelets. "These bracelets are designed to hide your chakra signatures; with her chakra in her gems she's ensured our safety with only her to find us."

"She's always looking out for us," Karin giggled softly, a blush staining her cheeks

"Ah I found the prefect photo for you Imoto," Fubuki said as if she just remembered something and held out a small slip of paper to Karin. "We have plenty of copies, so I figured mom wouldn't be disappointed if you had the original." Karin was smiling brightly as she examined the photo closely, "It was taken just after we came here."

"I can see that," Karin smiled, angling the photo for Suigetsu to see as well, "She's still in that kimono they had all of us wear."

"Here," Karin looked up at Tayuya's voice, seeing her hand over another photo to Suigetsu, a pout on her face, "You'll need it more then me, I have more I can use for when I leave the village."

"Thank you," Suigetsu said taking the photo and smiling at it

"Softy," Haku and Kimimaro teased, eyes dancing as the white haired boy glared at them and purposefully put the photo into his back pouch before he lunged at the two boys.

"It's from graduation day," Tayuya told Karin, ignoring the fact that Suigetsu was now fighting his male teammates, she knew that Karin would tell him later, "I have like, twenty copies."

"Come on brats," Zabuza called, making the three boys fall apart to face him curiously, "Haku you need to stay in the village for the rest of the month, Suigetsu don't hinder his training or I'll come back and kick you're a**. Karin you need to get back to the hospital before they send out search parties, Kimimaro and I need to go back to the village. We have to check in with Mizukage-sama when we get back to the village."

"Yes Sensei," the three smiled, Karin giggling and waving at the Haruno sisters as Zabuza pulled her away and started to head back to the hospital

"Be safe!" Fubuki called, "and don't forget to visit!"

"Who'd visit you ?!" Zabuza asked sarcastically with a smirk, already planning on returning for the final round at the end of the month

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

At the end of the first week

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

He glared at the little letter that had flown in just a few hours ago, of course the Sanbi would alert Yagura about them taking the only sample they had of his chakra and feeding it to Sakura and of course Yagura would enter his mindscape and talk to the reincarnate and figure out what village she hailed from and what rank she was; even going so far as remembering it all when he resurfaced and ordered the letter to be sent out. The only good news they had with the letter was that Yagura had informed him that they in deed had the right girl as Rin's reincarnate. Now he just had to figure out a way of telling those involved that their suspicions were accurate and they could no longer pretend that reincarnates were figments of everyone's imagination.

He needed to call Fubuki, Kakashi and Shikaku, and tell them the news (Was it good or bad news?). He didn't know how well the three Jonin's were going to take it; Fubuki will most likely demand the letter and proceed to scrutinize it as if it was some kind of poison, Kakashi will have a panic attack of some sort and Shikaku won't know how to respond because he doesn't have an emotional connection to the girl. Thankfully the only ones who knew about Sakura possibly being the reincarnate was limited to only those three (Within the village at least, Tsunade and Jiraya didn't count), everyone else who was of S-ranking didn't give a damn what the Mizukage thought or wanted (the other Kage's being the exception), just so long as it didn't negatively impact their home village.

_At least he didn't demand her back,_ Hiruzen thought, slumping in his chair and rubbing at his forehead tiredly.

_Dear old man,_ (Kids these days, do they have no respect for the elderly? You don't get old by being dumb)

_ I know that the previous host of the Sanbi, a young girl named Rin Nohara, was reincarnated because of the Sanbi's power. I also know that she was a leaf Nin and a medic in training. Years ago I had met with the reincarnate, as you well know, before I was awakened from my coma I had promised to find her again and teach her everything that I can—Because she asked me to teach her 'everything'. Now that 'someone' has taken some of the Sanbi's power, most likely before he was sealed into me, and has started to feed it to the reincarnate, I have been given the ability to communicate with the girl in my mindscape. As such when I was able to find the door to her mind, I asked her several questions, answered several of her own and then offered to teach her what I could, obviously she accepted._

_Now I'm sure you know full well who I'm talking about and possibly have a feeling of what I'm going to ask next, no, what I'm going to inform you of next_

_I'm coming to your village as soon as the last of the Sanbi's power is sealed into her. The Sanbi said it'll take approximately two weeks for that to happen. When I arrive at Konoha, I expect to meet with the reincarnate, weather it's through secret or for the whole world to see I don't care._

_I will keep my promise to her one way or another_

_Sincerely_

_Yagura, the Yondaime Mizukage_

Why did he feel as if a storm was forming on the horizon?

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

She landed on the balcony and quietly entered the empty room; she turned and examined the table in the center of the room, glaring at the mess that resided there. It was covered in countless bracelets, earrings, pendants and hair pins of different looks and lengths, each as beautiful as the next. Fubuki knew that she and Tayuya had made countless jewelry and that they were forced to throw away just as much of it but she didn't know that Sakura had kept each piece of useless jewelry that they used and got rid of. Taking a deep breath, Fubuki walked forward and examined the paper work on Sakura's desk; there she found a list of several different kinds of metals and stones, each inline with an elemental jutsu, which was also given a letter. As far as she could tell the metals were numbered based on category and strength, the stones or gems were lettered based on type and numbered based on strength.

For example, Sakura wrote down that diamonds (the hardest mineral known to man) was a 5A, meaning it was the strongest stone and was—as far as she could tell—A-class marital. It could be used with the grand fireball technique. When it was coupled with gold or silver it's strength intensified nearly twice as much and could hold an even stronger fire ball (the one that looked more like magma then fire) or some other, stronger fire technique. Yet she had Flint labeled as 3E, it was strong and durable but low class in the thought that it can't hold elemental ninjutsu without shattering. However—according to Sakura's notes—if you coupled flint with a metallic core, like what she did with the hollow glass beads, then the flint acts like a stabilizer for the weaker metal, turning that weak metal into a stronger one that can hold a higher class elemental jutsu that otherwise would have broken it.

Fubuki stared dully at the papers then turned back to the table covered in her discarded gems and metals. Did Sakura figure out a way to make the rejects have a different use? Wore those metals actually stronger then they assumed? Did those gems they couldn't hollow out actually be used for something else? They discarded the metals because they always melted with the poisons and toxins that was stored with them and the gems were too fragile to hollow out without them shattering; the reason behind their tossing out. Fubuki put the papers down, approached the disastrous looking table, and lifted one of the emerald pieces, a side note on the paper beneath it said that emerald was good for strengthening water ninjutsu but it was even better at amplifying healing techniques. Holding the piece of simple emerald up and twisting it in the morning sunlight streaming in from the window, Fubuki saw that Sakura had somehow managed to carve a small five petal flower on it's surface, so small it was nearly unnoticeable.

_Sa-chan_, Fubuki thought with a soft smile, _just how smart are you? Where did you come up with this idea?_ More importantly, how long has she been working with it? Did Hinata know about it? Did the boys? Did they help her? Did they do anything with Sakura's finished projects? Did lord Hokage know what Sakura had started? Did Kakashi know? Did they ever test the stones out? How did they even get the elements in the stones?

"Ah Fubuki-sensei!" Fubuki didn't wait to hear what the annoying little boy had to say to her, she threw out a blast of wind followed by water and pinned the boy to the tree directly outside Sakura's window, freezing him instantly.

"Quite following me damn it!"

"Wait! Come back!"

She left him hanging in a tree, knowing that she had pinned his hands high over his head, preventing him from forming hand signs and melting the ice. If he was smart enough he'll figure out how to melt the ice without relaying on hand signs—no she was not training him in the same way she learned how to while on the fly with Itachi and Shisui chasing after her after a prank gone wrong.

No she was not teaching him... was she?

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"What's up mom?" Tayuya asked as she walked into the kitchen to see her mother working hard a dark maroon-red cloth.

"I'm working on your sister's final exam dress," Mebuki smiled at them, lifting the red cloth up for her to see. "I'm going for cool but hot"

"You mean hot but cool," Tayuya asked with a smirk, "Why're you trying to make it hot but cool?"

"Oh I figured that the final exam would properly be a record breaking hot day," Mebuki answered, lowering the cloth to finish hand stitching the white circle she was working on. "Our first record hot chunin exam was when Sandaime-Hokage-sama took his first exam here in the village. Our last hot one was with the Sanin's exams here in the village."

"And that's case for your believe that the end of the month is going to be a record breaker?" Tayuya asked as she moved further into the kitchen to observe the finer details of the other strips of cloth clattered around the table

"Well for one, Sakura-chan did participate in a prelim round here in the village," Mebuki smiled as she sewed through the red fabric easily, "that hasn't happened since the Sanin."

"And?" Tayuya asked with a raised eyebrow

"Haven't you been watching the weather lately?" Mebuki asked as she set her little project down to look at her daughter with a raised eyebrow, "the weather man keeps saying that's it getting hotter and hotter as the days pass. I figure that if it keeps rising at the rate that it is, then we'll have a record breaker by the end of the month when the chunin exams get here."

"If that's the case, then what was the last record breaker?" Tayuya asked curiously, taking a seat beside her mother and fingering one of the abandoned strips of crimson cloth

"125 Fahrenheit," Mebuki smiled, giggling at Tayuya's horrified face

_I'm doomed,_ Tayuya thought miserably. Fubuki and Tayuya didn't like any kind of climate lower then 75 and higher then 90 and that was pushing it for Fubuki, Sakura took after their mother in that she could stand anything up to about 110, their father was their weakest in temperature tolerance in that he can't stand anything more then 80—hence his clothing style and obsessive water drinking.

_Please Kami-sama have mercy on me,_ Tayuya prayed silently, trying not to show her mother just how much the thought really bothered her—and failing miserably

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

He turned very slowly towards the person responsible for his current condition, water rolling slowly down the back of his head where a small blob it had hit him, the two people struggling in a nearby tree were staring down at the three of them with wide eyes and pale faces; as if they couldn't belief what had just happened. He was content to ignore the mist boy struggling to convince the Jonin ice user to teach him, so long as neither one of them annoyed him or got in his way.

They didn't just annoy him or get in his way—they pissed him off and distracted him from threatening Kankuro

"Hello," the woman said with a fake smile, "Didn't mean to bother you—whoa!" she dived forward just in time to avoid getting a spear of sand thrown through her side, dragging the black haired boy with her. "hay! It's not nice attacking—oi!" she moved again when the same trundle of sand dove after her, "Don't make me pull out—" she quickly substituted away from his attack "that's it!" he hissed as a wave of water crashed down on his head, weighing down his sand and disarming him in the same move. At the sight of his glare, Temari and Kankuro both dived for the nearest bush, not caring that he was no longer focused on them, just wanting to get the hell out of his way.

"Are you done acting like a child?" Fubuki asked stepping out of the tree line walking towards him with her hands on her hips and returning his glare full force, as if his own had no effect on her. "I should take you to T&I for questioning because you attacked me, _little brat_," a memory of an older girl smiling down at him flashed in his mind's eye "Don't forget you're a guest here in our village. Either you obey our rules or get the hell out!"

"...Why are you following us?" he asked in a low voice, one hand clenched at his side

"Why do you think?" Fubuki asked back, "Hey, while we're playing twenty questions, Why'd you call Tayuya a traitor?"

"None of your concern" his eyes narrowed at her

"Then don't expect me to answer your questions," Fubuki smirked back, arms crossing in front of herself defiantly

"_Because" she grinned, ignoring the trail of blood dribbling down her chin, "you are someone precious to me; just like my siblings. I will fight for you again and again, never forget that."_

"...She broke her promise," Gaara replied coldly

"I doubt it was by choice," Fubuki frowned at him, "For your sake I hope you're not talking about that ridiculous promise she made about protecting you forever. For goodness sakes you both are from separate villages, there's no way that would've worked out regardless of her strength."

"You knew about it?" Gaara asked with a frown

"Who do you think saved her butt from that Assassin's poison?" Fubuki asked with a raised eyebrow, "Tayuya has a good heart but at times she's dumber then a box of rocks."

"...They came again," Gaara whispered, straightening slightly and regarding Fubuki coolly, "After you left, his teammates came back to finish his job."

"Considering you're still here, I take it they failed?" Fubuki replied, rolling her eyes

"I killed them," Gaara agreed

"Good," Fubuki said just as straight-faced as him, "any one willing to kill a child for a buck is worse then trash in my book."

"...She broke her promise," Gaara repeated to her, as if he was trying to make a point to her

"...Gaara, she wasn't there to protect you," Fubuki sighed, "What? Did you expect her to appear out of thin air and pretend to be your shield again?" Gaara looked away from her, glaring at the ground instead.

"Gaara," Fubuki called softly, "Tayuya wanted to go to you when she heard but she was on another mission when that happened and had been hurt pretty bad, she couldn't leave the hospital for a month."

"Your point?" Gaara asked, shifting his glare from the wet ground to a disinteresting looking Fubuki, a very good mask that she has only perfected over the years

"She wrote to you," Fubuki replied seriously, "Everyday, didn't you get even one of her letters?"

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"Are you sure this'll work?" he asked staring at the paper work on his desk

"No sir," the young man answered truthfully, "but we'll never get the key from the girl and Jiraya has fallen off the face of the earth. No one knows where he went..." the report about that red haired woman getting caught up in their attempt at getting Jiraya interested in Orochimaru's seals only made matters more confusing because they had no clue as to who she was and knew nothing about her other then that she was an earth user. They had discovered that she must have taken Jiraya with her when she made the falling platform collapse around them instead of squashing them.

"...Do you have anyone who can take his place?" he asked, resisting the urge to rub at his brow

"Yes sir," the man bobbed his head, "his chakra system is strong, his body even more so. He should be able to bear the seals without dyeing."

"Prepare him for the transfer," he ordered coldly

"Yes sir," the man bowed and disappeared

If they couldn't release the seals then they would just have to transfer them onto someone else. If it worked then Orochimaru would get his body and chakra back without any problems. If it didn't then he and the boy taking his place would die.

Both a lose and a gain

But a risk they had to take, Orochimaru was too important to let him simply rote away in a bed all but comatose

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

**...Can you tell that I went into editing over drive on this chapter?**

**It went from the original 15 pages to 33 with little effort... so I cut it back to 25 (then added that last portion and made it 26) a much more manageable number of pages and a lot less of a headache for me**

**I've done two-no, three-wait, four! Four massive edits on this chapter alone... that's too many and just thinking about it make me want to curl up in a little ball and cry**

**Oh! Who should win Karin or Haku?**

**Thoughts are helpful**

**Opinions are wonderful**

**Helpful criticism is**** lovely! Just don't cripple me okay?**

**Please no cursing!**

**And don't forget to**** rate and**** review!**

**Page 30**


	39. Chapter 39

****Updated **Chapters**

**3, 4, 5, 18, 20, 22, 23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,39,40,41,42,43**

**There is a reason**

Chapter 39: Preparing for the final part 2

Koomahana

**I did a MASSIVE edit on this chapter, spent two days on it and everything, I hope everything came out okay**

**Sorry for having to make you wait through two chapters that were barely even a dent through the 'month long training' for the final exam, but if I didn't then this one would be all kinds of chopped up with three different arcs in it, one of them I'm fairly sure will make all of you hate me**

**Anyways I did my best to make it flow, please don't forget to me tell about any of the inconsistencies in it, that would be very helpful**

**Those who help find any problems that I some how managed to over look get a virtual cookie (the good kind)**

**Those who complement me will get two **

**Enjoy the story! XD**

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

One week after the second portion of the chunin exam

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

He glared heatedly at the pile of bodies in the hall way, one brow twitching wildly as he followed them down to the dark room he had the yellow eyed Sanin caged for the past two and half weeks (Since they took him from T&I). Inside the room was a dormant seal, five dead guards, his sacrifice looking like the hells of fire ate him from the inside out and laying on a stretch of stone beside an empty space where his counter part was supposed to be laying. He should've known that the seal transfer wouldn't work perfectly but they had to try anyway. By the state of the boy's body, he was fried from inside out; possibly by his own chakra network. How the hell did Orochimaru survive the seals when one of their better agents couldn't? Was it created especially for him? he'll admit that it was a new idea to transfer the seals, that no one had dared to use it before, no one was willing to risk a Bijuu's wrath to find out, but it if did work then it was a concept that would be worth millions and millions of dollars; enough money to buy the Hokage position a hundred times over if he dared to.

_Orochimaru you tests my patients,_ he thought, glaring at the nearly destroyed room surrounding him. He should have seen the man break out of his clutches the second he got access to his chakra and body again; he should have seen it coming.

He'd do the same after all

Now he just had to hope that yellow-eyed man wouldn't say anything about him helping him out of Hiruzen's control or how he had willing sacrificed a child to free him of his seals. Hearing a grown from behind him, he turned to see one of the guards slowly pushing himself up to look around himself as if he was waking up for the first time.

"D-Danzo-sama?" the boy whispered sleepily, his eyes blinking a dozen times over as if he wasn't used to the low lighting of the room, "What happened?"

"I was going to ask you that," Danzo replied coldly, shifting slightly he let his chakra poor out of his body and brush against every signature he came across. He wasn't sure to feel delighted or down right pissed at the feel of the dozens of sleepy signatures surrounding him. It would appear that Orochimaru restrained himself from killing any of his soldiers and simply knocked them all out instead.

Now the only question was, did that man take any of his soldiers with him when he escaped?

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"I swear Jiraya if I catch you peaking—"

"You're going to castrate me I know," he rolled his eyes and waved the red haired woman away, knowing she was dead serious and would defiantly go through with her threat. _I don't remember Uzumaki women being so violent..._ then again the only Uzumaki women he knew were Mito and Kushina, the Shodaime's wife and the Yondaime's wife; Both were polar opposites, Mito was like a river and Kushina was like a raging inferno.

"...Jiraya?" a soft, embarrassed voice called, he shifted slightly to look over his shoulder at the bathroom of the hotel room, one brow lifted at the crimson stained face of the kunochi peaking out from the door way. "Could you pass me my bag please?"

"Get it yourself," he replied snapping back around and retuning to the letter he was planning on sending to his old teacher, his coat and head band were removed and both stationed on the side of the desk closest to the door.

"...there aren't any towels..."

"Not my problem" he continued writing and she continued staring at him with a crimson face

"Is this vengeance for the threat?"

"Which one?"

"...Please hand me my bag,"

"I'm a little busy writing to the Hokage," Jiraya sighed, "I don't know about you but I need to get back to Konoha—"

"Take me with you!" the woman shouted, interrupting him and making his hand jerk at the loud shout

"Be quiet woman!" Jiraya hissed slightly panicked, turning around and quickly grabbing the woman's bag and all but throwing it at her, "The last thing either one of us need is for those damn ninja's to come after us!"

"Thank you," the woman smiled at him, ducking back into the bathroom like a shy cat, "by the way Jiraya..."

"What?" he asked turning back to the small desk he was working on

"There's one moving towards us and will land near the window in five minutes but if you do anything to him, his teammate's will barge in on us," he stiffened slightly, glade that he was still close to the bathroom where he could hear her whisperings. "I can't fight at the moment, which means you'll be on your own."

"Yeah, Yeah, just hurry up," Jiraya sighed running a hand through his hair and quickly changing it to a pale platinum blond just to through off the little soldiers. He then ran his hands over his face, removing the long thin red lines on his cheeks and the wrinkles around his eyes. His hands then patted against his clothes, turning them a stark navy blue color before he settled down at the desk again, suppressing his chakra just in time. He ignored the soft sound of the young shinobi landing just outside of his window, undoubtedly peaking in and examining him closely.

"Honey!" he called, turning to put his back towards the window, now playing the dangerous role of a civilian, "You've been in there for ten minutes, what's taking you so long?"

"I'd like to see you carry twins!" Nira shouted back, agitation sounding like a bell in her voice. _Damn!_ Before her village was destroyed she used to help some of her relatives go under cover, often times posing as their wife or sister; her response was often triggered by certain verbal keys. Words like 'Honey', 'dear', 'love' and other such things spoken by a man typically meant she was playing the role of a wife or expecting daughter. Considering Jiraya was old enough to be a very young father for her, if he impregnated a woman when he was in his early teens, that had automatically put him in the 'father/uncle' category in her head.

"The benefits of being male," Jiraya grumbled under his breath, ignoring the shuffle at the window seal where the young ninja tried to get a better view of the room. "Hurry up love; I have to get this letter to the messenger station."

"Do you have to send another damn letter to your mother already?" Nira asked in a low growl, a heated blush staining her cheeks as she realized, and should have seen coming, that Jiraya was going with the 'lover / married couple' tactic. "That woman hates me!" she might as well play the '$itchy, hormonal wife' card and make him regret calling her 'love' and 'honey'.

"To be fair love, you did call her a hag," Jiraya chuckled; he was impressed that the red haired woman went along with the little jab so quickly and flawlessly. Did she specialize in undercover assignments? Was she a professional seductress? How many times has she been forced to use the ruse of a married woman?

"To be fair love," Nira called back mockingly, "She called me a whore."

"Fair enough," Jiraya chuckled, turning back to his letter, already knowing that he had written it previously in the high-class code that he knew only his sensei would be able to crack; now he just had to finish the letter in the same manner. He continued writing with a little hum just to annoy his little watcher, audibly groaning when he heard the shower start up in the bathroom. He tried to play the role of an impatient father-to-be eager to send a letter home to his parents, but he found himself smirking at himself and the little letter in front of himself.

_I hope sensei will figure it out,_ Jiraya thought sighing and leaning back from the small desk, smirk widening into a smile as he lifted his still dark eyes to look out the window. With luck, his teacher will take the key on the cover seriously and will try to read it first but because he wasn't using one of his summoning to send the letter he doubted it would actually make it to his teacher in time. If he wanted to send the letter to Konoha, past their little spy-wanna-bies, then he would have to send it to one of the shinobi clans in the village and hope they'll take it to Hiruzen.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

He was reading one of her favorite stories to her, waiting for her to patiently heal from the burns that littered her body, her clothes having protected the more fragile places. He didn't think she'd wake that day, for she hadn't waken since she was caught in that explosion, but he was pleasantly surprised to hear her voice.

"Daddy" it was whisper soft and reminded him of a time when she hid under her blankets in fear of the 'boogie man'. He snapped around with wide eyes and stared at her baby blue eyes, fighting off his own tears at the sight of her softly smiling face.

"Daddy did I go too far?" Ino asked softly, surprising her father "Was I too harsh on her that day when our friendship fell apart?"

…

"_Wake up and smell the flowers Sakura!" Ino snapped out irritated, not noticing the surprised looks she got from the nearby adults, "He doesn't exist! He's a fragment of your imaginat—"_

"_Ino!" She was shocked and scared that she even brought it up, it was supposed to be a secret!_

"_You're such a liar!" Ino shouted, "You don't have any brothers—"_

_SLA~P_

_Silence reigned through the air as Ino stared shocked at Sakura's teary emerald orbs_

"_Lies can only destroy—they can't build ANYTHING!" Sakura spun on her heal and ran away, tears leaking down her cheeks as she ran away from the clan celebration. No one but Hinata took after her, too shocked to move or not having heard nor seen the interaction between Ino and Sakura that night._

…

"No," Inoichi sighed stroking his daughter's hand, glade that it was already fully healed and wouldn't hurt from his touch. The medics reassured him that the burns wouldn't scar, they were more like rug burns then third degrees burns; it'd take time but by the end of the month, Ino could be released from the hospital and return home.

"No you just spoke your mind and the truth at that," Inoichi sighed and sat back when Ino turned to look away from him, towards the window. "It was Sakura who had gone to far Ino," Inoichi murmured, settling himself more comfortably beside her. "She shouldn't have struck you then and she shouldn't have thrown that bomb at you two weeks ago."

"Two weeks?" Ino questioned, watching the sky outside her window turn into several different shades of crimson. "It's been two weeks already?"

"Don't worry Ino," Inoichi murmured worriedly, staring at her blank face and lost eyes. "You'll be released soon... you can speak to her then if you want..."

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Shikaku stared dumbly down at the little sheet of paper in front of him, not too sure what to make of it. He wasn't in the de-coding section of Jonin forces but that didn't mean he couldn't see a code when he saw one.

_Dear Saruka-chan_

_I wanted to send this litter on a head to let you know Nina and me are doing well and will reach you by the end of the week. Well, we should but I honestly don't know. The twins are acting up every other day and Nina is having so much trouble walking that we're spending more time resting then moving. Oh! And you'll never guess what Nina did yesterday! We were camping in the woods because she couldn't travel much further without breaking her ankle (She swore that's what was going to happen if we didn't rest) and while I was out gathering fire wood, she was tending to the soup that we were going to have for dinner. Some how, don't ask me how she did it, Nina's soup bubbled over the edge of the pot and instead of putting the fire out, it had actually managed to make the fire grow. When I rushed back to the camp sight, all I could see was a huge flame trying to get at Nina's little feet while she tried to stomp it out! I tried to help but throwing a bucket of water on the fire but that just made it worse, the fire seemed to eat up the water like it was fuel. I literally picked Nina up and ran straight to the nearest village, we arrived just as the village was waking up to the smoke and everyone was readying themselves to defend their village from the fire. The good news is that the twins are safe, Nina has some minor burns on her feet so she'll be riding her horse from now on, and I managed to not get burned, although I don't know how I pulled that one off._

_Today the guards told us that they found some bodies in burnt up forest, they said they were dressed up like shinobi and that one of them must have started a fire or something and that it got out of control. Either way he said that our fire had been tampered with, that someone had tried to hide something near our fire when we weren't looking. I'm of the opinion that the ninja's were fighting and that we have really bad timing but Nina seems to think that you sent someone out to kill her and the twins before we got to the village. I'm trying to convince her that no sane grandmother would want to kill her grand children before they were born, weather or not they were conceived outside of mirage or not doesn't matter. A grandmother just wouldn't do it, they like babies too much._

_Anyways, I love you lots and will return home soon_

_Nina and Ayari_

_PS:_

_Did you get little brother to do something with his snakes? You know my Rin-chan and Nina don't like them and I'll end up with an ear full if they're crawling all over the house like last time._

Here it looked like the couple fought over the pen, smooth elegant handwriting followed

_Dearest __Hag__, grandmother_ (The quick revision was obviously done by the husband and not the wife, most likely without her knowledge)

_Please make sure that our daughter Rin-chan isn't drawing you out of house and home, I know art supplies is expensive_

_Sincerely_

_Nina and Ayari_

What the heck was he supposed to do with a couple's letter that was meant for the husband's mother? Sure the letter was a little weird—Seriously, how bad is the relation ship between the mother in-law and daughter in-law that the daughter in-law is convinced the mother in-law is trying to kill her and her unborn children?—he could assume that the 'Saru' in 'Saruka' is in reference to the Sarutobi clan and their monkey summoning, but if he went in that mind set then he could find all kinds of little clues through out the letter. Like the ninja who started the fire where the ninja who attacked the couple (or at least the woman and that the man had came in saved her) or that the 'little brother' liked to play with snakes and wasn't well liked by 'Nina' and that she'll chew 'Ayari' out for his little brother's stunts. The snake loving little brother could be in reference to Orochimaru (the only ninja who came to mind about snakes and was male) but then that would mean that the man 'Ayari' was close to the little brother. What Shukaku couldn't figure out was who 'Rin-chan' was and based on his current mission he wasn't entirely sure if he wanted to know that answer. Could they be talking about Sakura? No they called 'Rin' 'Their' daughter, which meant that they both knew and were in a close relationship to 'Rin'.

_Why use 'ka' instead of a more feminine ending like 'ko' or—_ Shukaku straightened as he realized that, the beginning of the letter was actually a clue. Picking up the letter and a note pad, Shukaku quickly took the 'Ka' from 'Saruka' and placed it in front of 'Rin', which gave him 'Karin'. Karin was an Uzumaki and she specialized in seals (_art supplies is expensive_, that could be interference to supplies needed to make seals durable and strong). Plus it was 'Nina' who made that last note, which meant that she was closer to the red head—_if_ they actually knew each other. At the same time if he switched the 'r' and 'k' then 'Saruka' became 'Sakura', which was a bigger problem then he really wanted to think about at the moment.

With a heavy sigh, Shukaku did a quick summery of the letter and stood from his table. Taking the envelop and letter with him, Shukaku readied himself to get lectured by Ibiki and possibly by Hiruzen. He really hoped that it would be nothing more then a mislabeled envelop but the little frog drawing at the end of the page and the excessive swirling in every kanji that could provide one, had him on edge. It wasn't normal for adults to write like that, little kids who were easily excitable maybe (Naruto) but not adults.

_Please let me be wrong,_ Shukaku thought as he walked, turning his face towards the clear blue skies over head, _I really don't need more problems then what I have already._

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"_Again!_" He smirked as he dove straight for the bright haired kunochi, she yelped and quickly dove away from his ax-kick. "_No!_" he chided with a frown, "_What did I teach you?_"

"_To dodge,_" she growled at him with an irritated look

"_No, I'm teaching you how to move like water,_" he corrected putting his hands on his hips and glaring right back at her, "_come on Imoto, you wanted me to teach you, I'm teaching you._"

"_You can't seriously think that I can just move like water right off the bat do you?_" she asked with a frown, flipping a lock of her pastel hair over her shoulder, "_that'll take years and years of training! Fu-nee works with water daily and not even she can move as fluidly as you do._"

"_Okay let's try something else,_" he sighed, rubbing at his forehead, recalling that he was at least ten years older then her sister who was only seven years older then Sakura. "_You said your teacher taught you some dancing right?_"

"_Ms. Wadare?_" Sakura questioned, wrinkling her nose in distaste, "_that woman beliefs that a woman who can't dance like the wind isn't a woman. She drilled every girl at the school how to dance until we got blisters on our feet. Then she gave us weights and made us repeat the moves._"

"_Sounds like my kind of girl,_" Yagura smirked at her, earning a disbelieving look, "_Alright show me some of the dance moves she taught you._" Sakura rolled her eyes and moved as she was taught, rising to her tiptoes and moving slowly to perform the basic ballet that she was taught. She spun and ducked, twisting to her right so her left hand would brush at the edge of her ankle, then she spun in the opposite direction and repeated the movement. She twisted and turned, moving across the blue and green landscape as if she was sliding on ice, looking like an ice skater in the process.

"_Good,_" Yagura called, gesturing for Sakura to return to him. Sakura lifted her arms, loosely hooked her fingers and spun on her tiptoes as she returned to him, looking like a ballerina doll as she stopped and swept into a low graceful bow in front of him. "_See you can do my style of fighting after all,_" Yagura smirked at her, eyes dancing as she gave him a confused look, "_my Taijutsu is basically dancing, just like what you were just doing, the difference is that when I sweep out my hand I shift it so and turn it into a punch._" He moved just as slowly as Sakura had, showing her how he swept his arm out for the dance then how he turned the sweep into a hard back hand to an imaginary enemy's head.

"_The better dancer you are the better fighter you are,_" Yagura smirked at her, "_the better fighter you are the better dancer you are._" Sakura couldn't stop the image of Lee dancing in her head, If Yagura caught sight of her green face then he didn't say anything about it.

"_I get it,_" Sakura said with a look of understanding tinged with disgust (Some people should not be dancers), "_I never stopped to think about it like that, no wonder Kaname-sensei was so eager to teach us kunochi's at the academy dancing._"

"_Yes, every dance can be transformed into a Taijutsu form,_" Yagura agreed, straightening and gesturing for Sakura to copy his stance, "_now follow me, I'll show you step by step how to move in the Mist's Dance._"

"_Is that a pun on your title or your village?_" Sakura giggled as she followed his instructions gracefully, moving slowly to match his stances.

"_Neither,_" he chuckled, "_just remember that you don't need to be stiff during a fight, that's a good way to get hurt. The smoother you move, the more graceful you are, the easier the fight, the madder your opponent and the quicker the end._"

And so they 'danced', knowing that on the battlefield, when forced into practice, they would look like nothing more then an emerald and crimson whirlwind. Not even she could hide her smile as she watched the two 'siblings' dance together in near perfect synergizetion; ducking, spinning, back flipping, sweeping, like two playing kittens, the two danced gracefully.

_It's almost time_, she thought rising her eyes to look at the 'sky' high overhead, her own chakra was nearly finished molding with the pinkette's. Her warm teal glow of healing chakra and soft amber of her physical chakra had already molded perfectly with Sakura's; now she waited for her other 'half' of her chakra, her elemental and 'spiritual' chakra, to mold with the girls. When that happens Sakura will begin to dream of her memories, see her past, her dreams, her ambitions, and she will understand that she is so much more then the youngest daughter of the Golden Butterfly or the little sister of the Ice Queen and the Crimson Illusion or the teammate to the Kiyobi Jinchūriki and the Lightning Charmer or the only female student of the Copy Cat Ninja.

She will understand the troubles of a clan heiress; the difficulties of one-sided love; the self-hatred for failing to protect a teammate-no-brother; the desperation to protect a village that doesn't see her as anything more then coddler fire; the regret... the endless, seemingly bottomless regret...

_I'm so sorry Sakura-chan_, Rin thought smiling through her tears as the two mirror reflections danced together, memorizing and moving to a song only they could hear. _I had hopped that you'd never see my life... sadly, I can't prevent it_

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"Mom are you sure you haven't seen Sakura?" Fubuki asked as she walked into the dinning room, noticing how it looked like her mother hadn't gone to bed since the night before.

_She must be pretty worried_, Fubuki thought watching her mother sew away on a crimson garment, not having heard her walk in or speak up. It had been two weeks since anyone had seen or heard Sakura, no one could get in contact with her teammates and the Sandaime claimed that he had taken her on as an apprentice but wasn't very informative about her location, simply saying that she was with his clone. Despite his reassurances, the Haruno family felt better when their youngest member was within sight; bad things typically happened to their youngest member when she wasn't within family sight.

_I hope nothing happened to her_, Fubuki thought worriedly as she looked at the calendar hanging on the wall of the kitchen beside her, gently marking off another day. She stiffened as she saw that in thirteen days the final exam would be upon them, Fubuki sighed and rubbed her fingers over the date worriedly. As her mother predicated next week is to be the hottest day of the year and the hottest date they've had since the Sandaime's first year as Hokage.

"Oh Fubuki-dear, I didn't see you walk in" Mebuki murmured, turning to smile tiredly at Fubuki. "Would you like to help me?"

"Sure mom," Fubuki sighed stepping further into the room, like her mother she found that sewing calmed her down. Though Fubuki doubted that tiding up Sakura's newest out fit would do the trick, she helped her mother anyways.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Hiruzen stared at the two men standing in front of him with eyes shining in amusement and a smirk that seemed to make most men glower at him. He knew when Shukaku Nara got the strange letter addressed to his home and after reading it had taken it to the decryption unit who fussed over it for three days before they brought it to Ibiki Marino's attention who then brought it to his. He knew that the Nara clan head was tiered because Ibiki had literally went to his house and dragged him out of bed to bring him before Hiruzen, now Hiruzen had been ready to go home for the night but that was delayed when both men literally barged into his office, Ibiki almost in fury (or as angry as he got) and Shikaku half asleep and wondering what had happened to his warm bed.

"I recognize this name," Hiruzen said at last, not perturbed at all by the letter nearly shoved into his face along with the pile of notes from Shukaku and the decryption unit. "Jiraya liked to use it when he wrote to me; although I'm surprised he sent it to you and not to my own home. He knows the address by heart."

"It's possible that the shinobi he mentioned weren't taken out completely," Ibiki said seriously, "if that's the case he sent it to an address that was expected in the Konoha village but wouldn't go 'missing' because of it's relation to you."

"Every genin in the village is forced to memorize the Hokage's address in case of emergencies," Shukaku added sleepily, fighting to yawn as he spook and failing in the middle of it. "If Jiraya did write it then he undoubtedly sent it to me knowing that it wouldn't go through even half as much scrutiny as it would've with you."

"Uh-huh, so do either one of you figure out who 'Rin' is?" Hiruzen asked, eyes narrowed specifically on Shukaku

"I think if you take the 'ka' from 'Saruka' and put it in front of 'Rin' you get 'Karin'," Shukaku answered, waking up enough to process enough of the conversation, he was waking up quickly but not instantly. All Nara's had the habit of taking nice long naps that would be considered comas to the rest of humanity; as such, it'd take him a little longer then most to wake up completely.

"And if you switch the 'r' and 'k' you get 'Sakura'," Ibiki countered

"I'm more concerned with all the swirls through out the letter," Shukaku replied with a frown, "and the little frog at the end of the letter, you recognize it?"

"Yes," Hiruzen chuckled, taking great delight in the slightly annoyed looks both men gave him, knowing they could've been in and out if he had just said that in the beginning. It was his little bit of vengeance for keeping him from his bed when he was so eagerly waiting to go to bed for the night and hope to get at least five hours of sleep before his internal clock told him to get up for the day. "Jiraya signed all of his coded letters to me this way, although I don't suppose you know who this 'Nina' person is?"

"Sorry no," Shukaku sighed, "I thought about taking the letter to Karin Uzumaki because of the sentence regarding her but Ibiki wouldn't let me do that."

"Why don't you two pay a visit to our little red head in the hospital when it's daylight and she's not sleeping?" Hiruzen suggested, "if your hunch is right Shikaku-kun, then she should know who 'Nina' is."

"Yes sir," both men bowed and moved to leave, but Shikaku paused beside the door, turning back to Hiruzen with a sleepy look.

"Lord Hokage... Why did Jiraya use the name Ayari?" Hiruzen glanced back at the two Jonin's, a smirk playing on his lips and laughter in his dark eyes

"Spell 'Ayari' back words and add a 'J' at the beginning," Hiruzen answered in amusement, "it spells 'Jiraya'."

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

He glared at the destroyed training yard he found himself in, he could still use his chakra but his body was still having mild side effects. He had spat out his body four times this week and his body was still acting up, if it kept up like this then he'd need to spit out his body for a fifth time this week and four was pushing it already.

_Damn that child to the seven hells!_ He hissed and kicked out a tree, releasing in the feeling of the bark giving way like a stick of dynamite was stuck under its surface and got lit. He'd be happy when she was dead! If only he had gotten a hold on her when she was still a child, then he could have trained her to be loyal to him and him alone but no, he didn't find her as a child; didn't even get close to her. He turned to return to his base, eyes glowing with hate as he marched back towards the entrance, he paused as heard a sharp whistle, eyes locking in on the bird flying out of a tree and hurrying away as if in a hurry. Beyond the bird was the sky and it was a beautiful show of crimson and pink clouds like a picture perfect painting. The crimson clouds brought forth a familiar memory and he couldn't help but to smirk at the image of a certain red head puppet master that followed the memory and with the image of the red head came his specialties.

_Perhaps it's not too late,_ he thought with a smirk, plans already forming in his mind, shifting and reorganizing other plans as he entered his base and walked through its dark halls. He could still get that girl's loyalty, the only problem he had was training one of his men to make brain washing his specialty.

_Who knew you still have a use, even after all these years?_ Orochimaru thought with a smirk as he walked, unhindered by the near blackness of the halls of his base.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"Are you sure this is going to work?" Nira asked again, brushing her long black hair back over her shoulder, resting one hand over her bulging stomach.

"For the hundredth time this week woman, it'll be okay," Jiraya sighed, adjusting his black coat as he followed his 'wife' who was ridding at the back of a hay wagon set for Konoha. "Quite panickin', as soon as my 'mother' sees us we'll be able to get things back to normal." And get 'things' back to 'normal' means get the hell out of these damn discusses, because 'Nina' may not like being treated like glass because of her 'pregnancy' but she wasn't the one having to constantly keep a steady flow of chakra to her hair and keep it that perfect shade of almost blonde. 'Nina' cheated by having placed a seal on her stomach to make it look, feel and act like there were actually two little babies inside _and_ put another seal on the back of her neck to keep her hair the perfect shade of black without it being obnoxiously or obviously black. It actually had a tint of blue strands and some were actually purple, so her hair was less pure black and more like a just after sunset-dark-sky kind of black.

"Easy for you to say," Nira hissed at him, "You're not the one dead on her feet with excessive weight to carry, a bounty on your head, thousands of powerful people wanting you dead _or_ expected to teach everything you know to the next generation because you're just that damn rare."

"Now listen here _honey_," Jiraya gave the pretty woman a sharp look, voice filled with mockery just make sure she was actually paying attention to him. "I May not have excessive weight to carry or expected to teach the next generation everything I know and I may not be rare, but what I am is one of the great San—"

"Idiot," Nira hissed, throwing a foot out and thwacking him upside his head with perfect timing to the carriage jumping up with enough force to off set her balance on the edge. Jiraya ignored the hit and moved automatically to make sure Nira didn't fall off the wagon, knowing that she was still sore from jutsu that saved their lives the previous week. "Sorry," Nira sighed, straightening herself as if she was in a lot of pain, taking deep even breathes, "I hadn't actually meant to hit you, just swing my foot at you."

"I figured as much," Jiraya snorted softly, he honestly didn't care weather or not she meant to hit him or not, he just knew that she was in desperate need of a real medic and that with every day that past she seemed to get worse. "Are you sure you'll be okay?" Jiraya asked with a frown at Nira, keeping close so they could speak without anyone over hearing them.

"I'll be fine," Nira breathed slowly

"...you need a medic," Jiraya replied, "you're getting worse not better."

"I'll get better when we get to the village," Nira reassured softly, "just imagine how bad it'd be if I didn't put those seals on myself."

"How many seals are you wearing?" Jiraya asked, knowing that even the most basic of seals took time, efficiency and large amounts of chakra. How much chakra did she waist on the advanced seals she used for her disguise and the ones hiding her injuries from the fight?

"Five," Nira sighed, pulling herself further back on the wagon so that it was only her feet were dangling off the edge. "Two for the disguise, one for the chakra signatures of the 'twins' and..." _and one for communication_

"Communication?" Jiraya repeated dumbly, raising his eyes from her feet were he removed her shoes to look up into Nira's amused navy eyes. "What do you mean by—"

_I didn't speak out loud,_ Nira's lips pulled into a wide smile, _Don't say anything it's for emergency use only. This way we can speak covertly about important information without worrying about anyone over hearing it._

_...how the hell—_

_Did you think that I actually liked brushing that rat nest you call hair?_ Nira giggled like a school girl, tucking her feet beneath herself so she sat securely in the middle of the hay carriage. _Now don't speak to me like this unless you absolutely have to, the seal on the back of your neck is a mirror image of the one on the back of my own and they don't last long. The seals have to be constantly fed chakra in order to transmit one's thoughts, this makes them deteriorate a lot faster then normal._

_So how much time do we have left?_ Jiraya gave his 'wife' a sly looking smile and quickly passed her, her shoes before lifted himself up into the wagon, settling beside her with a wide grin and all.

_For you?_ "Rub my feet!" the switch from telepathy to verbal was jarring to Jiraya, even more so when Nira smoothly placed her feet into his lap expectantly. _Maybe an hour or two. I have to refuel the seal again tonight_

"Alright," Jiraya chuckled, trying to keep up with the two different conversations and reaction requirements for both, none for the telepathy and amusement for the loving husband one.

_Have you been holding onto that transformation jutsu since we left that little village?_ Nira asked, giggling when he brushed his fingers over a ticklish spot on her foot

_Yes_

_You can drop it now,_ Jiraya glanced in confusion at Nira, watching how she giggled again, trying to pull her foot back from his hands where he tickled her. "Stop that! It tickles!"

_You're good at this_, he hadn't meant to send the thought, he honestly didn't even mean to think it but Nira heard it all the same

_I've had practice,_ Nira smiled at him, her eyes misting over in memory, _I developed this seal with Karin when she was younger. I could both track her and hear her thoughts when she needed me for an emergency. When other's tried to question me about it I'd say 'mother's instant'. Eventually we got so good at communicating through the seals that we no longer needed to use as much chakra to send the actual words through. _Nira gave him a rueful smile, giggling again when he tickled her foot,_ enough of memory lane, My seal will last longer then yours because I'm constantly feeding it chakra and I created it. Your seal will last longer then usual for the simple fact that you've been indirectly feeding the seal your chakra since that first night I brush your hair._

"Hay love birds!" the both turned at the same time, batting their eyes innocently at the driver the wagon, "We'll reach Konohagakure tomorrow afternoon. You two okay if we take a short break anyways?"

"I don't see why we can't," Nira mused, "I'm sure the horses need all the rest they can get."

"You've got that right miss!" the old man laughed, "We'll be coming a cross another village this after noon, about an hour or two after our break, I can drop you off at the doctors then if you'd like." He gave Nira a stern look, as if she did something that he didn't approve of, "My wife was just as stubborn as you missy, if you're hurt'en then you need to see a doctor. That innless you wanna end up like my sweet Mai."

"What happened to her?" Nira asked curiously

"She was so stubborn to get to her mothers so she could have our eighth baby with her that she road a week straight with no break to the woman's house," as amused as his face looked and voice sounded, the old man's dark eyes took on a look of regret and pain. "She had her baby with her ma'am all right... our boy Shinta came along just fine..."

"But?" Jiraya prompted, a look interest and confusion smoothing over his face

"But my sweet Mai was too strong headed to go to the doctor when she had the chance," the man sighed and shook his head, "her gave is just a head." Nira felt her heart break as she watched the old man swing himself down from the seat of the wagon stiffly, hobbling off the edge of the road to a large oak a few dozen feet from the road, tears misting over his dark eyes. At the base of the large oak sat a small and simple little head stone, undoubtedly it was where his wife now laid.

Jiraya turned and looked at Nira very seriously

"You're seen that doctor the second we get to the village"

_Fine you big baby_, Nira sighed and closed her eyes, _You better pray that they're not a medic nin, otherwise they'll know that I'm not pregnant._

_Huh?_ He blinked in confusion at her, watching how she rubbed her overly large stomach as if in a nervous tick

_The seal I'm wearing is designed to fool the senses of touch and sight, with an addition to chakra sensors,_ Nira explained, taking deep even breaths. _What I basically did was make all my burns and wounds from my chains take the form of a pregnancy. Another seal mimics signatures, to tell chakra sensors that I'm pregnant with at least one child. Get it?_

_No_, Jiraya continued to rub Nira's feet soothing, trying to keep up his act of the husband; Nira chuckled despite herself.

_If someone puts their chakra coated hand on my stomach they'll realize that I'm not pregnant and will undo ALL of my seals_. Nira gave Jiraya a very serious look, "The last thing we need is a coffin."

Translation: the medic-nin would kill her first and ask questions later

_Fine, but we're at least letting him look at you_, Jiraya sighed as if he was tiered of an argument

_On the condition that you protect me,_ Nira rolled her eyes and settled herself further into the hay pile, looking as if she was readying herself for a quick nap, _especially since I can't protect my self_.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"Is she ready?" Hiruzen asked as he stepped forward into the dark room

"After two weeks in that thing, yes," Shikaku answered, smiling at Hiruzen "It was a risky shot with that sample of the Sanbi's chakra but we were able to stabilize the seal."

"That's good," Hiruzen sighed, smiling up at the sleeping face in front of him. To protect her, Hiruzen had taken her to the underground library, where a large seal array was awaiting her arrival. Knowing that the pure form of the Sanbi's chakra would knock her out at some point, Hiruzen had placed her into the stabilizing seal and slowly fed her the sample of the Sanbi's chakra that was sealed into the scroll created by the first Hokage. He was tempted to seal in the other eight signatures but he wasn't sure if that would do more harm then good, he didn't want to take any unnecessary risks. Besides the samples were meant to be studied and memorized by the Hokage's, a way to pinpoint their locations and avoid or help them, depending on which would be more beneficial.

"Lord Hokage when will we shut down the seal?" Shikaku asked curiously

"In an hour," Hiruzen answered, "I suspect she'll have a lot of energy after that resealing of the Sanbi's chakra into her system."

"What are we going to tell her about her sleep?" Shikaku asked, "Do we weave a story or are we going to tell her the truth?"

"I suspect the truth would be a better option," Hiruzen sighed, "she doesn't forget things easily. Answer her questions carefully but don't give her any details, if she wants the details send her too me."

"Yes sir," Shikaku agreed easily enough, knowing that this was one of the thousands of secrets he now held close to his heart, praying that no one else would find out.

"Before I forget, could you remind Sakura to shower and change before she leaves?" Hiruzen asked, handing a brown box over to a silently stunned Shikaku, "Mebuki brought this over to me, she wanted me to hand it over to Sakura. It's her newest out fit for the final exam."

"Yes sir," Shikaku agreed softly, "What about the chunin exams sir? We all know what a Jinchūriki showing up at a foreign village for one means. Are you really willing to allow the Kazekage to get so close to you? especially since you already invited the Mizukage too..."

"Oh don't look at me like that," Hiruzen mumbled, patting Shikaku's head like he once did when the man was still a boy. "You know what to do in the case of my death, you'll do just fine."

"That doesn't mean that I can't worry," Shikaku mumbled almost childishly.

"Just keep the girl safe," Hiruzen sighed as he began to walk away, "So long as she is known as my apprentice she'll be safe." _Not even Danzo will risk touching her, even after my retirement—permanent or otherwise_

"She'll be put in the bingo books," Shikaku warned

"Only if she becomes a threat," Hiruzen murmured, knowing that after the long talk with Sakura he'll have to dish out all of his little warnings and inform her about the dangers she now carried. He would then proceed to train her in more then just ninjutsu but also in political information; this way she'll gain a new awareness for certain people, she'll be careful with who she trusts but not obviously so.

She'll be safe... if only he could regain her trust...

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

The next day

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"Do you understand Mai?" Yagura asked glaring at the pile of paper work on his desk, he swore that his shinobi were purposefully held back all of the paper work from the last two weeks so they could dump it on his desk now just to keep him from leaving the village so soon.

"I'm to get someone to over see my position at the hospital as head medic, straiten out your luggage so you can run faster and longer while on the three day trip to Konoha, find a present for your little sister that isn't generic or offence, keep the council off your back while you tear through that paper work like there's no tomorrow, _and_ send a message to Konoha to hurry up and send Zabuza back so he can escort you _to_ Konohagakure." Mai recited, rolling her eyes with an amused smirk, "Just out of curiosity, do you even know what your Imoto wants?" Yagura paused to glare at her over the mountain of paper work that buried his desk, Mai turned away to hide her own amusement at just how ridiculous he looked peaking out from that mountain of paper work, nothing showing but his deep mahogany red eyes.

"Something with a duel purpose," Yagura said suddenly, making Mai pause just before the door to his office, "She especially likes jewelry with a duel purpose, like earrings with masse inside, or a pretty pendent with a hidden blade or chakra suppressant seal on it. So long as it has a duel purpose, I doubt she'll complain much."

_A kunochi through and through,_ Mai thought with a smirk, reaching for the door again; only to have it slam open, forcing her to jump aside to avoid the team of rushing, slightly panicked looking Jonin's with mountains of paper work in their arms. No matter how hard she tried, Mai couldn't stop the amused chuckle from escaping her. Yagura's desk appeared to have been made from files and paper work, the top looking like a mountain of paper with three perfect tears surrounding him, on the floor were more mountains of paper work surrounding his desk like a paper mountain cage. The five Jonin's just brought in another huge paper mountain and completely berried the last exist Yagura had from his paper mountain cage, he may have been glaring at her for finding his troubles amusing but that didn't mean she was actually looking at him. Peaking her head out of the office to look down the hall, Mai almost fell over at the sight of the mile long line of Jonin's and Chunin's, all holding a stack of paper work that ended just below their chins or noses.

_They really were hiding all the paper work the past two weeks,_ Mai thought, turning to look back at her teacher and snickering at his expression. She dived out of the way just in time to avoid the three blurry shiriken thrown at her, Yagura didn't find it funny because he knew his shinobi were purposefully stalling him from leaving early for the chunin exams. He never once left his village since the attack from the Kaguya clan just over ten years ago, the one and only time he ever left the village since his ingeneration. And when he returned to the village, he was carrying a white haired, petrified little boy who refused to leave his side for even a second. Kimimaro Kaguya has been a loyal shinobi of Mizugakure and has put his life on the line more then once in Yagura's defense. Mai had no doubt that at least some of his half panicked shinobi were thinking that he'll end up brining home a new bloodline or another child again on his second leave but she also knew that some were afraid that said child would be his little sister and that they'd end up in a war with Konoha.

As Mai moved out of the Kage tower like the rolling mists of her home, ignoring how some men stopped what they were doing while others walked into walls or poles while staring at her, she couldn't help but to think about her home, her skills, everyone she knew and the people she bound to meet. Yes, she moved like the thick, endless mist of her village, she specialized in seduction but she also excelled in medicine, torture and interrogation, teaching (amusingly enough) and beating the living hell out of one S-class ninja or another. The only ones who ever seemed to top her were as follows: Yagura, Zabuza and Kimimaro, each with their own number of success to their names. Yagura had the most because he could go Bijuu on her without even trying, Zabuza because there were the rare moments when he caught her off guard and Kimimaro when he suddenly decided that he didn't want to play anymore and thought that putting bones through her limbs would be a good way to get rid of her.

_I wonder what she's like_, Mai thought, staring at the only cheery tree in her entire village, stationed just out side of the hospital like a welcoming hug of pink and red. Mai knew that Yagura's 'little sister' was a pinkette with green eyes but she honestly didn't know what the girl was like, other then that she was seventeen years younger then him. What did little girls like again? What was popular with that generation? Mai paused just out side of their shinobi academy, watching how the next generation was sparing restlessly with each other. She could try to ask one of the girls what they would like from their older brother but she wasn't entirely sure if that was the best idea. The hidden mist was nicknamed the 'bloody mist' for a reason and it wasn't because of absurd graduating requirement. They were called the 'bloody mist' because in the academy you needed to know not only all the basic jutsu's of transformation, replacement, and basic healing as well as the normal academics, but all so because the graduating student needed to know at least one elemental ninjutsu. More often then not it was a non-water related technique because if they specialized in just water techniques then their enemies would know that know how to counter attack them. Besides, those who chose to specialize in water had to know at least five different water techniques (not including the water clone) and one sub-level nature like ice or wood; which was actually pretty common in the hidden mist genin amusingly enough. They all wanted to learn earth and water ninjutsu because that's what surrounded them the most, the second most common were the smart ones who tried to combine air and water natures—those ones got pulled aside by the Yuki clan and trained specially with the requirement that they marry someone from their clan.

_I don't even know where to begin looking_, Mai thought as she moved her way through the market, sweeping her jade eyes over all the venders but not really taking in what they were selling. _What is pretty and feminine but also lethal? Wait, dose it need to be lethal? Just how serious is this girl's training?_

Mai had entered a weapons store just to take a look around but when her eyes landed on a lethal looking whip sword, the only thing that passed through her mind was a female Yagura laughing dementedly as she swung the thing around in utter delight. That thing was a complete and utter _NO_ and if she stayed in the store much longer she'll either end up on the floor laughing hysterically or at the hospital because she spat acid at the thing and then accidentally lit an exploding tag and blew up the store. The next store Mai entered was a jewelry store (Yagura said she liked jewelry with a duel purpose) but it had nothing she was looking for and the owner of the store was all but shoving the most expensive and useless looking jewelry he had at her. The third store was a clothing store, that almost went up in flames—_literally_. The fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh stores were all just as useless as the previous ones and she quickly existed them just as quickly as she entered them, swearing to never enter the useless stores ever again. She had thought about entering her favorite store that catered especially to kunochi gear and wear (more specifically the seduction and under cover agents), but she never once saw anything for young girls bordering on being a woman and she needed something that Yagura's sister could use twenty years from now. The beautiful outfits wouldn't be 'fashionable' in two years much less ten, plus the girl would grow so it's not like she'd be able to keep the outfit.

"Just what am I supposed to get the girl?" Mai thought, sitting down on a bench and staring up at the darkening sky of her village, she had been so caught up in getting a gift for the girl that she neglected all of her other duties as well. She knew it was her day off at the hospital and that her father was running it in her stead but that didn't mean it was okay, she still had to sort out Yagura's baggage for the week long travel to Konoha, figure out his own temporary replacement, keep the council busy while he finishes paper work, set up a system for his little worker bees and—

"You look bone tiered Hime," Mai blinked dumbly at the amused voice, turning slightly she stared at the middle aged man pushing a wheel chair in front of him, a frail looking old woman sitting in it. "What's got you so twisted up Hime?" the old woman asked with a smile on her face that had enough wrinkles to hide her eyes from view.

"Ne~ Baa-chan you know I don't like that nickname," Mai smiled back at the old woman and it was true, she hated being called Hime because it was a nick name her teammates once used. Now she let only her sensei call her it because his voice wasn't tinted with mockery (Imaginary or other wise) and she knew that the older generation called her that name in remembrance of her famous and well loved teammates.

"Ba! don't give me that little Hime," old woman chuckled, her voice sounding thick and dry like a desert wind; a voice that would've sounded better on an old man but was somehow fitting for this old woman. "What's on your mind? You can talk to me"

"I know," Mai said softly, watching the young man push the little old woman a little closer. All of elderly had been saying that since she became an orphan at sixteen and trying her best to raise her sister and brother, they had a soft spot for her siblings and knew she was the best way to get them to smile again. "It's just that sensei gave me a complicated mission again," Mai sighed, turning her eyes back to the darkening sky with a wistful expression, "I'm not entirely sure how to go about the last requirement so of course I'm doing that one first."

"Most would do it last," the old woman chuckled thickly, "Why do you do it first?"

"Because I already have the answers and plans for the others," Mai answered, "plus they'll be done in a few hours while this current task will take about a day, maybe two, for me to complete."

"Ah~ no wonder you're taking the most difficult task first," the woman chuckled, "Well might as well tell me, I don't have anything else to do but to sit with ya' and chat."

"Alright," Mai chuckled, she may not remember all of the elder's names but the old woman in front of her refused to tell anyone her name and requested that everyone call her 'Baa-chan' and when they didn't she got... well she got a little violent. The only one who got away with it without getting physical harm was Yagura and he did it _once_, he's been calling the old woman 'Baa-chan' longer then almost everyone else in the village. And Mai swore the old woman was just as old as the village itself.

"As you properly know already, Sensei finally got into contact with his... ah, his little sister...?" Mai trailed off uncertainly, she wasn't sure if anyone else knew that Yagura called the reincarnated first host his little sister. Zabuza and her talking about it all the time with Kimimaro and Yagura and didn't think twice about it.

"Ah~ you mean the reincarnated host of the Sanbi, that Mizukage-sama has been looking for the past nine—no ten years?" the old woman asked with a slight upturn of her lips, like a whimsical smile or a mischievous smirk. "The entire village all but erupted with that bit of information Hime, some where so excited they were nearly shouting it at the top of their lungs from the roofs."

"Oh yeah~" Mai chuckled and adverted her eyes from the old woman, she remembered jerking several Chunin's off some roofs so that _wouldn't_ happen. The old woman chuckled at her as if she knew just what Mai had done to keep several shinobi from making fools of themselves and still somehow managing to not contain the rumor from spreading like wild fire through the village.

"Anyways," Mai coughed into her hand, trying to get back onto the subject she needed help with. "Yagura-sensei wants me to find her a present that's not generic or offensive, something with a duel purpose. His example was a pair of earrings that held masse," Mai chuckled, she could see that female Yagura batting her eyelashes playfully before spraying masse in some poor soul's face.

"Well The Spring Shinobi and The Tsubaki Sakura store's both have such items," Baa-chan said thoughtfully, "have you gone to either one?"

"I love shopping at the Spring Shinobi store but I don't think they have anything for twelve or thirteen year old little girls." May answered with a heavy sigh, "and I don't know about Tsubaki Sakura, I always feel like a thousand eyes are locked onto my person whenever I walk in so I always end up walking right back out."

"Ah~ ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!" the old woman laughed, her head flying back and her shoulder's shaking with the joyful sound, "That's just me-husband! No need to fear or worry! He likes a tuff customer!" Mai had never realized the woman even had an accent until just then, did she always have it or did she just hide it that damn good?

"Baa-chan, Grandpa past two springs ago," the man sighed to his hysterically laughing grandmother, who only ignored him. "My apologies Mai-Hime," the man said turning to smile apologetically to Mai, "Grandfather couldn't wait to get you into the store so he could give you a massive discount because he liked you so much. So whenever you came near he was watching to see what you liked but, like you said, you always walked right back out."

"My apologies," Mai sighed, "I didn't know that."

"Few do" the old woman chuckled, regaining control of herself, "how about I show you around the store Hime?"

"Eh~? But it's getting late, don't you have to go home—"

"and do what Hime?" the old woman asked in a tone of sarcasm, one brow raising on her wrinkled face, "Go to bed and dream of being twenty and an S-ranked kunochi again? Dreaming of my twelve sons we kept gotten and risen, hope'en the next was a girl? Dreaming of my husband and end up dyeing in my sleep for it?" she snorted and shook her head softly, "I'd rather show you around my husband's life's work and give you everything that you want—but not free!" Baa-chan added with a look that she knew just what Mai was going to say to protest

"I was thinking that you would like to go home, have dinner and spend time with your family," Mai corrected with an amused chuckle, "But since you're so set on taking me shopping—"

"Of course I am, what girl doesn't like to go shopping?" Baa-chan asked with an amused chuckle

"then I don't see why I can't go," Mai chuckled, a smile splitting her face, her eyes dancing as the old woman's face lit up like sunlight

…

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><p>…<p>

She stared at the old man sitting almost nervously in front of her, Shikaku standing to his left with Kakashi and Fubuki to his right. Shikaku looked impassive as he usually was, Kakashi sat against the window seal with his arms crossed and his good eye closed, Fubuki looked like a scolded puppy. Her head was bowed, tears threatening her pale green eyes, her hands were folded together in front of her where she was holding on tightly to two tombs; one in the familiar crimson and gold of the Haruno Family picture book and the other in an unfamiliar Onex. Sakura wasn't entirely sure if she should belief what she had just been told but she couldn't come up with any counter arguments, nothing was coming to mind to reject the information she was just told.

"Sakura," Fubuki called whisper soft, "are you okay?"

"I don't know," Sakura answered truthfully, "I can't come up with anything to reject your theory."

_**Then don't**_, that familiar voice whispered in the back of her mind, she had become so used to the voice that she never questioned its existence.

_Is it true?_ Sakura wondered, staring dully down at her hands that were folded in her lap. She remembered what Ino had shouted at her the very first time she tried to possess her, she remembered the snarled comments the blond said when they were alone, she remembered the panicked and fear laced voice Ino had used in the prelims when she possessed her a second time. Some how she wasn't surprised by the news of being a reincarnate and partial jinchūriki of the Sanbi yet at the same time she couldn't understand why she wasn't panicked by the news or why she couldn't come up with a single thing to reject the notion. Had she always known about it? Was it some where in the back of her mind? had her subconscious always known and already accepted the information? Was that why she was so calm about it?

But then, who was Nii-tan? Who was Nee-chan? Who were they? Did they really exist?

"I have a question lord Hokage," Sakura said softly, lifting confused emeralds to stare at the Sandaime, "Who is Yagura and Rin?"

…

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><p>…<p>

He sighed as he continued to walk and his 'wife'/friend/ally continued to ride in the back of the hay wagon, it had been a week since they first met and they had finally managed to get to Konohagakure. He was sure they had been followed since they left the little village they had holed up in but he also knew that his sensei had also figured out his letter. The reason being that they had a Jonin escort for the past day and a half, the three grown men had arrived in the middle of the night had nearly given 'Nina' a heart attack when they deflected some thrown weapons aimed for the camp. Since then 'Nina' didn't stray too far from him and kept him in sight at all times, it was more then clear that she was wiry and unused to the powerful signatures that now surrounded her constantly. She was used to running first and asking questions later, she didn't fight, she didn't linger—she ran and ran and ran some more, always moving is what kept her alive for so long.

_Calm down_, he thought with a sigh, unsure if the seal on the back of his neck was still working or if he was just 'thinking' to himself.

_Put yourself in my shoes,_ Nira snapped back, making Jiraya sigh to himself again. He knew she was scared anyone with half a brain could see it, she wasn't used to sitting still and waiting. She was always on the move, running from powerful signatures and never staying in one place for long—she was like the wind, always moving.

_If you don't calm down they'll haul your pretty butt strait to T&I_

Her foot moved in a graceful arc and smashed atop his head, earning a yelp of pain from him and a few chuckles from the Jonin

"We're almost there," the young brunet man chuckled reassuringly; he must have just gotten his Jonin rank because he just oozed Chunin like it was a cologne. "Another hour and you'll be in Konohagakure, from there we can escort you to the hospital or to your mothers if you'd like."

"Thank you," 'Nina' chimed with a charming smile, "But I think we'll be fine on our own."

"We'll stop by the hospital first," 'Ayari' told the young man, a big smile in place, "She's really tiered since we spent most of the night moving." After the attack the three Jonin's told them that it wouldn't be safe to remain in their camping place, so they decided to escort them back to the village. it wasn't even high noon yet, barely even past ten thirty, would they really reach the village in an hour? That didn't seem right... maybe he just didn't get enough sleep last night.

…

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><p>…<p>

A few days later

…

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><p>…<p>

He focused as they ran, trying to ignore how the emerald pendent under his shirt felt a little too warm, as if warning him about a possible confrontation ahead. If they didn't hurry then they weren't going to make it in time to the village, they needed to speak to their Kage and inform him everything they had learned but sadly it seemed that fate was going to be rather cruel to them. A chakra presence revealed itself with an echoing boom, the trees tilted, dust rose and the river beneath their feet bucked under them. Zabuza was vaguely used to the familiar feel of the Sanbi's chakra, Kimimaro was anything but familiar with it. Hissing Zabuza grabbed Kimimaro's arm and hauled him forward and towards the Mizukage who apparently needed their help.

"_**Where are you?!**_" A loud voice asked, his deep voice echoing around the forest hauntingly

"Yagura-sama!" Zabuza shouted panicked, "What's happening?!"

"Who the hell are you?" Zabuza and Kimimaro slid to a stop beside a two-tailed crimson-cloaked Yagura, their eyes snapping up to the tree line where a small figure dressed in a black cloak with crimson clouds and an orange swirled mask crouched.

"Who the hell are you?!" Zabuza asked in return

"Mizukage-sama do you need help?" Kimimaro asked putting his back to the older male, regarding the cloaked male wirily, "are you in control?"

"_**Yes**_," Yagura answered, observing his surroundings as if he was expecting someone else to show up, "_**Why do you have my chakra?**_"

"We don't have your chakra," Zabuza answered ripping his pendent from his neck and slamming it into Yagura's hand, "We've found your sister."

"Is she well?" Yagura asked, the Sanbi's chakra retracting as he stared hypnotized at the little emerald flower in his hand, his eyes remained glowing crimson. He may remember his face but he still didn't know her name, choosing instead to hear it from her when they met for the first time in reality. The plan was to go to Konoha for this year's chunin exam with the Kazekage and Hokage and meet her in secret, with no one but the Hokage, the girl's older sister and Jonin teacher present just to make sure that he wouldn't attempt to take her back to his village. he left two weeks early so he'd have enough time to teach her how to do the 'Mist's dance' in person because it was very different from performing it in one's mind when compared to reality.

"She'd like to meet you in the exams," Zabuza answered turning to look back up at the man causing Yagura so much trouble.

"Zabuza-sensei... _She_ made that pendent," Kimimaro said turning curious jade eyes onto his teacher, "are you telling me that _she's_ the Mist Ghost?"

"She's not a ghost!" Yagura hissed, thumping Kimimaro on his head, "She's my sister!"

"So... she's the one..." Kimimaro grumbled looked up at Yagura with a pout, rubbing at his sore head. "...I'm sorry Mizukage-sama..." there really wasn't anything else he could say to him, how hard it must be for him to live knowing that he can only see his 'sister' once every few years and even under special conditions and in secret? Kimimaro didn't wish to be in his place, he was fairly sure that Yagura was pretty miserable with the knowledge; after all, no one could know her identity or else her life would be in jeopardy.

"No need to apologize," Yagura said, turning to look up at the stranger with a frown, "We'll have to work together to beat him and I don't know if we can."

"Sir?" Zabuza called, observing the man with his sword held out defensively in front of him. "Why are you out here? Without your guard I mean..."

"My guard is dead," Yagura answered smoothly, eyes never leaving the cloaked figure still sitting in the tree. It was rather disappointing that his guard fell so quickly but he honestly wasn't that surprised, the only thing that did surprise him was Zabuza's and Kimimaro's arrival. Where they finally able to secure Haku's, Karin's and Suigetsu's temporary placements in the hidden leaf village? He knew they were having trouble leaving again because Zabuza was their legal Jonin instructor and he couldn't just leave them in a foreign village, the leaf had given him so much trouble for letting his team show up for the exams with a temporary instructor.

"And Mei?" Zabuza asked, his eyes hardening on the still silent man crouched in the tree before them, "Is she dead too?"

"I don't know," Yagura answered truthfully, hoping that she wasn't but not oblivious to the possibility, "he took her out first, I don't know if she's dead or not just that she looked into his eye and collapsed."

"Great, how are we supposed to fight someone if we can't look at their face?" Kimimaro asked, "Do we watch their feet?"

"That'll be a new experience," Zabuza mumbled, "Oi monkey boy! Who are you and what do you want?!"

"I'm here for the Sanbi," the man answered blandly, making the three stiffen "My name is Madara"

"Yagura-sama I think you hit his head too hard," Kimimaro drawled as he pulled out a long thin bone sword from his shoulder, holding it level with his other bone sword, adjusting his stance for the two swords he now planed to wield.

"I'd agree except I haven't touched him," Yagura replied, "every strike seems to phase right through him."

"We're not going to win this are we?" Zabuza asked with a frown

"Not innless you have the Sharingan," Yagura replied, "He's the same man who tried to control me years ago."

"Glade to know everyone's in a cheerful mood," Kimimaro retorted sarcastically, "Well, I can't think of going out in a better way, can you?"

"Nope," Zabuza smirked readying himself for a very bloody end, _Mei if you left before me... I'll be with you soon..._

"Well... _she'll_ understand," Yagura huffed readying his weapon at 'Madara' as he pulled the amulet over his head, silently praying that he could make it out of this to see his little sister.

The land exploded into water and bone sculptures, the air filled with a furious roar of a very pissed off demon

…

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><p>…<p>

**Thoughts are helpful**

**Opinions are wonderful**

**Helpful criticism****is**** lovely! Just don't cripple me okay?**

**Please no cursing!**

**And don't forget to**** rate and**** review!**

**Page 27**


	40. Chapter 40

****Updated **Chapters**

**3, 4, 5, 18, 20, 22, 23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,39,40,41,42,43**

**There is a Reason**

Chapter 41: final round pat 2

Koomahana

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

_**Rin Nohara acting as 'inner Sakura'**_

_Shared thoughts_

(Between two people, I explained it in the last one)

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><p>…<p>

"Don't you dare go easy on me," Karin said as she stood across from the boy she once knew, now all grown up and a hell-a lot stronger.

"The same to you," Haku replied with a sweet looking smile. Karin smiled and swept back into a low Taijutsu stance, one Onex kunai in each hand. Haku nodded and swept into his own stance, eyes narrowed and a dozen different plans already forming through his head.

"Ready?" The Procter readied himself to jump out of the arena, having seen what Karin had done to her last opponent, "Set..." he watched as the air shifted around Haku, as if attempting to disorient those staring at him, "GO!" jumped just in time to avoid a large seal array surrounding Karin protectively and Haku's resulting senbon barrage.

"This seal is made to evaporate water from the air, especially the parts with a particularly high dosage of water like your flying Ice senbon. Don't worry about me getting dehydrated or anything, this inside part protects me from the seal itself—so long as I don't leave it." Karin Said with a sweet looking smile, the ice senbon thrown at her had melted and evaporated the instant they entered the range of her seal. "Gotta do better Haku-chan!"

"I told you not to call me that!" Haku replied, throwing out a mixture if ice and steal senbon, smirking at Karin's startled expression when not all of the needles melted only to frown when Karin blocked them with her kunai knifes, sending the sharp needles into the ground were they melted into little piles of liquid silver.

"Hay those were expensive," Haku whined at Karin, standing on the very edge of the seal

"If you don't want it to get destroyed then don't throw it at me," Karin replied with a roll of her eyes

_I think this is going to take awhile_, Genma thought with a sigh, making himself comfortable on the arena wall as he watched the two teammate's banter. He watched amusedly as Haku walked around the seal, studying it carefully so he could attack without getting roasted at the same time.

"What would happen if I stepped on it?" Haku asked curiously

"What do you think would happen?" Karin asked as if he was an idiot, "That's the kind of question I'd expect from Naruto, not you." She vaguely heard Naruto asking Shikamaru what she meant but she didn't have time to pay attention to him before Haku attacked again.

_Damn!_ Karin thought, spinning down low to protect her ankles from Haku's metal senbon, then continuing her spin as Haku ran around her throwing more senbon at her weak points. When he stopped running around the edge of the seal and smirked at her in away that made the red head feel very uneasy.

"Better move Karin," Haku said pointing up, following his finger slowly, Karin rose her scarlet eyes to look at the sky.

"Oh no," high above her, just out of her seal's reach, sat a near perfect looking ice orb, she could even see the water sloshing on the inside when Haku jerked it down.

_What's that about taking a page out of Fubuki's book?_ Genma snickered as the large icy bubble dove straight for Karin. _She's not going to move in time..._ Genma thought, straightening slightly as Karin watched the ice orb move ever closer to her. He watched as the seal suddenly brightened a bright crimson and a good portion of the ice orb evaporated almost instantly but the section over Karin was hardly even touched.

"Move!" Haku shouted as the orb got closer to the red head, she turned to look at him

"I can't," She whispered, her face pale and her eyes wide

"No!" Haku formed a hand sign but it was too late, the ice orb had already hit Karin's body, knocking her off balance and towards the seal.

_Boom_

"Karin!" several voices screamed out, one belonging to Haku as his hands moved the ice into water and all but throwing it aside so he could see Karin's body. He panted harshly as he stared at the curled up red haired girl half on the seal she created, the side of her face was pressed against the red glowing seal, her bear left hand stationed against her stomach was safe but her right hand wasn't.

"Karin!" Haku shouted in panic, watching how the seal started to chare the delicate white skin on the back Karin's wrist and face

"_Don't worry about me getting dehydrated or anything; this inside part protects me from the seal itself—So long as I don't leave it"_

"Karin!" Haku shouted, moving into a dead sprint, water following his steps as he dove straight into the seal, the water he summoned coated the ground and burst into hot steam almost at the same time. Haku ignored the burning sensation and slid onto his knees, his hands reaching for his friend...

_What's going on now?_ Genma thought, flipping off his side to approach the steaming circle in the middle of the arena, eyes narrowed and serious as he watched for any movement.

"Got ya~" A cheerful and feminine voice giggled, making Genma pause half a step to stare at the thick mist unsurely. He watched dumbly as the steam turned into a slight fog and then disappeared to reveal both contestants huddled together on the ground. Karin was smirking because she had one kunai at Haku's neck were it appeared that she put some kind of seal onto his skin and her other kunai was stationed between his legs.

"Karin," Haku said evenly, "_never_ do that again."

"Did you seriously think that'd I'd use a seal so dangerous as to evaporate the water surrounding me _and_ not letting me out in the processes?" Karin asked with a raised eyebrow, "I'm not that dumb." Haku sighed and looked down at the ground, true the seal was still there but it wasn't burning either one of them and the senbon he had thrown earlier hadn't actually melted. It looked like the seal was made to enhance a genjutsu, most likely whatever one the caster wanted, but the seal was nothing more then a pretty mask with nothing actually behind it.

"The seal is a mixture of genjutsu and a paralyzing technique," Karin said straightening from where Haku had lifted her, retracting her kunai carefully so she could sitting on her knees a respectable distance from her teammate. "And no, not the same one I used on the snake man," Karin said before Haku could ask, "That seal can only be used on a specific kind of chakra amount, so someone like a jinchūriki wouldn't be able to break the seal. I was impressed that Orochimaru had actually survived the seal and didn't get any physical damage done to himself in the possess."

"...Thank you for not killing me," Haku replied slowly, "but could you please release me now?"

"No," Karin smirked at him, "not until you give up."

"I'd think it was rather obvious that I lost this fight," Haku replied with a frown, "You used my promise against me."

"No I used your over protective tendencies against you," Karin replied with a smile, "So~ you gonna give up?"

"Technically he did lose already," Genma said thoughtfully, "Oh what the hell why not?" Genma took a deep breath

"Karin Uzumaki is the winner!"

…

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><p>…<p>

He glared at the two young men before him; he was slouched against a tree and panting as if he just ran a marathon. His two idiot teammate's had been doing well since their own fights in the prelims; a Jonin had talked to them both, a few of their other class mates had tried to get back into touch with them, and every single one of them asked strange questions about him. So many questions that they were tempted to throw him under the bus just to make sure _they_ wouldn't be taken to T&I for questioning. Thankfully, they were too loyal to Orochimaru to take away his favorite medic, too afraid of his wrath to do any actual harm to him. It was that fear and that loyalty that he counted on now to get him the hell out of the village, knowing that any minute the sirens would sound and the hunt would begin.

Then they all would be trapped

"You sure are a hindrance lately," Yao smirked at him, taking a little too much pleasure in his pain, "maybe we really should leave you here for the village and claim not to know anything about your little plans." Kabuto's eyes narrowed at him, pushing his back further into the tree so he could regard his teammate carefully. Yao was the more annoying member of his team, constantly threatening to take him out so that he could stand in the lime light.

Takao sighed, eyes closing as he fought the urge to rub at his brow, "you can't even use your chakra. That Uzumaki girl sealed it while in the prelims, she did it when she kicked you right?" he remembered the strange feeling of pain in his legs, how he felt as if water was crawling up his legs towards his... uh, more _sensitive_ areas. The seals were slow acting but that was mostly because they had to move into place at the core of his body, then they seeped into his skin like tattoos and started to take effect about five minutes after settling.

"Talk about useless," Yao snickered, "What could lord Orochimaru possibly want with you? You no longer have a use, you can't even move without nearly fainting."

"...It isn't your place to decide weather or not Orochimaru-sama still wants me," Kabuto said in a tone of voice full of warning, his dark eyes glittering dangerously at them. "I may not have access to my chakra at the moment," every day those seals seemed to grow stronger, forcefully suppressing his chakra a little further, He'll never admit it in front of Yao, "and my body may not even work right," it trembled with every move and it hurt to even breathe much less run as fast as he did, needing to escape while he still could, "but in the end it is Orochimaru who will decided what is to be done with me—_not you_."

"You're in no condition to be ordering us," Yao growled, his own dark eyes glinting hatefully down at him. He pulled out a kunai threateningly, "We can still kill you and dispose of your body, let the village belief what they want of you."

"Are you really willing to risk Orochimaru-sama's anger?" Kabuto asked with a dry chuckle, earning a glare and low growl from the older boy, "that's a good way to end up dead, you know that."

"And what do you suggest we do?" Takao asked, turning to look at Kabuto with a raised eyebrow, "Let you live so you can be caught by the village and then give them everything you know about our master?" unlike Yao and Kabuto, Takao actually had an unhealthy fear of Orochimaru, never actually saying his name but always hinting at it in his own special way.

"I'm saying to get out of the village with me," Kabuto retorted with a roll of his eyes, knowing that it was Takao who was the one who always stepped between him and Yao, knowing that it was Takao who constantly calmed whatever kind of fire that had settled between them. Takao was Yao's ice and he was Kabuto's rock, Yao was Kabuto's competitor and Takao's 'big brother', Kabuto was Takao's leader and Yao's annoyance. They never should've been placed on the same team, they never should've been forced to work together; even if it was Kabuto who was removed from the equation, then their whole team would've been different.

Kabuto often figured that if he had been placed with his once friends then he wouldn't be in the giant mess that he was in now, that he wouldn't be undecided, that he wouldn't be torn between 'his' village/family/bonds and his 'master'. Along time ago, he worked with a bright haired girl with dancing hazel eyes and a socially awkward boy who always followed the girl like a lost puppy. Then again, they both followed her like little lost puppies. Both working endlessly to see her smile every day and worked constantly against each other to get her attention even for a minute. He remembered when he'd trip a teacher 'accidentally' so that his 'friends' could get away from what ever stunt they managed to pull; well, whatever stunt _she_ managed to pull.

A long time ago he had real friends, what happened to them?

"Earth to Kabuto!" he jerked at the hand waving comically in front of his face, Takao was staring at him in confusion, his brown eyes tinting slightly with worry. "You were out for bit there Kabuto, are you sure you should be out of the hospital?"

"I'll live," Kabuto smirked back, realizing that he had been clutching his bag a little too tightly and slowly released his grip on it. "What is it that you had to annoy me out of my thoughts?"

"Yao said he was going to go get his things packed, like extra food" Takao replied, crouching in front of him and letting his face fill with emotion, knowing that he could only afford to be frigid in front of Yao—Kabuto was a safe place, the one who was just as emotional as he was but didn't let Yao push him around. Takao admired Kabuto for being able to be emotional and still act like ice when it was required but that didn't mean he took pleasure in hurting others like Yao did, Kabuto was still a doctor at heart and he was determined to help when he could but never without a reason. Takao should've considered that it was all a ploy on Kabuto's part, like he was trying to figure out if he could live with himself going through everything Orochimaru wanted or needed, but he couldn't really help throwing his mask away when he was alone with Kabuto. He knew what Kabuto was like before their ridiculous team was formed; how often he smiled, how much he laughed, how he always seemed to worm his way into everyone's heart without even bothering to try. Takao also knew that it was Yao who made Kabuto that little bit jaded, he knew that it was _Yao_ who pushed him and pushed him, always challenging his authority and purposefully conning Kabuto into doing things he didn't like, just so he knew that Yao wouldn't attempt to stab him in the back.

"You're thinking too hard again," Kabuto chuckled at him, still impressed that despite everything they've done, Takao still had the face and eyes of an innocent kid. For some reason Takao treated Kabuto completely different when they were alone, acting more like the lost little puppy he used to be with his old friends. He briefly wondered if that was the reason why he was always kinder to Takao then he was to Yao, did the slightly older boy actually remind him of his old self?

"I am?" Takao asked, blinking rapidly at him, "oh... it's just that... Yao has been acting strange again, that's all."

"Define strange," Kabuto said seriously, eyes narrowed in thought and concern

"Well... he hasn't been nearly as rude as he usually is with people," Takao said, his face pinching up in thought, unaware of the alarm bells going off in Kabuto's head. "He's actually been talking more and more with this one girl from the market, I think he's flirting but I'm not sure. He's been going there almost twice a day now, just to spend five minutes talking to that girl, as if he actually liked spending time with her."

Yao hated everyone but their master and treated Takao like a child with 'special needs'

"Do you know who she is?" Kabuto asked with a frown, "Do you know her name?"

"Uh-huh," Takao bobbed his head, "Tsubame Haruno, a close friend and cousin to Tayuya Haruno and her sisters." _That is the only reason I recognized her, knew who she was and why I even said anything_

Takao knew he was in the right in telling Kabuto his concerns about Yao when the gray haired boy's Onex eyes glittered like the blackened fires of hell

Kabuto was going to kill Yao

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

The proctor waited for Karin and Haku to get out of the arena before he bothered to look at his clipboard for who was next

"Temari Sabaku and Shikamaru Nara! It's your turn!" Together everyone in the Kage box turned to watch as Temari floated into the center and, about a minute later, Naruto accidentally pushed Shikamaru over the edge in the form of a pat on his shoulder.

"Well he's enthused..." the Kazekage murmured mockingly, noting how the boy landed and didn't get up right away, "a true Nara I see."

"I hope he didn't hurt anything," 'Sakura' sighed watching how several audience members got fed up with the boy and started to throw trash at him.

"I think he's just thinking of ways to get back at Naruto" Hiruzen chuckled

"_Enough of this!_"

"Uh-oh she snapped," 'Sakura' sighed, watching how the kunochi below her released her fan and swung it, summing a huge gust of wind that went straight at Shikamaru. "...she doesn't seem to have much talent. All Shikamaru has to do is wait for her to tier out..."

"Why do you say that?" The Kazekage asked curiously, watching Shikaku move to block a gust of wind that should have gone passed the Hokage.

"Because she forces out her chakra with every swing of that fan" 'Sakura' sighed, nodding at Shikaku "that alone should take out a large portion of her chakra which means she can only swing that fan so many times. After her limit, she'll have to get physical; this action will simply doom her in the end. She's long range and fairly useful in a group but is completely useless when on her own."

"You're analytical skills are startling Sakura-chan" the Kazekage murmured thoughtfully, "how do you know that she doesn't have more skills then what she's showing?"

"Because she's not prepared for a close range assault," 'Sakura' shot back tonelessly. "Like I said, she's extreme long rang, great in a group that's made to be a diversion but useless on her own. She'll lose this fight no matter how long it takes... that or Shikamaru will quite because his reserves are so much smaller then hers..."

"You seem pretty sure of your self," the Kazekage replied with narrow eyes

"_It's because she hasn't tried to cover for her weakness since the forest,_" the voice from her ear piece grumbled, making 'Sakura' smirk at the Kazekage, knowing that her long bangs hid the earpiece easily enough. Yes, she was keeping something from him and was taking great delight in his aggravation when she simply turned back to the arena, not rising to his taunt. An hour later, just as she predicted, Temari Sabaku was trapped in Shikamaru's shadow possession. However, the young Nara heir quit the match, freeing the blonde in the processes. Shikamaru explained to her why he quit; being logical about it and unashamed to admit that he was low on chakra and couldn't have lasted much longer.

"Who's next?" 'Shikaku' asked turning to look at 'Sakura'

"Hmmm, oh it's—"

"Shino Aburame and Kankuro Sabaku!"

"Those two" 'Sakura' sighed

"Who do you think will win this round?" the Kazekage asked curiously, turning to look up at Sakura. "Well? I'm waiting..." _She was right with the last three matches..._

"Shino is... talented" 'Sakura' answered softly, narrow eyes locked on the box where the two participants were standing. "And Kankuro isn't to be ignored either... but oh I don't know, he's been fidgety since it was declared that Sasuke's match would be postponed."

"Your thoughts?" Hiruzen asked softly

"Properly forfeit" 'Sakura' sighed, watching how Temari and Kankuro argued together

"Oi, what's taking you two so long?" the proctor called up to the two teens, "Get down here!"

"Um, Proctor... I-I forfeit!"

"Shino is going to be pissed" 'Sakura' sighed

"Then onto the next round!" The proctor hollered out over the complaints of the crowd, "Dosu of Sound VS. Sakura Haruno of Leaf!" The noise quieted slightly as everyone looked at their information sheet on to the next pair of participants. When laughter seemed to echo in the air, 'Sakura' knew they were looking at her picture. She was positive when loud shouts from the crowd were shouting at her too quite. It seemed that the only ones who kept their mouths shut were those who knew her sister's and parent's reputations, which meant that they were the ones who were expecting one hell of a show from her.

"Good luck Sakura-chan" Hiruzen chuckled softly, watching as a shadow jumped down into the arena and made his way over to the proctor, "Don't embarrass him to much."

"I just have to destroy that stupid thing on his arm then I should be in the clear," 'Sakura' answered with a sigh.

"Aren't you going into the arena?" the Kazekage asked, staring at the young Kunochi who rolled her eyes

"My idiot Teammate isn't the only one with the Clone Jutsu" 'Sakura' chuckled, watching how her twin calmly entered the arena; her cloak swished softly with her steps as she approached the proctor calmly.

"What are you going to do when she disperses?" The Kazekage asked curiously, not seeing how Hiruzen and 'Sakura' both narrowed their eyes at him thoughtfully. _How'd he know it was a shadow clone?_

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"START!" The proctor immanently jumped away from the arena as Dosu charged at Sakura, eager to beat her so he could move on to the next round. In response to his charge, Sakura jumped back and threw a rigged kunai at the older boy, watching how he barely managed to avoid the blast of the paper tag. Coughing, Dosu immerged from his smoky placement to charge again at Sakura, only to see that she was already running towards him, a Kunai in each hand. Dosu smirked and stopped short, thrusting his right hand up and blocked one swipe from the pinkette—one swipe was all he needed.

_Ting~!_

Dosu's smirk widened when Sakura's eyes widened to the size of saucers, her knees collapsed and she fell to her knees clutching at her head desperately. He straightened and backed away from the pinkette cautiously, knowing that she was more then she appeared, the last thing he needed was to find out the hard way that she was faking it. Sakura glared up at Dosu through her pained tears, sniffling pulled out two more kunai and threw them lazily at them.

"It's useless," Dosu growled, noting silently how he had to physically move to avoid the kunai, even though his movements were slight and she shouldn't have noticed it with her double and triple swimming sight. "My jutsu is meant to go into the ear cannel and destroy the little hair inside. You'd have to be a Medic Nin to fight the effects of my—" Dosu cut himself off and jumped back as Sakura though out another set of kunai sloppily, her aim slightly off but good enough to make Dosu on edge. Panting Sakura continued to hold the left side of her head as if she was in enough pain to make most people paralyzed, slowly Sakura revealed the slight emerald glow beneath her left palm. It didn't take Dosu long to realize that Sakura knew the healing basics, enough to heal her ears so she could fight.

"Witch!" Dosu snarled moving to get Sakura back in range so he could take another swing at her and this time aiming to kill her (hopefully). Sakura shook her head as if to clear her sight, then she moved just as fast as Dosu swung out at her, her feet carrying her away from his lunge in a graceful spin. At the same time she was spinning away from Dosu, he tried to follow her; Sakura pulled out a long crimson ribbon and let it spin out around her as she stopped then spun in place like a ballerina. Dosu let his sound jutsu flare out at her but it seemed to have no effect on Sakura this time; the crimson ribbon flared a bright neon teal as the two chakra's clashed violently. Dosu's signature seemed to follow the rotating ribbon until it detached to slam into the ground, making the arena tremble, the box shuffle, the audience silence and large jagged rocks jump up to protect Sakura as Dosu tried to ambush her a second time. Dosu stumbled back from the jagged rocks that protected the pinkette, glaring when Sakura seemed to smirk at him before ducking out of sight behind one of the larger rocks.

Glare intensifying, Dosu moved to go around the large rocks that splintered up from the ground; watching how Sakura remained in the center of the circular barrier, huddled under her long black cloak, her small pale fingers moving rapidly through several signs. Before he could jump in to attack again, Sakura split into four other 'Sakuras' and they each jumped out of the circler rock barrier; quickly splitting into different directions. The 'Sakura' who was closest to Dosu moved towards him with a look of mockery and amusement, one fist raised with a blackened kunai in hand. Growling Dosu raised his own kunai to meet hers reflexively, only to have his eyes widen when the clone in front of him simply phased straight through him.

_Illusion!_ Dosu thought moving to form the release hand sign but didn't make it in time as he felt a hard kick to his back, straight towards a high-powered explosive tag.

_Shi—_

_BOOM_

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"Mo~om!" Karin whined, struggling in her mother's tight embrace, "I can't breathe!"

"You promised not to get hurt," Nira hissed at her, her arms tightening around the girl she raised

"And I didn't!" Karin replied, "Minor cuts and bruises don't count as getting hurt!" _the medics simply want to be as over dramatic as you are!_

_Doesn't mean you're off the hook_, Karin stilled at the sound of her mother's voice in her head, her seal on the back of her neck had died out months ago, just after she left for wave. _I redid your seal, you filling it yet?_ Karin sighed and nodded softly, she honestly didn't want her mother to hear that thought, she must have had bad timing with her whining.

_I am now_, Karin coughed and tried to pull away with a face of exasperation, she knew the cards she was supposed to play while they talked 'privately'. _What is it?_

_Hokage-sama told me you managed to put impressive seals onto one of his old students__,_ Nira answered, sighing letting Karin break free of her tight hug, choosing instead to let the older woman play with her long crimson hair. _Are they the ones I taught you? The seals meant to contain the Bijuu back into their hosts before they were ripped out and create havoc?_

_I was told he broke out of T&I_, Karin replied, smiling and bobbing her head as Nira ran her long fingers against her back comfortingly. _No one knows how or when, they think he had help_

_Who told you this?_ Nira frowned as she began to fuss over a knot with a glare twisting her pretty features

_Sa-nee__,_ Karin answered, _her older sisters, Fubuki and Tayuya, told her. They didn't want to take any chances with him possibly coming back for her or her teammates._

_I see__,_ Nira paused for a second before she resumed her finger brushing. _He shouldn't have been able to move with those seals on him; they should've killed him._

_They should've_, Karin agreed, arching with a particular brush of her mother's long nails gently passing through her scalp and neck. _But he didn't. Still haven't figured that one out yet._

_How'd he managed to escape in that kind of condition?_ Nira asked, smoothly removing a string of elegant beads that were tangled in the long mass of crimson hair_. __Are you sure no one's found him? Could it be possible that he broke your seals?_

_Not by himself__,_ Karin replied, breathe evening as she relaxed in her mother's ministration of her hair, smoothly taking out the hair ornaments so she could put them back in herself. She wasn't insulted or offended by her mother's last question. All seals could be broken; by erosion, materials or another seal expert it didn't matter. Some seals could last years, some could last seconds, it didn't matter—all seals weakened and died with time. _If he broke them, he had to have had a seal master to do the breaking._

_There aren't many in the world__,_ Nira replied thoughtfully, taking out the last strand and pulling the hair tie lose so she could really untangle Karin's hair. _This village alone has only Jiraya... I doubt any of the others would be willing help that psychopath_

_The Hokage and Kakashi-san both have minors in sealing_, Karin added thoughtfully, _so dose Jiraya..._

_None of them would dare to release that mad man_, Nira sighed and frowned at the knots that didn't want to come undone in her hands. _No, there must have been someone else in the village who has a minor in sealing..._

_That couldn't be it either__,_ Karin yawned, _his help had to have been a master to break the seals—wait, Kaa-chan what would happen if someone attempted to transfer the seals onto someone else? Not necessarily the seals I used, any old seal, even a storage seal, what would happen?_

_Well I suppose it'd depend on the kind of seal__,_ Nira answered smirking when she finally got the last of the knots out of Karin's hair, _I suppose a storage seal would explode and disintegrate when someone tried to transfer it to something else. Anything inside would either turn to ash or explode out word like a bomb_

_And if someone tried to transfer a more advanced seal?_ Karin asked, feeling her mother pull half of her hair up into a high ponytail. _Like the one I used?_

_Like I said it'd depend on the seal_, Nira repeated, splitting the finished ponytail into two pieces and started braiding the right side smoothly. _For the two seals you used on Orochimaru... the chakra suppressant one would properly burn both him and the person taking the seal for him. Although the amount of burns would depended on both the replacement's chakra levels and the skill the transferor had__._ Nira smoothly tied off the end of her braid and then wrapped it around and around the top of Karin's head, around the base of her ponytail and stuck several long silver needles with beaded ends into it to keep it flat and tight to her head.

_And the paralyzing one?_ Karin asked, feeling her mother take a blue strand and green strand of beads and braded them both into her lock of long red hair in the ponytail.

_That one?_ Nira paused in her braiding, her face scrunching up thoughtfully, _I'm not sure. It could do a lot of physical damage but where that damage would be directed is anyone's guess... why?_

_A few weeks ago there were rumors of someone finding a completely charred body in the forest_, Karin replied, ducking her head to give Nira more room to bread her hair. _I heard some of the nurses in the hospital chatting about the rumor while I was still hospitalized. They said that one of the Hyūga clan members had taken a look at the boy's body, because apparently you didn't have to be a genius to know the body belonged to a child, and he said that the boy's chakra net work was missing._

_How is that even possible?_ Nira thought with a frown, putting a clip on the end of the beaded braid before she pushed it over Karin's shoulder for her to hold while she worked on intertwining the rest of the strings with the rest of her hair. _No one can survive without their chakra... net work... oh_

_Yeah__,_ Karin's eyes narrowed thoughtfully as she continued to keep her head down, looking as if she was scrutinizing her braid. _We might be in bigger trouble then any of us actually thought..._

_If someone managed to take his seals and place them onto someone else...,_ Nira paused to look around herself discreetly, glad that the medic room was empty with only them present. _Then Orochimaru is out there still... and he's going to be one pissed snake_

_Like you're the one who has to worry_, Karin snorted, a smile playing on her lips, _you didn't put in T&I_

_No but I did teach you those seals and everything else you know_, Nira replied, returning to her work on Karin's hair, a new worrying thought entering her mind. Nira paused for a moment in her ministrations, knowing that she didn't have much of a choice but to tell her 'daughter' what she knew. _I can't be here long love, I have to get back to the island. I didn't bring much back with me, just the basics. The advanced seals are complicated and technically I never finished my training_

_Seriously mom?_ Karin asked, stiffening slightly, _But you taught me everything I know_

_Yes and I taught you almost the same way I was taught__,_ Nira replied, _when it comes to the more advanced seals I'm self taught. I'm no master, not by a long shot, according to our system back when the village still stood, I'm only a genin level sealer._

_Only a genin?_ Karin frowned, stretching like a cat when Nira racked her nails over her shoulders, _but you're so strong_

_But I never finished my training__,_ Nira snickered to herself, returning to her work on Karin's hair, noting how she was nearly done. _I've always split the seal structures into the same way as Kage's classify missions; D, C, B, A, and S class. I've only ever finished studying the D and C rank seals and five of the B-ranked ones. I was ready for the chunin exam when our village was destroyed__._ The 'I've been running ever since' didn't need to be said, Nira had been running from every kind of shinobi since she was eight years old, afraid that she was the last but not willing to admit that she was. _See now why legally I'm only a genin level shinobi?_

_Yeah__,_ Karin sighed turning in her seat to look back at her mother, _Lord Hokage won't let you be a genin, he'll let you be properly ranked. Honestly I think you're stronger then a Jonin but I know that each Jonin is as different and unique as the next so maybe you'll end up with your own genin cell._

_I hope not_, Nira snorted, lifting the last three strands of beads and placing them elegantly back on Karin's head, smirk widening when the strands revealed two of their own strands. _It's bad enough that I have to teach at the academy, I'm not entirely sure if I should._

_I think it'd be nice if more people knew more about seals_, Karin smiled, letting her mother braid her side-burns with the long strands, knowing her mother had a thing for braids. _Then we wouldn't be so alone and our family style wouldn't die out_

_True__,_ Nira agreed with a sigh, turning to do Karin's other side, _but then people with black hearts could destroy whole countries with the mass of seals that they could paint. I have to make sure that a select group of people can learn without the fear of them going bad. That's why I want to keep it a family thing._

_Could we possibly teach the Haruno family?_ Karin asked, watching her mother's face closely, noting the age lines that were slowly beginning to be revealed with each day that past and the three perfectly white hairs just to the left side of her mother's face. _They're loyal and brave and kind and—_

_I don't mind teaching those sisters of yours__,_ Nira smiled pulling away from Karin with a heavy sigh, _I've met them. They seem honorable enough. They won't stain our clan's memory or our art without a fight._

_That's good__,_ Karin looked down at her hands thoughtfully, her lips pressing together as a new thought swirled in her head. _Mom... is it possible for you to come up with a selection processes at the academy? For people to enter your class I mean..._

_Don't worry to much about that__,_ Nira smiled rising to her feet and holding her hand out expectantly to Karin, _Lord Hokage has assured me that I'm only going to teach his most loyal of shinobi before I bother with the academy._

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

_BOOM_

The ground trembled, the air rumbled, the birds scattered, the standing sat down, the sitting stiffened

Hiruzen moved to the edge of his seat to get a better view of the arena below, curious as to what his 'student' did that could create such an utter silence. He found that Dosu had managed to use a last minute substitution, the bark of the log was seared and blackened like it was bacon, which meant that he was hiding somewhere out of sight.

"This fight is better then I was expecting," the Kazekage drawled lazily, "She sure dose like her explosives."

"Thank you sensei," 'Sakura' whispered softly, not intending for anyone to hear her

"You're welcome," 'Shikaku' whispered, his voice sounding as if he couldn't help himself. The Kazekage's eyes snapped over to him, as if he was startled that Shikaku might have had a minor influence on Sakura's training. Hiruzen just ignored the playful banter going on either side of himself, he knew that both shinobi were purposefully ignoring the Kazekage and speaking in a way that would irritate most Jonins.

"How much chakra dose your clone have?" the Kazekage asked, turning his dark eyes onto the pinkette beside him

"Ne~ sensei after this is over you wanna get some Dango with me?" 'Sakura' asked, purposefully ignoring the Kazekage, which made the man's brow tick twice

"Ah, Sakura-chan it isn't nice to ignore your elders," Hiruzen replied, sitting back and watching the arena as Sakura burst out of a tree with Dosu close behind her. They fought in Taijutsu for a moment, Sakura quickly covering her ears with her own chakra to protect them from Dosu's attacks, before another clone burst out of hiding in a spectacular show of explosions and flying dirt.

"Sorry lord Hokage," 'Sakura' grinned cheekily at him, "Would you like to join us for Dango?"

"I don't see why I can't," Hiruzen chuckled, not quite what he meant but he could admit that seeing the Kazekage's brow twitching was a little amusing to watch. While the new Sakura engaged Dosu in a showy Taijutsu form that looked more like a spinning ballet on Sakura's side, the first clone moved towards the tree the new clone had burst from and lifted the large branch that had fallen over during the explosion. She then lifted it and... and threw it at Dosu.

"You have anger management issues," 'Shikaku' drawled lazily, watching said branch crash into Dosu and the clone, making the later puff out of existence

"He had it coming," 'Sakura' shrugged carelessly; "there's no need for name calling." Hiruzen couldn't stifle his chuckle; he was young once, he could guess at least some of the names the young man had thrown at her. Hiruzen watched as Dosu slowly pulled himself back up; shaking his head as if he couldn't belief that Sakura had actually thrown a branch at him. Again, Dosu jumped to avoid a startling strong kick from a third Sakura clone, actually managing to land on the second and dispelling it in the processes. From there the first clone and Dosu engaged in several kunai-to-kunai forms before clone three through another bomb at him, Dosu dodged cursing when the first clone took the rigged kunai and through it again at him.

_Damn!_ Dosu quickly substituted and took cover behind a tree at the edge of the arena; they were going on ten minutes in this fight, by far the longest yet. He had learned that at some point or another, Sakura had made her 'illusion clones' into 'real clones'; how she managed that he had yet to figure out. Dosu quickly ran out from behind his 'shield' when a rigged kunai landed between his knees, nearly pinning the lose gray material he was wearing. Using the force of the explosion, Dosu sent out a loud concussion to force back everything from his potion, knowing that at this point that Sakura would've tried to attack right after the explosion. True to his thoughts, Dosu had caught three bright gray puffs of smoke from the three 'Sakura's' who had tried to ambush him at the same time.

_Heh,_ Dosu straightened, turning around himself carefully, noting how every tree was broken in half, every bush was up rooted and how the walls themselves had a single large, perfectly round ring of a crack that threatened to break straight through. A single, nearly perfect three foot wide crack swept through the entire wall surrounding the arena; looking like the inside of a large ring made from spider webs and dust. Just over five feet behind him was a curled up black ball, he recognized the black cloak the pinkette was wearing, not that he really needed too. he could see that her long cheery locks had came und done from her flat hair piece to keep it tight to her head, spilling out around her shoulders and ground like a lazy river. There were several broken pins surround her head from what he guessed to be her hairpieces, her pearly white hands were curled around her head and fisting into her hair like white-iron clasps, nearly drawing blood. He could hear her teeth grinding and the low whine she tried desperately to keep hidden as she curled up on herself, trying desperately to ride out the vertigo of his massive concussion.

_About damn time_, Dosu thought sliding out of his slight stance to regard Sakura carefully, knowing that it wasn't the first time he had hit her with the concession or how fast she had managed to heal herself. If he wanted to win this match and make sure that she stayed out of his way (and the following invasion) then he had to kill her and he had to kill her _now_ before the proctor stopped him. He burst forward with a drawn kunai; if the proctor tried to stop him then he'll need to strike his armband as soon as possible, sending out a wave strong enough to kill Sakura but not himself.

_Time to end this!_ His eyes glinted darkly as he moved to bring his armband down near Sakura but not close enough to actually hit her, his chakra flaring out of his armband like a rocket, aiming straight for Sakura's defenseless ears.

"Got ya!" his eye widened as his world turned slightly to see a glowing, elongated kunai blade inch ever closer to his face, he reflexively jerked his arm back, cutting his jutsu short and protecting his only good eye from the attack. He felt the kunai hit his armband, resist it for a fraction of a second before the metals proved which was stronger—blood splattered his vision and he felt more then saw his arm detach itself from his body. He twisted to face her fully; his good arm out stretched towards her with fingers spread wide, his chakra burst out of his skin and poring blood like a rocket bomb. It burst out of him, slammed through her with enough force to send her flying, slamming into the arena wall, breaking through it and into the hall beyond. His chakra though kept moving, rocketing through the air with a furious howl, slamming into the stonewalls and shattering them like glass, revealing the halls and rooms beyond, showing that the concussion had continued further to damage those walls as well.

With a loud curse Genma counted to ten before he dared to jump back into the arena, several other Jonin's were already moving forward to brace the walls of the arena, earthen jutsu flinging up to keep the walls (and ultimately the arena) from collapsing. He examined Dosu first, his chakra signature faint to the young Jonin's senses, his blood flowing from his right arm like an endless river, staining the ground and threatening the older boy's life. His eyes narrowing slightly, Genma turned on his heal and moved to the wall where Sakura had been thrown through. He stopped at the edge, looking in through the large hole, seeing that Sakura had gone through the arena wall like it was nothing and half way through the next wall, her body was encased in the thick cement like it was a tight coffin. Blood dribbled down her nose and mouth, her eyes glaring up at him through her hair defiantly, looking like liquid emerald in a sea of strawberry waves.

"What the? Do you have nine lives or something?" unknown to Genma at that point in time, Sakura would forever hold the title of 'Nine lives spring', unintentionally given to her by Genma himself.

"N-No~ot-t d-d—"

"Oh yes you are," Genma said pushing himself through the tight hole in the wall when Sakura pushed herself out of her own dent, "You need to go to the hospital, like _now!_"

"N-Not yet" Sakura gasped, bracing herself against the wall before pushing herself forward, ignoring Genma's attempt to take hold of her and force her to the ground so he could administer first aid.

"Now listen here!" Genma grabbed Sakura's arm, forcing her to stop her stumbling and to look at him, he instantly regretted making the pinkette focus on him. her hair was in a bloody mess, tangles formed with glittering pins, her bangs were like dust covered sheets of thread that coated over her eyes and face with a haunting layer of grime. Her eyes were like Tayuya's watcher-nightmare genjutsu that she some times used to make her enemies paranoid and exhibit paranoia behavior, her too calm, nearly completely blank expression reminded Genma of a time when he had accidentally insulted Fubuki on her lack of ability to track. The insult resulted in him landing in the hospital for a month, their target dead, an obliterated enemy squadron, a completely annihilated thug army and her very real threat to castrate him should he ever say those words to her face _ever_ again.

Right at the moment, as Sakura stared up at him through her hair, her eyes still looking like green flames, he knew just who her sisters were because at that moment, Genma swore that both of Sakura's sisters were staring up at him with the same defiant look.

Seeing that Genma wasn't going to restrain her further, Sakura turned back to the hole in the wall and clambered her way though, struggling to keep herself up once she reached the other side. She leaned against the broken wall, panting heavily. Slowly counting to ten, Sakura moved again, ignoring the Jonin who surrounded her, trying desperately to repair the wall before the whole place collapsed. Some of the Jonin stopped their ministrations, turning in their work to watch in baffled silence as Sakura slowly moved herself forward, just close enough to Dosu to look down on him and not fear of being attacked by him. Still panting harshly, Sakura examined Dosu closely before she let herself fall back words, landing on her rear with an odd amount of grace, as if she fell down like that a thousand times before and had simply acquired a grace even as she fell.

"Heh," Sakura chuckled letting her knees come together in front of her as she leaned back on both arms, one eye closing as she panted harshly. "S-sorry... wha-what was th-that a-bout... g-going e-eas~y?" Sakura asked, remembering what Dosu had said when he found out that he was going to go against her for the final round. "Told you... n-not to... not to... under... under...es-ti...estimate... m-me..." Sakura panted, raising one wrist to whip tiredly at her brow, whipping away the sweat threatening to enter her eyes.

_Then_ she puffed out of existence

"What the hell?!" Genma watched as the audience moved into an uproar, their voices ringing together in one massive sound of confusion, he didn't bother to watch them or even to listen to them. he found himself turning to stare dumbly down at the child who now sat against the wall panting just as heavily as she was out in the arena.

"Heh, She... she better th-thank me," Sakura panted, turning to smirk up at Genma, "I couldn't... couldn't l-let them think that I... that I really... we-went th-through a-a wall."

"Sakura!" Genma looked up at the worried voice, nodding politely at the rushing pinkette moving almost blindingly fast toward them

"Eh, Fu-nee," Sakura waved lazily, "We good out... out s-side?"

"Yes you damned buffoon!" Fubuki snapped, sliding to a halt and slamming her green glowing palms against Sakura's chest, Genma glanced outside and saw that many of the audience members were pointing out towards the Kage box, as if they just realized who all sat there.

_Oh, right!_ He remembered watching Sakura move with Shikaku and the Hokage towards the hall for the boxes, barely even glancing at the other contestants before she followed the two grown men. About five minutes later she was in the contestant box leaning against the left side of the wall with crossed arms, ignoring everyone else with her and keeping her black hood up for some strange reason. Well, he knew what that reason was now.

"Tayuya is doing just fine," Fubuki sighed, letting two medics pull Sakura away from the wall and lay her out on a stretcher beside her, "Her transformation hasn't dropped yet."

_So Tayuya and Sakura switched places eh?_ Genma thought with a smirk, watching the two sisters move down the hall while he pulled himself out of the hole with an amused shake of his head. Moving to the center of the arena, Genma waited for the medics to stabilize and remove Dosu before he made his decision public. Once glance up at the Kage box, a nod from Hiruzen and a smirk from 'Sakura', solidified his decision.

"Sakura Haruno of leaf has won this round!" complete stunned silence answered his declaration, _however, because of her wounds she'll be out for the rest of the exam...well, maybe_...

Fubuki could work some magic if she wanted to, Sakura just might make it out of the round yet

_Heh, the Haruno sisters eh?_ Genma glanced back at the hole in the wall, "Defiantly nine lives."

…

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><p>…<p>

"Damn she's gotten stronger," Sasuke grumbled from where he hid beside Kakashi and Itachi; his face a little pale. "Never seen her throw a tree before," to Sasuke, Sakura didn't take up a fallen branch and throw it at Dosu, She threw a _tree_ at Dosu; He considered that branch to be too big to be anything less then a tree.

"That was Tsunade Senju's technique," Itachi grumbled turning to glare at Kakashi as if he was at fault for Sakura's insane strength

"Don't look at me, I didn't teach her it," Kakashi answered Itachi's accusatory look, both turned when they heard Sasuke's snort

"What?" Sasuke asked looking at them with a smirk, amusement dancing in his dark eyes

"You know something about her strength Ototo," Itachi accused him

"Why didn't you tell me?" Kakashi asked, not liking being out of the loop

"She used it on you _during_ the bell test," Sasuke said as if Kakashi lost his mind, "she used it again in the wave mission on the bridge and again when we went to the academy for the first round of the chunin exams." Kakashi's thoughtful expression was apparently lost on Sasuke because he continued on words, "And she's been throwing those punches since we were _kids_," he shot Itachi an exasperated look, as if he thought the older boy had known about it the entire time "there's a reason me and Naruto don't insult her and avoid her wrath for as long as possible."

"She didn't crack the earth in the bell test," Kakashi said defensively, "And I couldn't see her fighting in wave because I was dealing with my own Nuke-Nin and I wasn't there when you first entered the academy."

"Didn't you read about it in her file?" Sasuke questioned with a frown at Kakashi, "Now that I think about it, didn't you read any of our—"

"Sasuke Uchiha is now—"

_Saved by the bell_, Kakashi thought, snatching hold of Sasuke and transferring them both into the arena with a swirl of leafs. "Hello Genma, we aren't too late are we?"

"Massively," Genma answered bluntly with a smirk twisting around his wooden senbon that he liked to chew on. "We postponed for you _twice_, just so you know."

"Really?" Kakashi asked smiling and scratching the back of his head nervously

"Yeah we made you the last round and just now gave you an extra ten minutes to show up." Genma explained, his eyes dropping to look down at a disgruntled looking Sasuke, "you have one hell-of-a teammate by the way."

"I know" Sasuke grumbled, glaring irritably up at Kakashi, "I grew up with both of them."

"Huh, so you know when she developed that strength right?" Genma asked, Sasuke looked up at the smirking pinkette standing beside the Hokage, her eyes seemed to be just a little to pale but that might be his imagination, he hasn't seen her for a month after all.

"She's always had that insane strength," Sasuke replied, staring dully at Genma before dropping his eyes to look pointedly at mostly repaired wall of the arena caused by Dosu along with the hundreds of scorch marks, dents, and the hole Sakura's body made when she went sailing.

"Sasuke Uchiha I heard that!" Sakura shouted waving a threatening fist at him, leaning over the Kage box wall, "Do you want me to come down there and show you just what 'insane strength' is?!"

"Shut up and stay up there!" Sasuke snapped, eyes narrowing into a fierce glare, not noticing when Kakashi waved at Genma and disappeared from sight

"Then start your damn match!" Sakura shot back with bright, dancing eyes

"Don't tell me what to do!" Sasuke growled up at her

"Are you both ready?" Genma asked with a smile, trying and failing to hide his amusement

"Huh? Oh yeah I'm ready," Sasuke said turning to look at Gaara, who he hadn't noticed was standing there.

"Ready? Set, GO!" Just like with Sakura's and Karin's match Genma jumped out of the arena. Gaara didn't bother moving as a stream of sand burst from his guard and chased Sasuke as he jumped back out of range. Gaara watched as Sasuke dodged and swiped out with a kunai at every strand that got too close to him, eventually Sasuke got too close and Gaara made a sand clone. Sasuke dodged it's kick and slammed his forearm into the clone's neck, smirking when it started to disfigure but he quickly saw that it was only going to crush his arm so he palm strike the head and it turned into a pile of sand again. Sasuke dodged it's lunge by running straight for Gaara, smirk in place and fists held out at the ready. Gaara didn't move as he raised his defense higher in the air, he didn't realize that he moved it high enough for Sasuke to fit beneath the circling sand. Eyes narrowing as Sasuke got ever close to him; Gaara watched passively as his sand arced around Sasuke, who stopped his advance to retreat.

"Throw a bomb already!" Naruto shouted as Sasuke retreated out of range, "Pull a Sakura already!"

"You're more of a distraction then a help!" Sasuke snapped as he dodged another swipe and tried again to get in close Gaara.

"You already tried that!" Naruto whined

"Shut up!" Sasuke jumped and threw a kunai, landing he jumped again to dodge another grasping sand pile. He smirked when his rigged kunai exploded, sending shrapnel further into the sand till it nearly touched Gaara. Smirk growing, Sasuke repeated the exercise until he saw that the sand was all moved to prepare for the following explosion. He threw another kunai with two paper tags instead of one, and quickly hurried to Gaara's other side, when the blast sounded and it was stronger then he expected, Sasuke swept forward and landed a strong punch to Gaara's face, knocking him towards the blast.

"About time!" Naruto snickered

"Are you kidding me?" Temari asked looking at the blond like he had two heads, "Didn't you see what happened when that Lee-kid hit Gaara?"

"Nope," Naruto snickered with a smile, "I was busy watching Sakura-chan prepare Hinata-chan for her fight."

"That worked out well," Kankuro grumbled, remembering the last fight of the prelims, "The girl landed herself in the hospital."

"Actually she would have landed herself in there sooner and for longer if Sakura-chan hadn't made those knifes for her" Naruto replied, his smile not lessoning as he watched the fight below them. "Neji had always been stronger with the Hyūga style then Hinata, that's just how it's always been." Temari stared dully at Naruto before she sighed and returned to watching the fight again. Watching Sasuke and Gaara play cat and mouse for ten minutes was actually pretty boring—right up until Gaara summoned his Sand to form a perfect sphere around him.

"Sh*t" Temari cursed at the sight below her, her eyes widening when she saw Sasuke turn on his heal and run to the nearest wall then straight up it. Naruto sighed in boredom as Sasuke kneeled close to the top of the wall and formed a few hand signs, he straightened when he heard what sounded like a thousand chirping birds while a haunting blue-ish light took over Sasuke's right hand.

"What the hell?!" Kankuro questioned loudly watching Sasuke charge down the wall, leaving a deep gash in the stone while he was at it, and hit the ground with a loud bang. He then took off like a bullet towards the sand incased red head, dodging the spikes sharpened on him while he thrust his hand through the sand shield. It wasn't long before a scream echoed around the arena, it was so loud that even Sasuke had to jump away from the sand sphere and retreat to a safer distance.

_Ka~BOOM_

…

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><p>…<p>

**I finally got to the invasion arc **

**How'd this one go?**

**The following chapters had been delayed for this chunin arc because of all the massive editing that I did to spare Haku (You had damn well better like it otherwise I just might rip out my own hair) but I think the story actually ended better with his existence then with out it **

**Oh my... I just realized something very important...**

**I have no Suigetsu in this chapter or in the last two...**

**I'd promise to have more of him in the next one... but I don't... maybe I'll fix that later but as right now, I'm tiered. So I'm not going to do anything about it until later**

**Do you have anything specific you wanna see in the next few chapters?**

**It's gonna take a while to update because I no longer have anything in advance anymore, I just finished this chapter and I still only have up to 44 chapters (I just finished the 44****th **_**today**_** so that should be a hint about how long it's going to take to keep the chapters coming up, some might be shorter then others.)**

**(This one ended at 20 even, the rest is all note writing)**

**Thoughts are helpful**

**Opinions are wonderful**

**Helpful criticism****is**** lovely! Just don't cripple me okay?**

**Please no cursing!**

**And don't forget to**** rate and**** review!**

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><p><strong>Oh yeah! Here're the Votes!<strong>

**Girl—boy vote number (#)—boy #—boy #—boy # (just a name means they've been voted for once)**

**(For OPBBY, I might do a spoof or something in the war arc, if I actually manage to get there without going insane)**

**Sakura— Gaara 11 (with OPBBY—Over Protective Big Brother Yagura—4) —Haku 2—Itachi 5—Sasuke**

**Fubuki— Haku 3—Shisui 5**

**Tayuya— Itachi 4—Neji—Shikamaru—Kiba 2**

**Karin— Suigetsu 7—Gaara—Sasuke**

**Hinata— Naruto 6—Kiba 2**

**Ino— Sai 5—Kiba—Chōji 2**

**Tenten— Neji—Kankuro 4—Sasuke 2**

**Temari— Shikamaru 6—Itachi**

**Mei— Zabuza 2 (practically finalized, properly shouldn't have made it optional... oh wait, I wanted to know who else could be with Mei!)**

**Page 23**


	41. Chapter 41

**There is a Reason**

Chapter 41: final round pat 2

Koomahana

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

_**Rin Nohara acting as 'inner Sakura'**_

_Shared thoughts_

(Between two people, I explained it in the last one)

…

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><p>…<p>

"Don't you dare go easy on me," Karin said as she stood across from the boy she once knew, now all grown up and a hell-a lot stronger.

"The same to you," Haku replied with a sweet looking smile. Karin smiled and swept back into a low Taijutsu stance, one Onex kunai in each hand. Haku nodded and swept into his own stance, eyes narrowed and a dozen different plans already forming through his head.

"Ready?" The Procter readied himself to jump out of the arena, having seen what Karin had done to her last opponent, "Set..." he watched as the air shifted around Haku, as if attempting to disorient those staring at him, "GO!" jumped just in time to avoid a large seal array surrounding Karin protectively and Haku's resulting senbon barrage.

"This seal is made to evaporate water from the air, especially the parts with a particularly high dosage of water like your flying Ice senbon. Don't worry about me getting dehydrated or anything, this inside part protects me from the seal itself—so long as I don't leave it." Karin Said with a sweet looking smile, the ice senbon thrown at her had melted and evaporated the instant they entered the range of her seal. "Gotta do better Haku-chan!"

"I told you not to call me that!" Haku replied, throwing out a mixture if ice and steal senbon, smirking at Karin's startled expression when not all of the needles melted only to frown when Karin blocked them with her kunai knifes, sending the sharp needles into the ground were they melted into little piles of liquid silver.

"Hay those were expensive," Haku whined at Karin, standing on the very edge of the seal

"If you don't want it to get destroyed then don't throw it at me," Karin replied with a roll of her eyes

_I think this is going to take awhile_, Genma thought with a sigh, making himself comfortable on the arena wall as he watched the two teammate's banter. He watched amusedly as Haku walked around the seal, studying it carefully so he could attack without getting roasted at the same time.

"What would happen if I stepped on it?" Haku asked curiously

"What do you think would happen?" Karin asked as if he was an idiot, "That's the kind of question I'd expect from Naruto, not you." She vaguely heard Naruto asking Shikamaru what she meant but she didn't have time to pay attention to him before Haku attacked again.

_Damn!_ Karin thought, spinning down low to protect her ankles from Haku's metal senbon, then continuing her spin as Haku ran around her throwing more senbon at her weak points. When he stopped running around the edge of the seal and smirked at her in away that made the red head feel very uneasy.

"Better move Karin," Haku said pointing up, following his finger slowly, Karin rose her scarlet eyes to look at the sky.

"Oh no," high above her, just out of her seal's reach, sat a near perfect looking ice orb, she could even see the water sloshing on the inside when Haku jerked it down.

_What's that about taking a page out of Fubuki's book?_ Genma snickered as the large icy bubble dove straight for Karin. _She's not going to move in time..._ Genma thought, straightening slightly as Karin watched the ice orb move ever closer to her. He watched as the seal suddenly brightened a bright crimson and a good portion of the ice orb evaporated almost instantly but the section over Karin was hardly even touched.

"Move!" Haku shouted as the orb got closer to the red head, she turned to look at him

"I can't," She whispered, her face pale and her eyes wide

"No!" Haku formed a hand sign but it was too late, the ice orb had already hit Karin's body, knocking her off balance and towards the seal.

_Boom_

"Karin!" several voices screamed out, one belonging to Haku as his hands moved the ice into water and all but throwing it aside so he could see Karin's body. He panted harshly as he stared at the curled up red haired girl half on the seal she created, the side of her face was pressed against the red glowing seal, her bear left hand stationed against her stomach was safe but her right hand wasn't.

"Karin!" Haku shouted in panic, watching how the seal started to chare the delicate white skin on the back Karin's wrist and face

"_Don't worry about me getting dehydrated or anything; this inside part protects me from the seal itself—So long as I don't leave it"_

"Karin!" Haku shouted, moving into a dead sprint, water following his steps as he dove straight into the seal, the water he summoned coated the ground and burst into hot steam almost at the same time. Haku ignored the burning sensation and slid onto his knees, his hands reaching for his friend...

_What's going on now?_ Genma thought, flipping off his side to approach the steaming circle in the middle of the arena, eyes narrowed and serious as he watched for any movement.

"Got ya~" A cheerful and feminine voice giggled, making Genma pause half a step to stare at the thick mist unsurely. He watched dumbly as the steam turned into a slight fog and then disappeared to reveal both contestants huddled together on the ground. Karin was smirking because she had one kunai at Haku's neck were it appeared that she put some kind of seal onto his skin and her other kunai was stationed between his legs.

"Karin," Haku said evenly, "_never_ do that again."

"Did you seriously think that'd I'd use a seal so dangerous as to evaporate the water surrounding me _and_ not letting me out in the processes?" Karin asked with a raised eyebrow, "I'm not that dumb." Haku sighed and looked down at the ground, true the seal was still there but it wasn't burning either one of them and the senbon he had thrown earlier hadn't actually melted. It looked like the seal was made to enhance a genjutsu, most likely whatever one the caster wanted, but the seal was nothing more then a pretty mask with nothing actually behind it.

"The seal is a mixture of genjutsu and a paralyzing technique," Karin said straightening from where Haku had lifted her, retracting her kunai carefully so she could sitting on her knees a respectable distance from her teammate. "And no, not the same one I used on the snake man," Karin said before Haku could ask, "That seal can only be used on a specific kind of chakra amount, so someone like a jinchūriki wouldn't be able to break the seal. I was impressed that Orochimaru had actually survived the seal and didn't get any physical damage done to himself in the possess."

"...Thank you for not killing me," Haku replied slowly, "but could you please release me now?"

"No," Karin smirked at him, "not until you give up."

"I'd think it was rather obvious that I lost this fight," Haku replied with a frown, "You used my promise against me."

"No I used your over protective tendencies against you," Karin replied with a smile, "So~ you gonna give up?"

"Technically he did lose already," Genma said thoughtfully, "Oh what the hell why not?" Genma took a deep breath

"Karin Uzumaki is the winner!"

…

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><p>…<p>

He glared at the two young men before him; he was slouched against a tree and panting as if he just ran a marathon. His two idiot teammate's had been doing well since their own fights in the prelims; a Jonin had talked to them both, a few of their other class mates had tried to get back into touch with them, and every single one of them asked strange questions about him. So many questions that they were tempted to throw him under the bus just to make sure _they_ wouldn't be taken to T&I for questioning. Thankfully, they were too loyal to Orochimaru to take away his favorite medic, too afraid of his wrath to do any actual harm to him. It was that fear and that loyalty that he counted on now to get him the hell out of the village, knowing that any minute the sirens would sound and the hunt would begin.

Then they all would be trapped

"You sure are a hindrance lately," Yao smirked at him, taking a little too much pleasure in his pain, "maybe we really should leave you here for the village and claim not to know anything about your little plans." Kabuto's eyes narrowed at him, pushing his back further into the tree so he could regard his teammate carefully. Yao was the more annoying member of his team, constantly threatening to take him out so that he could stand in the lime light.

Takao sighed, eyes closing as he fought the urge to rub at his brow, "you can't even use your chakra. That Uzumaki girl sealed it while in the prelims, she did it when she kicked you right?" he remembered the strange feeling of pain in his legs, how he felt as if water was crawling up his legs towards his... uh, more _sensitive_ areas. The seals were slow acting but that was mostly because they had to move into place at the core of his body, then they seeped into his skin like tattoos and started to take effect about five minutes after settling.

"Talk about useless," Yao snickered, "What could lord Orochimaru possibly want with you? You no longer have a use, you can't even move without nearly fainting."

"...It isn't your place to decide weather or not Orochimaru-sama still wants me," Kabuto said in a tone of voice full of warning, his dark eyes glittering dangerously at them. "I may not have access to my chakra at the moment," every day those seals seemed to grow stronger, forcefully suppressing his chakra a little further, He'll never admit it in front of Yao, "and my body may not even work right," it trembled with every move and it hurt to even breathe much less run as fast as he did, needing to escape while he still could, "but in the end it is Orochimaru who will decided what is to be done with me—_not you_."

"You're in no condition to be ordering us," Yao growled, his own dark eyes glinting hatefully down at him. He pulled out a kunai threateningly, "We can still kill you and dispose of your body, let the village belief what they want of you."

"Are you really willing to risk Orochimaru-sama's anger?" Kabuto asked with a dry chuckle, earning a glare and low growl from the older boy, "that's a good way to end up dead, you know that."

"And what do you suggest we do?" Takao asked, turning to look at Kabuto with a raised eyebrow, "Let you live so you can be caught by the village and then give them everything you know about our master?" unlike Yao and Kabuto, Takao actually had an unhealthy fear of Orochimaru, never actually saying his name but always hinting at it in his own special way.

"I'm saying to get out of the village with me," Kabuto retorted with a roll of his eyes, knowing that it was Takao who was the one who always stepped between him and Yao, knowing that it was Takao who constantly calmed whatever kind of fire that had settled between them. Takao was Yao's ice and he was Kabuto's rock, Yao was Kabuto's competitor and Takao's 'big brother', Kabuto was Takao's leader and Yao's annoyance. They never should've been placed on the same team, they never should've been forced to work together; even if it was Kabuto who was removed from the equation, then their whole team would've been different.

Kabuto often figured that if he had been placed with his once friends then he wouldn't be in the giant mess that he was in now, that he wouldn't be undecided, that he wouldn't be torn between 'his' village/family/bonds and his 'master'. Along time ago, he worked with a bright haired girl with dancing hazel eyes and a socially awkward boy who always followed the girl like a lost puppy. Then again, they both followed her like little lost puppies. Both working endlessly to see her smile every day and worked constantly against each other to get her attention even for a minute. He remembered when he'd trip a teacher 'accidentally' so that his 'friends' could get away from what ever stunt they managed to pull; well, whatever stunt _she_ managed to pull.

A long time ago he had real friends, what happened to them?

"Earth to Kabuto!" he jerked at the hand waving comically in front of his face, Takao was staring at him in confusion, his brown eyes tinting slightly with worry. "You were out for bit there Kabuto, are you sure you should be out of the hospital?"

"I'll live," Kabuto smirked back, realizing that he had been clutching his bag a little too tightly and slowly released his grip on it. "What is it that you had to annoy me out of my thoughts?"

"Yao said he was going to go get his things packed, like extra food" Takao replied, crouching in front of him and letting his face fill with emotion, knowing that he could only afford to be frigid in front of Yao—Kabuto was a safe place, the one who was just as emotional as he was but didn't let Yao push him around. Takao admired Kabuto for being able to be emotional and still act like ice when it was required but that didn't mean he took pleasure in hurting others like Yao did, Kabuto was still a doctor at heart and he was determined to help when he could but never without a reason. Takao should've considered that it was all a ploy on Kabuto's part, like he was trying to figure out if he could live with himself going through everything Orochimaru wanted or needed, but he couldn't really help throwing his mask away when he was alone with Kabuto. He knew what Kabuto was like before their ridiculous team was formed; how often he smiled, how much he laughed, how he always seemed to worm his way into everyone's heart without even bothering to try. Takao also knew that it was Yao who made Kabuto that little bit jaded, he knew that it was _Yao_ who pushed him and pushed him, always challenging his authority and purposefully conning Kabuto into doing things he didn't like, just so he knew that Yao wouldn't attempt to stab him in the back.

"You're thinking too hard again," Kabuto chuckled at him, still impressed that despite everything they've done, Takao still had the face and eyes of an innocent kid. For some reason Takao treated Kabuto completely different when they were alone, acting more like the lost little puppy he used to be with his old friends. He briefly wondered if that was the reason why he was always kinder to Takao then he was to Yao, did the slightly older boy actually remind him of his old self?

"I am?" Takao asked, blinking rapidly at him, "oh... it's just that... Yao has been acting strange again, that's all."

"Define strange," Kabuto said seriously, eyes narrowed in thought and concern

"Well... he hasn't been nearly as rude as he usually is with people," Takao said, his face pinching up in thought, unaware of the alarm bells going off in Kabuto's head. "He's actually been talking more and more with this one girl from the market, I think he's flirting but I'm not sure. He's been going there almost twice a day now, just to spend five minutes talking to that girl, as if he actually liked spending time with her."

Yao hated everyone but their master and treated Takao like a child with 'special needs'

"Do you know who she is?" Kabuto asked with a frown, "Do you know her name?"

"Uh-huh," Takao bobbed his head, "Tsubame Haruno, a close friend and cousin to Tayuya Haruno and her sisters." _That is the only reason I recognized her, knew who she was and why I even said anything_

Takao knew he was in the right in telling Kabuto his concerns about Yao when the gray haired boy's Onex eyes glittered like the blackened fires of hell

Kabuto was going to kill Yao

…

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><p>…<p>

The proctor waited for Karin and Haku to get out of the arena before he bothered to look at his clipboard for who was next

"Temari Sabaku and Shikamaru Nara! It's your turn!" Together everyone in the Kage box turned to watch as Temari floated into the center and, about a minute later, Naruto accidentally pushed Shikamaru over the edge in the form of a pat on his shoulder.

"Well he's enthused..." the Kazekage murmured mockingly, noting how the boy landed and didn't get up right away, "a true Nara I see."

"I hope he didn't hurt anything," 'Sakura' sighed watching how several audience members got fed up with the boy and started to throw trash at him.

"I think he's just thinking of ways to get back at Naruto" Hiruzen chuckled

"_Enough of this!_"

"Uh-oh she snapped," 'Sakura' sighed, watching how the kunochi below her released her fan and swung it, summing a huge gust of wind that went straight at Shikamaru. "...she doesn't seem to have much talent. All Shikamaru has to do is wait for her to tier out..."

"Why do you say that?" The Kazekage asked curiously, watching Shikaku move to block a gust of wind that should have gone passed the Hokage.

"Because she forces out her chakra with every swing of that fan" 'Sakura' sighed, nodding at Shikaku "that alone should take out a large portion of her chakra which means she can only swing that fan so many times. After her limit, she'll have to get physical; this action will simply doom her in the end. She's long range and fairly useful in a group but is completely useless when on her own."

"You're analytical skills are startling Sakura-chan" the Kazekage murmured thoughtfully, "how do you know that she doesn't have more skills then what she's showing?"

"Because she's not prepared for a close range assault," 'Sakura' shot back tonelessly. "Like I said, she's extreme long rang, great in a group that's made to be a diversion but useless on her own. She'll lose this fight no matter how long it takes... that or Shikamaru will quite because his reserves are so much smaller then hers..."

"You seem pretty sure of your self," the Kazekage replied with narrow eyes

"_It's because she hasn't tried to cover for her weakness since the forest,_" the voice from her ear piece grumbled, making 'Sakura' smirk at the Kazekage, knowing that her long bangs hid the earpiece easily enough. Yes, she was keeping something from him and was taking great delight in his aggravation when she simply turned back to the arena, not rising to his taunt. An hour later, just as she predicted, Temari Sabaku was trapped in Shikamaru's shadow possession. However, the young Nara heir quit the match, freeing the blonde in the processes. Shikamaru explained to her why he quit; being logical about it and unashamed to admit that he was low on chakra and couldn't have lasted much longer.

"Who's next?" 'Shikaku' asked turning to look at 'Sakura'

"Hmmm, oh it's—"

"Shino Aburame and Kankuro Sabaku!"

"Those two" 'Sakura' sighed

"Who do you think will win this round?" the Kazekage asked curiously, turning to look up at Sakura. "Well? I'm waiting..." _She was right with the last three matches..._

"Shino is... talented" 'Sakura' answered softly, narrow eyes locked on the box where the two participants were standing. "And Kankuro isn't to be ignored either... but oh I don't know, he's been fidgety since it was declared that Sasuke's match would be postponed."

"Your thoughts?" Hiruzen asked softly

"Properly forfeit" 'Sakura' sighed, watching how Temari and Kankuro argued together

"Oi, what's taking you two so long?" the proctor called up to the two teens, "Get down here!"

"Um, Proctor... I-I forfeit!"

"Shino is going to be pissed" 'Sakura' sighed

"Then onto the next round!" The proctor hollered out over the complaints of the crowd, "Dosu of Sound VS. Sakura Haruno of Leaf!" The noise quieted slightly as everyone looked at their information sheet on to the next pair of participants. When laughter seemed to echo in the air, 'Sakura' knew they were looking at her picture. She was positive when loud shouts from the crowd were shouting at her too quite. It seemed that the only ones who kept their mouths shut were those who knew her sister's and parent's reputations, which meant that they were the ones who were expecting one hell of a show from her.

"Good luck Sakura-chan" Hiruzen chuckled softly, watching as a shadow jumped down into the arena and made his way over to the proctor, "Don't embarrass him to much."

"I just have to destroy that stupid thing on his arm then I should be in the clear," 'Sakura' answered with a sigh.

"Aren't you going into the arena?" the Kazekage asked, staring at the young Kunochi who rolled her eyes

"My idiot Teammate isn't the only one with the Clone Jutsu" 'Sakura' chuckled, watching how her twin calmly entered the arena; her cloak swished softly with her steps as she approached the proctor calmly.

"What are you going to do when she disperses?" The Kazekage asked curiously, not seeing how Hiruzen and 'Sakura' both narrowed their eyes at him thoughtfully. _How'd he know it was a shadow clone?_

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"START!" The proctor immanently jumped away from the arena as Dosu charged at Sakura, eager to beat her so he could move on to the next round. In response to his charge, Sakura jumped back and threw a rigged kunai at the older boy, watching how he barely managed to avoid the blast of the paper tag. Coughing, Dosu immerged from his smoky placement to charge again at Sakura, only to see that she was already running towards him, a Kunai in each hand. Dosu smirked and stopped short, thrusting his right hand up and blocked one swipe from the pinkette—one swipe was all he needed.

_Ting~!_

Dosu's smirk widened when Sakura's eyes widened to the size of saucers, her knees collapsed and she fell to her knees clutching at her head desperately. He straightened and backed away from the pinkette cautiously, knowing that she was more then she appeared, the last thing he needed was to find out the hard way that she was faking it. Sakura glared up at Dosu through her pained tears, sniffling pulled out two more kunai and threw them lazily at them.

"It's useless," Dosu growled, noting silently how he had to physically move to avoid the kunai, even though his movements were slight and she shouldn't have noticed it with her double and triple swimming sight. "My jutsu is meant to go into the ear cannel and destroy the little hair inside. You'd have to be a Medic Nin to fight the effects of my—" Dosu cut himself off and jumped back as Sakura though out another set of kunai sloppily, her aim slightly off but good enough to make Dosu on edge. Panting Sakura continued to hold the left side of her head as if she was in enough pain to make most people paralyzed, slowly Sakura revealed the slight emerald glow beneath her left palm. It didn't take Dosu long to realize that Sakura knew the healing basics, enough to heal her ears so she could fight.

"Witch!" Dosu snarled moving to get Sakura back in range so he could take another swing at her and this time aiming to kill her (hopefully). Sakura shook her head as if to clear her sight, then she moved just as fast as Dosu swung out at her, her feet carrying her away from his lunge in a graceful spin. At the same time she was spinning away from Dosu, he tried to follow her; Sakura pulled out a long crimson ribbon and let it spin out around her as she stopped then spun in place like a ballerina. Dosu let his sound jutsu flare out at her but it seemed to have no effect on Sakura this time; the crimson ribbon flared a bright neon teal as the two chakra's clashed violently. Dosu's signature seemed to follow the rotating ribbon until it detached to slam into the ground, making the arena tremble, the box shuffle, the audience silence and large jagged rocks jump up to protect Sakura as Dosu tried to ambush her a second time. Dosu stumbled back from the jagged rocks that protected the pinkette, glaring when Sakura seemed to smirk at him before ducking out of sight behind one of the larger rocks.

Glare intensifying, Dosu moved to go around the large rocks that splintered up from the ground; watching how Sakura remained in the center of the circular barrier, huddled under her long black cloak, her small pale fingers moving rapidly through several signs. Before he could jump in to attack again, Sakura split into four other 'Sakuras' and they each jumped out of the circler rock barrier; quickly splitting into different directions. The 'Sakura' who was closest to Dosu moved towards him with a look of mockery and amusement, one fist raised with a blackened kunai in hand. Growling Dosu raised his own kunai to meet hers reflexively, only to have his eyes widen when the clone in front of him simply phased straight through him.

_Illusion!_ Dosu thought moving to form the release hand sign but didn't make it in time as he felt a hard kick to his back, straight towards a high-powered explosive tag.

_Shi—_

_BOOM_

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"Mo~om!" Karin whined, struggling in her mother's tight embrace, "I can't breathe!"

"You promised not to get hurt," Nira hissed at her, her arms tightening around the girl she raised

"And I didn't!" Karin replied, "Minor cuts and bruises don't count as getting hurt!" _the medics simply want to be as over dramatic as you are!_

_Doesn't mean you're off the hook_, Karin stilled at the sound of her mother's voice in her head, her seal on the back of her neck had died out months ago, just after she left for wave. _I redid your seal, you filling it yet?_ Karin sighed and nodded softly, she honestly didn't want her mother to hear that thought, she must have had bad timing with her whining.

_I am now_, Karin coughed and tried to pull away with a face of exasperation, she knew the cards she was supposed to play while they talked 'privately'. _What is it?_

_Hokage-sama told me you managed to put impressive seals onto one of his old students__,_ Nira answered, sighing letting Karin break free of her tight hug, choosing instead to let the older woman play with her long crimson hair. _Are they the ones I taught you? The seals meant to contain the Bijuu back into their hosts before they were ripped out and create havoc?_

_I was told he broke out of T&I_, Karin replied, smiling and bobbing her head as Nira ran her long fingers against her back comfortingly. _No one knows how or when, they think he had help_

_Who told you this?_ Nira frowned as she began to fuss over a knot with a glare twisting her pretty features

_Sa-nee__,_ Karin answered, _her older sisters, Fubuki and Tayuya, told her. They didn't want to take any chances with him possibly coming back for her or her teammates._

_I see__,_ Nira paused for a second before she resumed her finger brushing. _He shouldn't have been able to move with those seals on him; they should've killed him._

_They should've_, Karin agreed, arching with a particular brush of her mother's long nails gently passing through her scalp and neck. _But he didn't. Still haven't figured that one out yet._

_How'd he managed to escape in that kind of condition?_ Nira asked, smoothly removing a string of elegant beads that were tangled in the long mass of crimson hair_. __Are you sure no one's found him? Could it be possible that he broke your seals?_

_Not by himself__,_ Karin replied, breathe evening as she relaxed in her mother's ministration of her hair, smoothly taking out the hair ornaments so she could put them back in herself. She wasn't insulted or offended by her mother's last question. All seals could be broken; by erosion, materials or another seal expert it didn't matter. Some seals could last years, some could last seconds, it didn't matter—all seals weakened and died with time. _If he broke them, he had to have had a seal master to do the breaking._

_There aren't many in the world__,_ Nira replied thoughtfully, taking out the last strand and pulling the hair tie lose so she could really untangle Karin's hair. _This village alone has only Jiraya... I doubt any of the others would be willing help that psychopath_

_The Hokage and Kakashi-san both have minors in sealing_, Karin added thoughtfully, _so dose Jiraya..._

_None of them would dare to release that mad man_, Nira sighed and frowned at the knots that didn't want to come undone in her hands. _No, there must have been someone else in the village who has a minor in sealing..._

_That couldn't be it either__,_ Karin yawned, _his help had to have been a master to break the seals—wait, Kaa-chan what would happen if someone attempted to transfer the seals onto someone else? Not necessarily the seals I used, any old seal, even a storage seal, what would happen?_

_Well I suppose it'd depend on the kind of seal__,_ Nira answered smirking when she finally got the last of the knots out of Karin's hair, _I suppose a storage seal would explode and disintegrate when someone tried to transfer it to something else. Anything inside would either turn to ash or explode out word like a bomb_

_And if someone tried to transfer a more advanced seal?_ Karin asked, feeling her mother pull half of her hair up into a high ponytail. _Like the one I used?_

_Like I said it'd depend on the seal_, Nira repeated, splitting the finished ponytail into two pieces and started braiding the right side smoothly. _For the two seals you used on Orochimaru... the chakra suppressant one would properly burn both him and the person taking the seal for him. Although the amount of burns would depended on both the replacement's chakra levels and the skill the transferor had__._ Nira smoothly tied off the end of her braid and then wrapped it around and around the top of Karin's head, around the base of her ponytail and stuck several long silver needles with beaded ends into it to keep it flat and tight to her head.

_And the paralyzing one?_ Karin asked, feeling her mother take a blue strand and green strand of beads and braded them both into her lock of long red hair in the ponytail.

_That one?_ Nira paused in her braiding, her face scrunching up thoughtfully, _I'm not sure. It could do a lot of physical damage but where that damage would be directed is anyone's guess... why?_

_A few weeks ago there were rumors of someone finding a completely charred body in the forest_, Karin replied, ducking her head to give Nira more room to bread her hair. _I heard some of the nurses in the hospital chatting about the rumor while I was still hospitalized. They said that one of the Hyūga clan members had taken a look at the boy's body, because apparently you didn't have to be a genius to know the body belonged to a child, and he said that the boy's chakra net work was missing._

_How is that even possible?_ Nira thought with a frown, putting a clip on the end of the beaded braid before she pushed it over Karin's shoulder for her to hold while she worked on intertwining the rest of the strings with the rest of her hair. _No one can survive without their chakra... net work... oh_

_Yeah__,_ Karin's eyes narrowed thoughtfully as she continued to keep her head down, looking as if she was scrutinizing her braid. _We might be in bigger trouble then any of us actually thought..._

_If someone managed to take his seals and place them onto someone else...,_ Nira paused to look around herself discreetly, glad that the medic room was empty with only them present. _Then Orochimaru is out there still... and he's going to be one pissed snake_

_Like you're the one who has to worry_, Karin snorted, a smile playing on her lips, _you didn't put in T&I_

_No but I did teach you those seals and everything else you know_, Nira replied, returning to her work on Karin's hair, a new worrying thought entering her mind. Nira paused for a moment in her ministrations, knowing that she didn't have much of a choice but to tell her 'daughter' what she knew. _I can't be here long love, I have to get back to the island. I didn't bring much back with me, just the basics. The advanced seals are complicated and technically I never finished my training_

_Seriously mom?_ Karin asked, stiffening slightly, _But you taught me everything I know_

_Yes and I taught you almost the same way I was taught__,_ Nira replied, _when it comes to the more advanced seals I'm self taught. I'm no master, not by a long shot, according to our system back when the village still stood, I'm only a genin level sealer._

_Only a genin?_ Karin frowned, stretching like a cat when Nira racked her nails over her shoulders, _but you're so strong_

_But I never finished my training__,_ Nira snickered to herself, returning to her work on Karin's hair, noting how she was nearly done. _I've always split the seal structures into the same way as Kage's classify missions; D, C, B, A, and S class. I've only ever finished studying the D and C rank seals and five of the B-ranked ones. I was ready for the chunin exam when our village was destroyed__._ The 'I've been running ever since' didn't need to be said, Nira had been running from every kind of shinobi since she was eight years old, afraid that she was the last but not willing to admit that she was. _See now why legally I'm only a genin level shinobi?_

_Yeah__,_ Karin sighed turning in her seat to look back at her mother, _Lord Hokage won't let you be a genin, he'll let you be properly ranked. Honestly I think you're stronger then a Jonin but I know that each Jonin is as different and unique as the next so maybe you'll end up with your own genin cell._

_I hope not_, Nira snorted, lifting the last three strands of beads and placing them elegantly back on Karin's head, smirk widening when the strands revealed two of their own strands. _It's bad enough that I have to teach at the academy, I'm not entirely sure if I should._

_I think it'd be nice if more people knew more about seals_, Karin smiled, letting her mother braid her side-burns with the long strands, knowing her mother had a thing for braids. _Then we wouldn't be so alone and our family style wouldn't die out_

_True__,_ Nira agreed with a sigh, turning to do Karin's other side, _but then people with black hearts could destroy whole countries with the mass of seals that they could paint. I have to make sure that a select group of people can learn without the fear of them going bad. That's why I want to keep it a family thing._

_Could we possibly teach the Haruno family?_ Karin asked, watching her mother's face closely, noting the age lines that were slowly beginning to be revealed with each day that past and the three perfectly white hairs just to the left side of her mother's face. _They're loyal and brave and kind and—_

_I don't mind teaching those sisters of yours__,_ Nira smiled pulling away from Karin with a heavy sigh, _I've met them. They seem honorable enough. They won't stain our clan's memory or our art without a fight._

_That's good__,_ Karin looked down at her hands thoughtfully, her lips pressing together as a new thought swirled in her head. _Mom... is it possible for you to come up with a selection processes at the academy? For people to enter your class I mean..._

_Don't worry to much about that__,_ Nira smiled rising to her feet and holding her hand out expectantly to Karin, _Lord Hokage has assured me that I'm only going to teach his most loyal of shinobi before I bother with the academy._

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

_BOOM_

The ground trembled, the air rumbled, the birds scattered, the standing sat down, the sitting stiffened

Hiruzen moved to the edge of his seat to get a better view of the arena below, curious as to what his 'student' did that could create such an utter silence. He found that Dosu had managed to use a last minute substitution, the bark of the log was seared and blackened like it was bacon, which meant that he was hiding somewhere out of sight.

"This fight is better then I was expecting," the Kazekage drawled lazily, "She sure dose like her explosives."

"Thank you sensei," 'Sakura' whispered softly, not intending for anyone to hear her

"You're welcome," 'Shikaku' whispered, his voice sounding as if he couldn't help himself. The Kazekage's eyes snapped over to him, as if he was startled that Shikaku might have had a minor influence on Sakura's training. Hiruzen just ignored the playful banter going on either side of himself, he knew that both shinobi were purposefully ignoring the Kazekage and speaking in a way that would irritate most Jonins.

"How much chakra dose your clone have?" the Kazekage asked, turning his dark eyes onto the pinkette beside him

"Ne~ sensei after this is over you wanna get some Dango with me?" 'Sakura' asked, purposefully ignoring the Kazekage, which made the man's brow tick twice

"Ah, Sakura-chan it isn't nice to ignore your elders," Hiruzen replied, sitting back and watching the arena as Sakura burst out of a tree with Dosu close behind her. They fought in Taijutsu for a moment, Sakura quickly covering her ears with her own chakra to protect them from Dosu's attacks, before another clone burst out of hiding in a spectacular show of explosions and flying dirt.

"Sorry lord Hokage," 'Sakura' grinned cheekily at him, "Would you like to join us for Dango?"

"I don't see why I can't," Hiruzen chuckled, not quite what he meant but he could admit that seeing the Kazekage's brow twitching was a little amusing to watch. While the new Sakura engaged Dosu in a showy Taijutsu form that looked more like a spinning ballet on Sakura's side, the first clone moved towards the tree the new clone had burst from and lifted the large branch that had fallen over during the explosion. She then lifted it and... and threw it at Dosu.

"You have anger management issues," 'Shikaku' drawled lazily, watching said branch crash into Dosu and the clone, making the later puff out of existence

"He had it coming," 'Sakura' shrugged carelessly; "there's no need for name calling." Hiruzen couldn't stifle his chuckle; he was young once, he could guess at least some of the names the young man had thrown at her. Hiruzen watched as Dosu slowly pulled himself back up; shaking his head as if he couldn't belief that Sakura had actually thrown a branch at him. Again, Dosu jumped to avoid a startling strong kick from a third Sakura clone, actually managing to land on the second and dispelling it in the processes. From there the first clone and Dosu engaged in several kunai-to-kunai forms before clone three through another bomb at him, Dosu dodged cursing when the first clone took the rigged kunai and through it again at him.

_Damn!_ Dosu quickly substituted and took cover behind a tree at the edge of the arena; they were going on ten minutes in this fight, by far the longest yet. He had learned that at some point or another, Sakura had made her 'illusion clones' into 'real clones'; how she managed that he had yet to figure out. Dosu quickly ran out from behind his 'shield' when a rigged kunai landed between his knees, nearly pinning the lose gray material he was wearing. Using the force of the explosion, Dosu sent out a loud concussion to force back everything from his potion, knowing that at this point that Sakura would've tried to attack right after the explosion. True to his thoughts, Dosu had caught three bright gray puffs of smoke from the three 'Sakura's' who had tried to ambush him at the same time.

_Heh,_ Dosu straightened, turning around himself carefully, noting how every tree was broken in half, every bush was up rooted and how the walls themselves had a single large, perfectly round ring of a crack that threatened to break straight through. A single, nearly perfect three foot wide crack swept through the entire wall surrounding the arena; looking like the inside of a large ring made from spider webs and dust. Just over five feet behind him was a curled up black ball, he recognized the black cloak the pinkette was wearing, not that he really needed too. he could see that her long cheery locks had came und done from her flat hair piece to keep it tight to her head, spilling out around her shoulders and ground like a lazy river. There were several broken pins surround her head from what he guessed to be her hairpieces, her pearly white hands were curled around her head and fisting into her hair like white-iron clasps, nearly drawing blood. He could hear her teeth grinding and the low whine she tried desperately to keep hidden as she curled up on herself, trying desperately to ride out the vertigo of his massive concussion.

_About damn time_, Dosu thought sliding out of his slight stance to regard Sakura carefully, knowing that it wasn't the first time he had hit her with the concession or how fast she had managed to heal herself. If he wanted to win this match and make sure that she stayed out of his way (and the following invasion) then he had to kill her and he had to kill her _now_ before the proctor stopped him. He burst forward with a drawn kunai; if the proctor tried to stop him then he'll need to strike his armband as soon as possible, sending out a wave strong enough to kill Sakura but not himself.

_Time to end this!_ His eyes glinted darkly as he moved to bring his armband down near Sakura but not close enough to actually hit her, his chakra flaring out of his armband like a rocket, aiming straight for Sakura's defenseless ears.

"Got ya!" his eye widened as his world turned slightly to see a glowing, elongated kunai blade inch ever closer to his face, he reflexively jerked his arm back, cutting his jutsu short and protecting his only good eye from the attack. He felt the kunai hit his armband, resist it for a fraction of a second before the metals proved which was stronger—blood splattered his vision and he felt more then saw his arm detach itself from his body. He twisted to face her fully; his good arm out stretched towards her with fingers spread wide, his chakra burst out of his skin and poring blood like a rocket bomb. It burst out of him, slammed through her with enough force to send her flying, slamming into the arena wall, breaking through it and into the hall beyond. His chakra though kept moving, rocketing through the air with a furious howl, slamming into the stonewalls and shattering them like glass, revealing the halls and rooms beyond, showing that the concussion had continued further to damage those walls as well.

With a loud curse Genma counted to ten before he dared to jump back into the arena, several other Jonin's were already moving forward to brace the walls of the arena, earthen jutsu flinging up to keep the walls (and ultimately the arena) from collapsing. He examined Dosu first, his chakra signature faint to the young Jonin's senses, his blood flowing from his right arm like an endless river, staining the ground and threatening the older boy's life. His eyes narrowing slightly, Genma turned on his heal and moved to the wall where Sakura had been thrown through. He stopped at the edge, looking in through the large hole, seeing that Sakura had gone through the arena wall like it was nothing and half way through the next wall, her body was encased in the thick cement like it was a tight coffin. Blood dribbled down her nose and mouth, her eyes glaring up at him through her hair defiantly, looking like liquid emerald in a sea of strawberry waves.

"What the? Do you have nine lives or something?" unknown to Genma at that point in time, Sakura would forever hold the title of 'Nine lives spring', unintentionally given to her by Genma himself.

"N-No~ot-t d-d—"

"Oh yes you are," Genma said pushing himself through the tight hole in the wall when Sakura pushed herself out of her own dent, "You need to go to the hospital, like _now!_"

"N-Not yet" Sakura gasped, bracing herself against the wall before pushing herself forward, ignoring Genma's attempt to take hold of her and force her to the ground so he could administer first aid.

"Now listen here!" Genma grabbed Sakura's arm, forcing her to stop her stumbling and to look at him, he instantly regretted making the pinkette focus on him. her hair was in a bloody mess, tangles formed with glittering pins, her bangs were like dust covered sheets of thread that coated over her eyes and face with a haunting layer of grime. Her eyes were like Tayuya's watcher-nightmare genjutsu that she some times used to make her enemies paranoid and exhibit paranoia behavior, her too calm, nearly completely blank expression reminded Genma of a time when he had accidentally insulted Fubuki on her lack of ability to track. The insult resulted in him landing in the hospital for a month, their target dead, an obliterated enemy squadron, a completely annihilated thug army and her very real threat to castrate him should he ever say those words to her face _ever_ again.

Right at the moment, as Sakura stared up at him through her hair, her eyes still looking like green flames, he knew just who her sisters were because at that moment, Genma swore that both of Sakura's sisters were staring up at him with the same defiant look.

Seeing that Genma wasn't going to restrain her further, Sakura turned back to the hole in the wall and clambered her way though, struggling to keep herself up once she reached the other side. She leaned against the broken wall, panting heavily. Slowly counting to ten, Sakura moved again, ignoring the Jonin who surrounded her, trying desperately to repair the wall before the whole place collapsed. Some of the Jonin stopped their ministrations, turning in their work to watch in baffled silence as Sakura slowly moved herself forward, just close enough to Dosu to look down on him and not fear of being attacked by him. Still panting harshly, Sakura examined Dosu closely before she let herself fall back words, landing on her rear with an odd amount of grace, as if she fell down like that a thousand times before and had simply acquired a grace even as she fell.

"Heh," Sakura chuckled letting her knees come together in front of her as she leaned back on both arms, one eye closing as she panted harshly. "S-sorry... wha-what was th-that a-bout... g-going e-eas~y?" Sakura asked, remembering what Dosu had said when he found out that he was going to go against her for the final round. "Told you... n-not to... not to... under... under...es-ti...estimate... m-me..." Sakura panted, raising one wrist to whip tiredly at her brow, whipping away the sweat threatening to enter her eyes.

_Then_ she puffed out of existence

"What the hell?!" Genma watched as the audience moved into an uproar, their voices ringing together in one massive sound of confusion, he didn't bother to watch them or even to listen to them. he found himself turning to stare dumbly down at the child who now sat against the wall panting just as heavily as she was out in the arena.

"Heh, She... she better th-thank me," Sakura panted, turning to smirk up at Genma, "I couldn't... couldn't l-let them think that I... that I really... we-went th-through a-a wall."

"Sakura!" Genma looked up at the worried voice, nodding politely at the rushing pinkette moving almost blindingly fast toward them

"Eh, Fu-nee," Sakura waved lazily, "We good out... out s-side?"

"Yes you damned buffoon!" Fubuki snapped, sliding to a halt and slamming her green glowing palms against Sakura's chest, Genma glanced outside and saw that many of the audience members were pointing out towards the Kage box, as if they just realized who all sat there.

_Oh, right!_ He remembered watching Sakura move with Shikaku and the Hokage towards the hall for the boxes, barely even glancing at the other contestants before she followed the two grown men. About five minutes later she was in the contestant box leaning against the left side of the wall with crossed arms, ignoring everyone else with her and keeping her black hood up for some strange reason. Well, he knew what that reason was now.

"Tayuya is doing just fine," Fubuki sighed, letting two medics pull Sakura away from the wall and lay her out on a stretcher beside her, "Her transformation hasn't dropped yet."

_So Tayuya and Sakura switched places eh?_ Genma thought with a smirk, watching the two sisters move down the hall while he pulled himself out of the hole with an amused shake of his head. Moving to the center of the arena, Genma waited for the medics to stabilize and remove Dosu before he made his decision public. Once glance up at the Kage box, a nod from Hiruzen and a smirk from 'Sakura', solidified his decision.

"Sakura Haruno of leaf has won this round!" complete stunned silence answered his declaration, _however, because of her wounds she'll be out for the rest of the exam...well, maybe_...

Fubuki could work some magic if she wanted to, Sakura just might make it out of the round yet

_Heh, the Haruno sisters eh?_ Genma glanced back at the hole in the wall, "Defiantly nine lives."

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"Damn she's gotten stronger," Sasuke grumbled from where he hid beside Kakashi and Itachi; his face a little pale. "Never seen her throw a tree before," to Sasuke, Sakura didn't take up a fallen branch and throw it at Dosu, She threw a _tree_ at Dosu; He considered that branch to be too big to be anything less then a tree.

"That was Tsunade Senju's technique," Itachi grumbled turning to glare at Kakashi as if he was at fault for Sakura's insane strength

"Don't look at me, I didn't teach her it," Kakashi answered Itachi's accusatory look, both turned when they heard Sasuke's snort

"What?" Sasuke asked looking at them with a smirk, amusement dancing in his dark eyes

"You know something about her strength Ototo," Itachi accused him

"Why didn't you tell me?" Kakashi asked, not liking being out of the loop

"She used it on you _during_ the bell test," Sasuke said as if Kakashi lost his mind, "she used it again in the wave mission on the bridge and again when we went to the academy for the first round of the chunin exams." Kakashi's thoughtful expression was apparently lost on Sasuke because he continued on words, "And she's been throwing those punches since we were _kids_," he shot Itachi an exasperated look, as if he thought the older boy had known about it the entire time "there's a reason me and Naruto don't insult her and avoid her wrath for as long as possible."

"She didn't crack the earth in the bell test," Kakashi said defensively, "And I couldn't see her fighting in wave because I was dealing with my own Nuke-Nin and I wasn't there when you first entered the academy."

"Didn't you read about it in her file?" Sasuke questioned with a frown at Kakashi, "Now that I think about it, didn't you read any of our—"

"Sasuke Uchiha is now—"

_Saved by the bell_, Kakashi thought, snatching hold of Sasuke and transferring them both into the arena with a swirl of leafs. "Hello Genma, we aren't too late are we?"

"Massively," Genma answered bluntly with a smirk twisting around his wooden senbon that he liked to chew on. "We postponed for you _twice_, just so you know."

"Really?" Kakashi asked smiling and scratching the back of his head nervously

"Yeah we made you the last round and just now gave you an extra ten minutes to show up." Genma explained, his eyes dropping to look down at a disgruntled looking Sasuke, "you have one hell-of-a teammate by the way."

"I know" Sasuke grumbled, glaring irritably up at Kakashi, "I grew up with both of them."

"Huh, so you know when she developed that strength right?" Genma asked, Sasuke looked up at the smirking pinkette standing beside the Hokage, her eyes seemed to be just a little to pale but that might be his imagination, he hasn't seen her for a month after all.

"She's always had that insane strength," Sasuke replied, staring dully at Genma before dropping his eyes to look pointedly at mostly repaired wall of the arena caused by Dosu along with the hundreds of scorch marks, dents, and the hole Sakura's body made when she went sailing.

"Sasuke Uchiha I heard that!" Sakura shouted waving a threatening fist at him, leaning over the Kage box wall, "Do you want me to come down there and show you just what 'insane strength' is?!"

"Shut up and stay up there!" Sasuke snapped, eyes narrowing into a fierce glare, not noticing when Kakashi waved at Genma and disappeared from sight

"Then start your damn match!" Sakura shot back with bright, dancing eyes

"Don't tell me what to do!" Sasuke growled up at her

"Are you both ready?" Genma asked with a smile, trying and failing to hide his amusement

"Huh? Oh yeah I'm ready," Sasuke said turning to look at Gaara, who he hadn't noticed was standing there.

"Ready? Set, GO!" Just like with Sakura's and Karin's match Genma jumped out of the arena. Gaara didn't bother moving as a stream of sand burst from his guard and chased Sasuke as he jumped back out of range. Gaara watched as Sasuke dodged and swiped out with a kunai at every strand that got too close to him, eventually Sasuke got too close and Gaara made a sand clone. Sasuke dodged it's kick and slammed his forearm into the clone's neck, smirking when it started to disfigure but he quickly saw that it was only going to crush his arm so he palm strike the head and it turned into a pile of sand again. Sasuke dodged it's lunge by running straight for Gaara, smirk in place and fists held out at the ready. Gaara didn't move as he raised his defense higher in the air, he didn't realize that he moved it high enough for Sasuke to fit beneath the circling sand. Eyes narrowing as Sasuke got ever close to him; Gaara watched passively as his sand arced around Sasuke, who stopped his advance to retreat.

"Throw a bomb already!" Naruto shouted as Sasuke retreated out of range, "Pull a Sakura already!"

"You're more of a distraction then a help!" Sasuke snapped as he dodged another swipe and tried again to get in close Gaara.

"You already tried that!" Naruto whined

"Shut up!" Sasuke jumped and threw a kunai, landing he jumped again to dodge another grasping sand pile. He smirked when his rigged kunai exploded, sending shrapnel further into the sand till it nearly touched Gaara. Smirk growing, Sasuke repeated the exercise until he saw that the sand was all moved to prepare for the following explosion. He threw another kunai with two paper tags instead of one, and quickly hurried to Gaara's other side, when the blast sounded and it was stronger then he expected, Sasuke swept forward and landed a strong punch to Gaara's face, knocking him towards the blast.

"About time!" Naruto snickered

"Are you kidding me?" Temari asked looking at the blond like he had two heads, "Didn't you see what happened when that Lee-kid hit Gaara?"

"Nope," Naruto snickered with a smile, "I was busy watching Sakura-chan prepare Hinata-chan for her fight."

"That worked out well," Kankuro grumbled, remembering the last fight of the prelims, "The girl landed herself in the hospital."

"Actually she would have landed herself in there sooner and for longer if Sakura-chan hadn't made those knifes for her" Naruto replied, his smile not lessoning as he watched the fight below them. "Neji had always been stronger with the Hyūga style then Hinata, that's just how it's always been." Temari stared dully at Naruto before she sighed and returned to watching the fight again. Watching Sasuke and Gaara play cat and mouse for ten minutes was actually pretty boring—right up until Gaara summoned his Sand to form a perfect sphere around him.

"Sh*t" Temari cursed at the sight below her, her eyes widening when she saw Sasuke turn on his heal and run to the nearest wall then straight up it. Naruto sighed in boredom as Sasuke kneeled close to the top of the wall and formed a few hand signs, he straightened when he heard what sounded like a thousand chirping birds while a haunting blue-ish light took over Sasuke's right hand.

"What the hell?!" Kankuro questioned loudly watching Sasuke charge down the wall, leaving a deep gash in the stone while he was at it, and hit the ground with a loud bang. He then took off like a bullet towards the sand incased red head, dodging the spikes sharpened on him while he thrust his hand through the sand shield. It wasn't long before a scream echoed around the arena, it was so loud that even Sasuke had to jump away from the sand sphere and retreat to a safer distance.

_Ka~BOOM_

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><p>…<p>

**I finally got to the invasion arc **

**How'd this one go?**

**The following chapters had been delayed for this chunin arc because of all the massive editing that I did to spare Haku (You had damn well better like it otherwise I just might rip out my own hair) but I think the story actually ended better with his existence then with out it **

**Oh my... I just realized something very important...**

**I have no Suigetsu in this chapter or in the last two...**

**I'd promise to have more of him in the next one... but I don't... maybe I'll fix that later but as right now, I'm tiered. So I'm not going to do anything about it until later**

**Do you have anything specific you wanna see in the next few chapters?**

**It's gonna take a while to update because I no longer have anything in advance anymore, I just finished this chapter and I still only have up to 44 chapters (I just finished the 44****th **_**today**_** so that should be a hint about how long it's going to take to keep the chapters coming up, some might be shorter then others.)**

**(This one ended at 20 even, the rest is all note writing)**

**Thoughts are helpful**

**Opinions are wonderful**

**Helpful criticism****is**** lovely! Just don't cripple me okay?**

**Please no cursing!**

**And don't forget to**** rate and**** review!**

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><p><strong>Oh yeah! Here're the Votes!<strong>

**Girl—boy vote number (#)—boy #—boy #—boy # (just a name means they've been voted for once)**

**(For OPBBY, I might do a spoof or something in the war arc, if I actually manage to get there without going insane)**

**Sakura— Gaara 11 (with OPBBY—Over Protective Big Brother Yagura—4) —Haku 2—Itachi 5—Sasuke**

**Fubuki— Haku 3—Shisui 5**

**Tayuya— Itachi 4—Neji—Shikamaru—Kiba 2**

**Karin— Suigetsu 7—Gaara—Sasuke**

**Hinata— Naruto 6—Kiba 2**

**Ino— Sai 5—Kiba—Chōji 2**

**Tenten— Neji—Kankuro 4—Sasuke 2**

**Temari— Shikamaru 6—Itachi**

**Mei— Zabuza 2 (practically finalized, properly shouldn't have made it optional... oh wait, I wanted to know who else could be with Mei!)**

**Page 23**


	42. Chapter 42

**I'm sorry, I hadn't meant to update this last week**

**I've added some scenes and did a few grammar updates**

**There is a reason**

Chapter 42: Protecting everything

Koomahana

**Fubuki was 10 when she met Sakura & 11 when she was taken to the leaf village**

**Tayuya was 8 when she met Sakura & 9 when she was taken to the leaf village**

**Sakura was 3 when she was taken and returned to the leaf village**

**Yagura was 20 when he first met Sakura and 21 when he returned to his body.**

**Yagura is 17 years older then Sakura**

**Fubuki is 7 years older than Sakura and 2 years older then Tayuya**

**Tayuya is 5 years older than Sakura**

**Fubuki was a genin at 12, Chunin at 14 and Jonin at 16**

**Tayuya was a genin at 12, Chunin at 13 ½ and Jonin at 16**

**They are now:**

**Yagura is now 29 years old—Mizukage**

**Fubuki is now 19 years old—Jonin for three years (Same age as Shisui—Anbu—and Shikan—Jonin)**

**Tayuya is now 17 years old—Jonin for one year (Same age as Itachi—Anbu—and Hana—Jonin and Kimimaro—Chunin)**

**Sakura is now 12 years old—Genin (Same age as Naruto, Sasuke, Karin, Suigetsu and Haku)**

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

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><p>…<p>

"She should be okay now," Fubuki sighed, straightening. Karin sighed in relief, cradling her still bleeding forearm close to her chest, her crimson eyes still staring down at Sakura like watery pools.

"I told you I was fine," Sakura sighed, her voice a whisper against her pale lips, turning to give Karin a slightly irritated look, "I told you not to make me do that innless I was at death's door."

"I know," Karin sniffed with a wobbly smile, "But I got scared when you coughed up blood."

"And you had every right to be," Fubuki replied turning to give Sakura a pointed glare when the pinkette tried to lift herself up, "you had ruptured organs and a lot of internal bleeding because of that boy." Fubuki informed Sakura, nodding her head approvingly when Sakura lay back down. "You should be thanking Karin, not scolding her."

"I wasn't scolding," Sakura rolled her eyes, "I was just saying that I wasn't at death's door."

"In ten minutes you would've been," Fubuki hissed at her with a glare, "She saved your butt! Thank her!"

"Thank you Karin," Sakura smiled at the red head, "Now go rest, you should be resting for the next round."

"But—"

"Don't bother arguing with her," Fubuki sighed, crossing her arms, "She's about as stubborn as one can get!"

_Pooff_

Fubuki puffed out of existence, leaving both girls to stare dumbly at the space she once stood

"Come on! Let's explore!" Sakura said excitedly, flying to her feet and spinning to grab her black cloak

"But you just got healed!" Karin said watching Sakura fling her cloak back on, covering her pretty crimson kimono dress with the long bell sleeves and tight black shorts that hid everything essential. "You shouldn't—"

"Oh come on," Sakura rolled her eyes and held a hand out to Karin, her excitement was like a drug, already having an effect on the red head. "Let's explore! What harm could happen?"

_BOO—OM_

The walls trembled, the lights swung or broke, Karin screamed launching herself towards Sakura with her chains bursting out to protect them; Sakura jumped forward and dragged both of them to the floor, covering Karin with her body as she did so, ignoring the glowing chains. The following concussion actually made a piece of the roof fall nearby, the walls cracked dangerously, threatening to cave in.

"Run!" Sakura ordered, grabbing Karin by the arm and hauling her up to her feet, dragging the girl out the door just in time to avoid the ceiling collapsing on top of them.

"Sakura-chan!" Karin shouted in a blind panic, running with her 'sister' as fast as she could, her chains moving to cover their heads protectively.

"Keep running!" Sakura screamed, not looking back at her as she dragged them out of the trembling and threatening hall that was supposed to be secure. "Don't stop! Keep moving!"

"What's going on?!" Karin asked, her speed picking up as she caught sight of a bright white light at the end of the cracking hall

"I don't know!" Sakura answered, throwing Karin through the opening before following after her with a shout and burst of speed, the hall way burst out and collapsed on itself. Coughing Karin and Sakura struggled to lift themselves back up, eyes widening at the sight surrounding them.

The arena was a mess

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><p>…<p>

_BOOM_

Hiruzen stiffened as a smoke bomb went off beside him, he heard a soft voice whisper and then a shout in a deep voice: "Now!" Then he found someone gripping his shoulders and _throwing_ him out of the Kage box. Hiruzen gritted his teeth in annoyance as he flipped mid air, intending to land in the stands with his shinobi but he ended up getting hit mid air.

"Got ya'!" it was the familiar voice that kept Hiruzen from killing poor Fubuki as she created her famous floating ice pad beneath him. Even from the height he was at, Hiruzen could see bright glowing golden chains arcing out around the arena, collecting everyone knocked out and putting them all in a giant golden glowing bowl.

"Sorry about that Lord Hokage but both Anko and Tayuya had a bad feeling about today so we planned to stay close to you all day." Fubuki explained with a smile as her platform rose high into the air, settling high above the arena. Looking down, and trying not to be sick by the sight, Hiruzen watched as the Kazekage grabbed the 'Hokage' and forced him up to the roof with 'Shikaku' close behind them.

"So, who's who?" Hiruzen asked watching the Kazekage and 'Hokage' exchange a few words; he recognized 'Sakura' and 'Shikaku's' chakra signatures but the chakra signatures were so small he couldn't put a name to them. He only knew that they were allies because they had pleasant rhythms.

"Tayuya is Sakura... so that means—" Fubuki's voice was cut off with a gasp as she watched the Kazekage tear his face away to reveal Orochimaru. Hiruzen gritted his teeth in annoyance, knowing that Fubuki would simply catch him if he tried to jump over the landing. It wasn't long before Orochimaru and the 'Hokage' separated, 'Shikaku' hurrying to the 'Hokage's' side as a shield went up and trapped them. Hiruzen paled when he felt the landing tip and he began to fall, looking up (down?) at his feet, he saw that a portion of Fubuki's floating landing had gotten caught in the barrier jutsu. Fubuki cursed loudly as her floating landing fell apart and she and Hiruzen were both sent tumbling to the roof of the building they had been floating over, which caught Orochimaru's attention.

"Fooled ya'!" 'Shikaku' and 'Hiruzen' chimed in feminine voices, smoke enveloped their persons and Kunai came flying out at Orochimaru.

"Ah my student and my experiment, nice to see you both again," Orochimaru said sarcastically as he blocked the thrown weapons and watched Hiruzen fall thoughtfully. He grinned when he saw Fubuki form a few hand signs and summoned water to her body, creating that famous ice armor and wings she developed when she was fourteen. Spinning mid air, Fubuki snatched Hiruzen up and sailed in a near perfect arc away from Orochimaru to stop mid air behind Tayuya and Anko; her large butterfly wings flapping like a humming bird's.

"Well it looks like I get to fight the famous Spring duo!" Orochimaru cackled, smiling when his four little helpers put barriers out on the inside to protect themselves; just in time too because his east and north gates nearly got impaled by a few senbon—curtsy of Fubuki.

"You're forgetting about lord Hokage and your own apprentice!" Tayuya snapped, lowering herself into a battle stance with a flute in hand while Anko stood in front of her with kunai held at the ready. It was hardly the first time the two fought together, they were a near perfect team, Tayuya covering Anko's weaknesses with genjutsu and Anko covering Tayuya's lack of physical fight with her own ninjutsu which was of course always accompanied and influenced by Tayuya's specialty.

"Now, now girls, is that anyway to talk to me?" Orochimaru asked, forming a hand sign; Both Tayuya and Anko screamed out in pain, collapsing to the roof and clutching at their marks in pain. "You both need to work on your manners."

"Bastard!" Fubuki shouted flapping her wings and sending a wave of ice senbon at Orochimaru, "Don't touch my sister!"

"Technically I didn't," Orochimaru smirked and easily dodged the wave of senbon, releasing his hold on the two girls as he did so

"So go die!" Fubuki hissed, throwing out another massive wave of ice Senbon from her wings and the air behind Orochimaru

"Hmm, this isn't going according to plan," Orochimaru mused as he dodged and watched Tayuya and Anko rise with trembling bodies, their marks threatening to come to life. _I suppose I can use that to my advantage_...

…

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><p>…<p>

"Karin," Sakura said turning in her position to block a few thrown shuriken, "Get the civilians out of here!"

"What about you?!" Karin asked using her chains to protect them, kill two Sound Nin and protect three knocked out civilians all in the same move.

"I'll find my sensei," Sakura answered rising to her feet and throwing a bomb at a pillar, making that section of the roof collapse and take out a team of Nin turning to assess them. "You're the only one that I can see who can protect the civilians easily and quickly, please—"

"Don't you dare say _your_ village," Karin hissed, already collecting several knocked out civilians, "In a few weeks time this will be my village too!"

"Then get going!" Sakura shouted with a smirk, bursting forward with both of her special kunai held at the ready, "protect our home!"

"Ch, like you have to ask," Karin's eyes glinted as she moved, collecting the immobile with ease, a woman with the same crimson eyes as her own soon joined her in helping the civilians and to vouch for her incase anyone tried to attack her (She was 'from' mist after all).

_Sakura-chan,_ Karin thought, keen eyes sweeping through the arena as her chains coated the floor before lifting up with a harsh jerking motion, lifting every immobile body into a protective cocoon created from her chains. _We're family now... so I won't give up!_

"Alright red!" a chunin grinned at her, brown eyes dancing as he hurried towards her, "how many can you carry? Need any help?"

"I can carry this whole stadium if I have too," Karin panted, eyes dark as she sent out her chains again, sweeping out to grab more bodies, ignoring the surprised look of the young man. "Where do I take them?"

"Huh?" the chunin asked in surprise

"Where are the safe houses?!" Karin asked rounding an irated glare onto the man, "There must be a place for you to take the civilians incase of an invasion! Where is it?!"

"I'll direct you," the red-eyed Jonin replied, returning to her side with sharp eyes watching their surroundings wirily, "but we have to hurry. I'll have to conceal those chains of yours..."

"I have a better idea," Karin sighed, jerking off a green jacket from a dead chunin nearby, she used his blood and some of her own to create a rapid seal, it glowed a bright gold before it faded into black ink, waiting to be used. "You have ten minutes to get this to the safe house," Karin said tossing the jacket and her black bracelet at the red-eyed woman, blocking an attack and lifting more unconscious civilians into the air almost in the same move. "When you do, put your chakra into that bracelet, I'll send your civilians to you instantly."

"How do you plan to do that?" the woman asked in confusion

"That's a teleportation seal," Karin replied with a raised eyebrow, "It'll grow to about three times its current size so when you set the jacket in place make sure to be out of the way before you put your chakra in that bracelet." The woman looked down at the bracelet in confusion, sighing Karin lifted her left arm, showing it's twin, "They're matching bracelets, if you do what I ask I'll know that the jacket is in a safe place and I'll send the civilians I've collected through."

"How do you know I'm not an enemy?" the woman asked

"How do you know I'm an ally?" Karin shot back, keen eyes locking on a bright haired kunochi dressed in a hospital dress laying on the ground beside a large auburn haired boy. "I know you're the teacher of team eight: Hinata Hyūga, Kiba Inuzuka and Shino Aburame. I know because I saw you last month in the prelims." Karin paused in her collecting for a breath of a moment, sharp ruby eyes locking onto the woman, a smirk twisting her lips, "Plus Tayuya-nee told me all about you, Ms. Kurenai Yuhi." the woman blinked, nodded curtly and disappeared from sight.

"Alright Chunin-san," Karin's eyes swept back to examine the civilians she had gathered, sending out another chain to round the edges so that her chains had formed a large bowl full of people, "Cover me!" another string of chains erupted out of Karin's back, moving along the floor like snakes on speed, before they moved up, killed another enemy ninja and lifted the civilians between them into the air and slid them into the chain bowl protectively. It wasn't long before other Chunin's were moving to place more civilians and anyone else knocked out or wounded into Karin's chains. Just as her chain bowl needed to be supported for the immense weight it was carrying, Karin felt her black bracelet flare with a foreign chakra signature, one that reminded her of the red-eyed woman she met with.

"About time!" Karin huffed, jumping back to her chain bowl, let one of her still free chains sweep out and _remove_ the empty seats in her way, slammed her hand on the ground and promptly dumped out her chain bowl into the glowing seal that flared to life. The nearby chunin nearly had a heart attack at the sight of her careless behavior, until they saw that none of the civilians got within a foot of the seal before they disappeared from sight.

"Wha-what did you just do?" one of the chunin asked, moving to approach Karin wirily

"I had Kurenai Yuhi take the matching seal I made earlier and take it to the safe houses you guys have," Karin answered, "Since it would be more work to run back and forth, I figured a transportation seal would be easier." Karin stretched her shoulders when the last civilian went through the seal and her chains eagerly returned to her back. "She was supposed to do it under ten minutes..." Karin glanced up at the Kage box, eyes narrowing slightly at the large violet rectangle shield, "She must have gotten delayed..."

The arena was cleared of all by-standards...

What was she supposed to do now? Check out the seal?

"Uzumaki-san!" Karin turned at the shout, several panicked looking medics were rushing towards her, a few of the chunin moved closer just for safety sakes, "Uzumaki-san!"

"Quite your shouting and tell me what you want!" Karin snapped with narrowed eyes, _Damn it mom! You just came out in me!_ Karin swore laughter sounded in the back of her mind, she knew Nira had a sadistic side to her and that current she was running around the village trying to protect it while Jiraya went to the wall but that didn't mean she meant for the older woman to hear her.

"Uzumaki-san," one of the medics repeated himself, sliding to a stop and panting

"Stop saying my name and speak up!" Karin growled, mental-ing cursing Nira for her short temper that apparently rubbed off on her

"C-can you make any healing seals?!" the medic asked, blinking rapidly at her and taking a step back as if startled, "We're short on medics..."

Karin's face pinched up for a moment, her eyes misting over in thought, _Mom?_

_There are a few but they're not so much healing as they are delaying_

"There are some I can use," Karin answered shifting to regard the grown man fully, "But be warned, seals aren't magic and they don't work miracles. All seals fade and die with time."

_That's my girl_

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><p>…<p>

They panted and struggled together to move from building to building, clearing each out and covering the slower civilians until they were out of sight or when back up arrived. They did a great more deal of hiding then they did fighting or covering, only doing so when they felt a signature moving in too close to them. The few sound Nin they came across didn't know who they were and seeing that one of them too injured half the time they mostly moved on, deeming them not worth their time. The few higher ranked Jonin Sound shinobi must have been in more important places of the village or working at the harder fronts that would require more skilled shinobi.

The invasion was the perfect time to escape

Sadly they needed to find a certain genin before they ran full tilt out of the village

"Kabuto?" Takao called, catching his teammate and quickly ducking behind a building, his hands already flaring green to check for any injuries, "Where dose it hurt?"

"We don't have much time Takao, save your energy," Kabuto panted, body trembling as he rested against the wall, "I have to find Yao."

"_We_ have to find Yao," Takao corrected, lips pursing as he found a cracked rib that needed tending, "You know full well that I'll stand by your choice regarding him."

Kabuto just gave him with a calculating look, Takao wasn't sure if it was a good look or not but he hoped that Kabuto would let him fight beside him anyways

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><p>…<p>

She growled as she slammed a one hand on a wall and another on the ground, quickly moving out of the way of a wind attack that would've sliced her in half. The seals stilled and faded from view, she smirked and ran on a head, letting her chakra flare hauntingly at her fingertips. She moved gracefully through the invading teams, slipping seals onto the sound and sand shinobi before escaping to a safer distance, the seals activating and all but out right killing the shinobi, sending them into withering pain that knocked them out and suppressed their chakras until even Nira could barely feel the soft beats. Ignoring the cheering from a few leaf shinobi, Nira pressed forward with renewed strength, slapping her fingers against leaf Shinobi's backs, placing protective seals before moving on. She made several large teleportation seals for a few way-word civilians, putting them in the arena where Karin would precede to teleport them into a safer place.

"DIE!" she substituted quickly, moving out of the way just as the ground under her exploded in a massive explosion, taking out three building in the process. She peaked around the corner of her hiding place and found herself staring at a genin team of Sound shinobi, a girl with long black hair that should be illegal for kunochi, a young boy with spiky hair and yellow shirt and...

_Crud, this isn't good_, the third member of the team seemed to be the same teenager from Sakura Haruno's fight; the young sound Nin named Dosu. She observed the team, noting how they were looking both ways, the spiky haired boy was obviously defensive; the girl was carrying Dosu with a face full of worry. Clearly, the young team was trying to escape the village. Though Dosu was missing his right arm, he still had a matching contraption on his left arm, this one seemed to be wrapped more around his palm and fingers then his arm. if she got hit by one of his sound blasts she'd be out for the rest of the fight and then some, plus she didn't know anything about the other two team members, where they just as dangerous?

"Forget red head, let's go!" the kunochi shouted, tugging on Dosu as they both moved further towards the main gates. Nira waited patiently until the boy turned his back on her, she then counted ten of his steps before she substituted again, rushing the young team with the intention of taking them out.

"Got ya!" the boy turned mid step, both hands held out in front of him, showing Nira the metallic holes in his palms, "Sonic boom!"

_Shi—_

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><p>…<p>

"Sakura!" Kakashi called as he caught sight of a bright pink blur sweeping through the stands and knocking out anyone who got too close. He smiled as he saw her kick at one man and placed an explosive tag on another's back before dashing away, using the explosion to propel her closer to him. Kakashi grabbed her out stretched wrist and pulled her close, he swept around in place with a kunai and blocked the sound nin who tried to impale her while she was falling.

"You did good Sakura-chan," Kakashi murmured, as he stood back-to-back with the pinkette, "Now I need you to wake Naruto and Shikamaru and go after Sasuke."

"Good because I was so worried about you ordering us to do something else," Sakura said as she rolled her eyes and blocked a few kunai with her own. "Got any suggestions on how we should get Sasuke? My chakra is too low for me to try and sense" _I shouldn't have used so many solid clones..._

_**You couldn't have known,**_ the whisper soft voice in the back of her mind shifted uneasily, as if sensing that something horribly wrong was coming their way. _**No one could've known...**_ except someone had to have known about it, did they just not report it fast enough?

"Give me a moment," Kakashi grunted killing two Sound nin before they had the chance to get to Sakura. Then he quickly formed a few hand signs and thrust his hands down a nearby civilian's back just as Sakura covered him with an explosive tag to a group of nearby Sound nin who were eyeing them.

"Hello" Sakura froze and turned at the sound of a new voice, "what do you need Kakashi?"

"That's a talking pug," Sakura said bluntly, staring at the brown pup with a twitching brow. She knew about summoning's, Tayuya had a main contract with snakes (Anko) and two minor contacts with crows (Itachi) and wolfs (Hana); Fubuki had a main contract with the royal avian race (basically she could summon any bird that she needed) and a minor with monkey's (She couldn't stop talking about it when Hiruzen offered it to her); her parents didn't have any summoning but her mother's parents had summoning that was supposed to be handed down but the scroll got destroyed when the compound was destroyed in an attack during the third great war when Mebuki was six, so no one knew what kind of summoning Mebuki was supposed to sign and pass down.

"Pakkun this is Sakura," Kakashi said ignoring Sakura's choice of words, knowing that she had simply never met a dog summoning before, "Sakura this is Pakkun, he's my summoning animal. Pakkun I need you to take Sakura to Sasuke, understand?"

"Yup, follow me girly" Sakura reached over, picked the pug by the scruff of his neck, and jumped away from her teacher. "Oi! Put me down girly!" Sakura turned mid-air and through several rigged shiriken at the sound Nin now standing where they had been. Kakashi took advantage of the wires that wrapped around the sound team tightly, the rigged Shiriken imbedding themselves into two members that quickly cut down the other two, leaving Kakashi to knocked out the two caught in the wires.

"Never mind," Pakkun grumbled as Sakura turned and hurried over to where Naruto and Shikamaru were laying. Stooping Sakura put Pakkun down; she rested a hand on both Naruto and Shikamaru, and disrupted their chakra signatures easily. Naruto stirred almost immanently while Shikamaru remained still, Sakura glanced at him and sighed. Pakkun stepped closer to the boy and bit him; it took a second before Shikamaru let out a loud yell and started kicking his leg around to get rid of Pakkun.

"S-Sakura-chan what happen?" Naruto stuttered as he rubbed at his eyes tiredly

"Get down," Sakura hissed throwing Naruto to the ground and covering him protectively, just in time to avoid a kunai that imbed itself into the wall behind them.

"Sakura-chan what's going on?" Naruto asked loudly, his eyes widening when Sakura swept a hand out and threw a kunai at the man who jumped down on them, it hit its mark but didn't stop the man.

"We're under attack!" Kakashi grunted, jumping between them and the sound Nin, he quickly threw the man away with narrowed eyes.

"Sand and Sound are teamed up against Konoha," Sakura explained, getting off Naruto and backing up towards the wall while in a defensive stance, eyes searching her surroundings carefully. "Come on we have to go—" Sakura gasped as a sound nin appeared in front of her, kunai sweeping down low and inches away from her face. Suddenly the man wasn't in front of her, a different Jonin was standing there with his hand on the man's face, grin widening as he pushed the sound Nin through the wall and created a quick exit for them.

"Thank you Gai," Kakashi sighed, glad that Sakura didn't get hurt, "Sakura fill them in on the way."

"Right" Sakura agreed easily, hooking an arm around Naruto and charging out of the arena.

"S-Sakura-chan let me run!"

"Man I was hoping to stay out of it... or at least stay out of it until I wasn't given a choice," Shikamaru grumbled, his eyes ranking over the seats around him, noting how fast Karin was lifting the knocked out and protecting them in a huge chain bowl, and ignoring the pug who now sat behind him. "Ow!" Shikamaru snapped around and was forced to follow Pakkun, as the pug quickly pulled him after Sakura and Naruto.

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><p>…<p>

Fubuki crouched beside Hiruzen, panting harshly as Tayuya and Anko stood beside her, both trembling with exhaustion. Orochimaru used every chance he could to evoke the pain caused by the curse seal, making them collapse every time they got too close to him.

"Fubuki-san!" She glanced at the nearby barrier, staring dumbly at the team of Anbu gathered there. "Can't you use your seals to break the seal surrounding you?"

"Do I look like F $ing Jiraya to you?!" Fubuki shouted irritated, surprising everyone around her, "I master in stitching simple storage seals not barrier seals! Idiot!"

"No need to get hostile" Tayuya chuckled, lifting her flute again pausing to pant softly

"If they don't want my wrath then they should stop acting like children and _do something_!" Fubuki snapped out, waving her hands and creating a watery barrier to block the fire attack shot at them.

"If we touch this thing we'll die," the captain snapped back, gesturing angrily to one of his dead men

"Then don't touch it!" Fubuki snapped, panting and sweating as she trembled against the fire that was making her water steam away, she could only pull so much water out from the air around her, especially since the air around them wasn't being circulated. "Find its weakness and exploit it!"

"The weakness is the casters," the captain snapped out irritated himself, "and they're protected!"

"The roof idiot!" Fubuki shouted summoning water from the air and forming a dragon that arced out at Orochimaru with glowing ember eyes. "Shatter the roof! Destroy the foundations! Do something to off set their balance and lose control of their chakra!"

"You're smart but it won't work!" Orochimaru grinned at her, _They won't bring down an entire building just for you!_

"We don't know if we don't try!" Fubuki snapped summoning a large spandrel spear to cover her right fist; she jumped high and landed with her feet right behind the ice lance, slamming it down on the roof. She honestly didn't know when or where much less _how_ she was ever going to use such a large lance; Fubuki was just glade when her small amount of practice with the technique showed some results.

Kind of...

"You Haruno's look up to Tsunade-Hime, don't you?" Orochimaru asked as he stared at the hole in the roof that was dripping with water; he smirked when Fubuki stumbled back into Hiruzen clutching her bloody and damaged arm with gritted teeth and teary eyes.

"But you're nothing like your little sister," Orochimaru grinned at the girls, laughter dancing in his yellow eyes. "I wonder if she's like you..." Orochimaru trailed off as he stared pointedly at Tayuya, "What do you think of her chances are of surviving the curse mark?"

"Stay away from her!" Tayuya screamed, tears pricking her eyes as she glared hatefully at Orochimaru, one hand reflexively gripping at the back of her neck where her seal pulsated painfully

"Or what little girl?" Orochimaru asked, tilting his head to the side mockingly, "are you going to play a song for me?"

…

"_I said leave or so help me—"_

"_You'll what? Throw your flute at me?" the man asked sarcastically, "look just let me through—" Tayuya growled as the man took a step forward, before he could continue Tayuya started to play her flute and weaved her chakra through it, targeting the strange man specifically._

…

"That's not a half bad idea," Tayuya answered with a smirk, raising the flute and automatically straightening her stance. _Sound style: Demonic dance!_

"Tayuya no!" Fubuki shouted beginning to struggle in Hiruzen's hold, "it's _forbidden_!" but her cry was too late. The wind picked up around Tayuya and swirled around her, lifting her into the air slightly as she continued to play, her eyes trained on Orochimaru, her seal stretching out from her neck to crawl painfully slowly over her body. Hiruzen grunted as he pulled Anko into his arms and jumped into the hole that Fubuki had made, knowing that when Tayuya was in such a state, that no one could handle her. He had to get Fubuki to a medic before she bled out and Anko was inches away from activating her own seal. Unlike with Tayuya, no one really knew what would happen if Anko activated her seal.

Fubuki watched helplessly as Tayuya was left alone with Orochimaru, her song painting demons and monsters on the walls of the barrier that slowly brought them to life. Yes, Tayuya was a powerful genjutsu mistress, her illusions becoming so powerful that they left physical scars on the surroundings that lasted long after their dismissal. The song that Tayuya was playing now wasn't just difficult and taxing but also dangerous for Tayuya herself. For every mark landed on the target is another mark that Tayuya will have to live with for the rest of her life but that wasn't what worried Fubuki so much, that little price wasn't what made that haunting song forbidden.

The longer Tayuya played 'Demonic dance' the shorter her life span became

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

_I don't have much time,_ she hissed lowly, her golden chains slipping down around her like wet thread, her blue eyes glaring at the young sound team furiously. She hated using her chains but she knew she wouldn't have much of a choice with this batch of genin, Dosu used sound blasts to take out his opponents and the boy standing across from her pushed huge amounts of wind out of his palms, that left the girl as the single unknown.

"Zaku! We don't have time to deal with her! Dosu needs help we need to move!" the girl shouted urgently, her hold tightening on Dosu

"Shut it Kin!" Zaku snapped, "Get out of here! I'll stall her!"

"Zaku," Dosu panted, coal eye lifting up tiredly, "We need to move." Zaku's hands clenched, his glare intensifying on Nira; watching how she stiffly rose to her feet again, her chains seemingly weighing her down.

"Move it boy," a low voice growled, Nira's head snapped up to look at the surrounding buildings, eyes narrowing on the dozens of teams surrounding them, "We've got her."

_So not good,_ Nira set her feet, her blue eyes moving to watch her surroundings as the teams moved to cover the genin cell.

"We've been tracking your movements, Kunochi," the captain of the massive squad said as he landed in front of Zaku, blocking her view of the younger boy, "You've put one hell-of-a dent in our forces."

"That's what happens when you attack a shinobi on their home turf," Nira smirked back, her sense flaring to keep track of the shinobi surrounding her.

"Eh~? You're a sensor?" a shinobi far to her left commented with a chuckle, "So, that's how you've been able to go through us so quickly."

"To bad she's on her own," another commented, Nira ground her teeth together, feeling the young cell team move further away from her. "I think she specializes in surprise attacks, doesn't look like she can do much more then that."

"You assuming she can't fight head on?" another asked, barely glancing at the others

"She is hurt pretty bad," a kunochi murmured, eyes clued to Nira's hunched over form, "the Genin's did a good number on her."

"I'm more worried about those chains of hers," the captain commented, glancing at the glowing ropes curiously, "tell me Kunochi-san, how long can you hold them?"

"You seriously think that I'm gonna tell you important info like that?" Nira asked with a raised eyebrow, "How dumb do you think I am?"

"I'm translating that as a 'not long' thing," the kunochi replied, sliding into a low stance with kunai in both hands.

_I'll take you out first,_ Nira glanced at the young woman, deeming her too dangerous to keep alive. Surly the leaf wouldn't mind if she killed a few intruders...

They charged her like a furious swarm of hornets

"You're mistake" Nira smirked, slamming her palms against the ground, "Earth style: a thousand quakes!"

Hell erupted like a volcano around her, their screams smothered by the eruption

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Temari panted as she hurried through the woods, trying desperately to get away from the hidden village and, hopefully, save her little brothers while she was at it. She had already set up multiple traps but by the hair raising on the back of her neck she doubt that it worked.

"Hold it right there!" Temari growled as she stopped with Kankuro, glaring at the panting, red-eyed boy in front of them.

"Kankuro take him and run," Temari ordered releasing her hold on Gaara

"But Te—"

"Now!" Temari ordered swinging her fan at Sasuke, giving Kankuro enough time to sprint around them while she charged towards Sasuke._ I swore!_

"Stay away from him!" Temari roared as she spun and swung a huge gust of wind at Sasuke. _I swore to protect him!_

…

"_Temari, come here love," soft violet eyes smiled as she wobbled a little closer, curious as to what her mother wanted of her._

"_Wha, Mama?" she asked, giggling when her mother lifted her into her lap_

"_Do you think you can make me a promise secret?"_

"_Whas that Mama?" Temari was smart for being a five year old, innocent but smart and her mother took full advantage of Temari's innocence._

"_A Promise Secret is making a promise that you never tell anyone about," she smiled, running her fingers through her daughter's sandy locks._

"_Oh~ I get it!"_

"_That's good" she giggled, turning her daughter so that she could pat her ever-growing stomach. "Now listen to me carefully Temari, Your daddy is going to put a spirit in me but its not going to be for me, do you understand?"_

"_Is it to pro-cet my new brother?" Temari asked, tilting her head at her mother and rubbing a hand on the older woman's stomach, smile brightening when she felt the familiar feel of her new brother's chakra brush against her own curiously._

"_That's right," she giggled, fighting not to cry, knowing that her daughter would remember this day for the rest of her life. "Now this spirit isn't very nice and he can be very mean some times but you do know that what the spirit dose to protect him isn't what your brother is doing, do you understand?"_

"_I think so," Temari said thoughtfully, "Is the spirit wreally strong?"_

"_Yes he is," she giggled, "He's the spirit of the desert, our home. He'll protect your little brother and this village but he has very unorthodox ways of doing it"_

"_Un-orth-a-dex?"_

"_A not so nice way to get something done," she giggle_

"_Oh~... is Shikaku-sama going to be mean to me?" Sometimes she hated how observant and smart her child was_

"_Only if you're mean to him" She reassured sadly, "You see, you have to protect him or he won't trust you and it's very hard to protect someone so strong. Shikaku won't go easy on you because you're a little girl. In fact he'll try his best to make sure you don't come near him, he'll do all kinds of things to keep you away."_

"_But if I'm a friend... then why hurt me?"_

"_Because he's afraid," she answered hugging her child close. "Right now he doesn't know who's a friend and who's not, He's scared and confused and he'll do and say things that he doesn't mean. And Shikaku will do all of it through your little brother, leaving him scared and confused and unsure."_

"_Oh, you want me to pro-cet him" Temari said more in understanding then accusation but that's not how her mother heard it. "Okay, I'll do my best!"_

"_I know you will love, I know"_

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"Save her," Fubuki whispered to the medic tending to her, "Save her..."

"There's already Anbu teams' aiding your sister" the medic tried to smile reassuringly at her

"No," she whispered brokenly, "She's needs a medic, Tayuya needs a medic..."

"She isn't wounded...," the young man mumbled thoughtfully, eyes rising to stare up at the floating kunochi inside the barrier, standing upon the back of a large phoenix while a dragon circled her protectively, other demons and monsters from nightmares long forgotten circled within the barrier. Moving like mist to attack the man inside, their bodies like liquid as they slid passed each other and danced around the few Shinobi who dared to enter the barrier.

"It's the song," Fubuki whispered, staring with flowing tears up at Tayuya who was on the other side of the arena. "The song is shortening her life span... for a every minute that passes is another year taken from her life... you have to save her... please..." the medic cursed as Fubuki fell unconscious, unaware that a nearby Jonin was already making her way to the shield running faster then she ever dared.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

She moved elegantly, dodging the blasts of wind and sound as if they were standing still, her chains covering her blind spots, her seals moving and forming in the air around her, moving the dust like skinless giants thrashing down on the puny ants. Her keen blue eyes swiveled like a wheel around her, her feet moving before her mind could possess the danger, her fingers twisting in blurs, her chains moving like separate entities, smashing and destroying everything around her. Her movements barely seeable through the thick cloud of dust and ruble; the landscape was quickly becoming unrecognizable; the buildings were falling apart in sections of rubble and ash, seemingly moving on their own. The air shimmered and danced hauntingly, illusions of fantasies captured their targets, drawing them into the fray before turning into nightmares and devouring their victim's whole.

She was taking on a platoon of sound and three of Sand

She was fighting alone

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

_I promised_, Temari thought miserably from where she laid on the ground, bruised and battered and she was fairly sure that she might have broken something internally. _I promised Mama..._

"_I know you will love, I know"_

Temari gritted her teeth and struggled to sit up; she's wallowed in her own depression long enough. It's time she kept her promise to her mother, her father couldn't stop her now, not now.

_Never again_, Temari grunted as she used her fan to steady herself, coughing up blood while she was at it. _I'll never listen to that man again!_ Temari grunted and threw her fan high into the air letting it catch a current before she jumped and landed on it, sailing it higher into the air.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Sakura panted as she ran beside Naruto, knowing that Shikamaru had opted to handle their followers, now she was holding Pakkun and running through the forest, trying her best to catch up to Sasuke. Naruto was oddly quiet beside her and Sakura was tempted to say something but nothing was coming to mind, so she opted to run full tilt with Naruto in silence.

"Hold up," Pakkun ordered but Sakura didn't stop, "There's a fight a head of us, we have to go around it."

"Which way?" Sakura questioned, her eyes automatically scanning her surroundings.

"You're left!" Sakura was already ducking and spinning under the branch before the group of Senbon had even gotten close.

"Naruto the ground!" Sakura ordered, the blonde followed without complaint, together they ran beneath the two fighting boys above them; occasionally having to dodge a kunai here and there but that was about it.

"I told you to stop" Pakkun grumbled as they ran on the ground full tilt

"And lose the energy we had working in our favor?" Sakura questioned, not looking down at the pug, "We've already lost some speed, we can't afford to lose anymore. It would have taken us another hour to work up to the speed we're running at now."

"You're leaving your village behind," Pakkun observed

"We're getting our teammate" Sakura replied, it wasn't a suggestion or even a question—it was an order.

"...You can jump into the tree's now, aim for the group to your right" they followed Pakkun's orders without question.

…

"_Hay Sakura-chan, you wanna help me real quick?"_

"_What is it?"_

"_I have to prepare for my chunin exam and I don't have anyone to practice my ninjutsu on."_

"_...do I even have a choice in this?"_

"_Not really" she giggled_

"_..."_

…

_Your secret training hasn't gone to waist, Nee-chan_, Sakura thought as she ran through the trees, unconsciously moving into the higher branches that were more difficult to travel through. Naruto tried to stay with her but had given up when he saw that Sakura was dancing on the high leafs instead of the lower and thicker branches.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

They ducked beneath a half blown up building, suppressing their chakra as they waited for the large patrol to move past

"Kabuto we don't have much time," Takao whispered, "You're all but useless in this fight. Either we figure out how to get ride of those seals on your chest or we get you back into the hospital."

"I can't go back to the hospital," Kabuto panted, whipping at his chin with narrow, thoughtful eyes, "They would've evacuated by now and noticed that my room is empty."

"I understand that," Takao said, peaking out a still intact window to examine the road outside, "But if we can't find Yao by the end of this hour then the fight is going to be over and then we're going to be stuck here. Do you have any plans on what to do? I know you want to kill him, but if we don't do something _we're_ going to end up dead."

"Do you remember his exact words he used when he left us?" Kabuto asked thoughtfully, "It might give us a clue as to where he went first..."

"He said something about essentials," Takao answered, "You know, paper work, food, clothing—"

"Paper work?" Kabuto asked with a frown, looking up at Takao in confusion, "Why would we need paper work if we're going to Sound?" Takao looked down at Kabuto, his brown eyes wide with realization and his face pale with fear, "What is it? what'd you just remember?"

"He said... he said he was going to get enough for all of us," Takao whispered, turning to put his back to the somehow-still-intact wall and slid straight down to the floor, "Get everything we'll need to survive _out there_ by ourselves."

"He wasn't talking about getting things for us," Kabuto breathed as he realized just what Takao was saying and what he had said earlier that day, "He's getting things for _her_."

…

"_Kabuto, Itachi! I want you guys to meet Tsubame!" She laughed shrilly and wrapped her arms around the copper haired girl who slightly older then them, "She's my favorite out of all of my cousins!"_

"_I'm your only cousin!" Tsubame laughed, blue eyes dancing_

"_It's nice to meet you," Itachi smiled softly at the girl, bowing slightly in respect to her_

"_Nice to meet you both," Tsubame smiled, one arm wrapped around Tayuya's waist with her other locked around one of the girl's arms so she could breathe without trouble, "You must be Itachi, the shy one right? So that makes you Kabuto, the silent one, right?"_

"_Seriously Ta-chan?" Itachi asked turning to frown at the pinkette who was still giggling helplessly, "I'm not shy"_

"_And I'm not silent," he sighed, looking at the girls as he shifted his hold on his books_

"_Oh my goodness Tayuya," Tsubame breathed with wide eyes, "for once you where right, he is quiet."_

"_Hay! Did you just say that I'm always wrong?"_

"_Not always just most of the time," Itachi corrected, quickly jumping back as Tayuya launched herself at him with a shout_

…

Kabuto rolled his shoulders and rose to his full height, dark eyes locked onto the other side of the room where the wall was completely blown away. If Yao was planning to get something's for Tsubame and then take her with them, then he was going to make that older boy's life a living hell. Tsubame was important to Tayuya and the older girl knew nothing of shinobi life, she knew they all worked for the military but she didn't know what they did, nor did she ever really need to know.

"Get up Takao," Kabuto ordered, "it just got three times harder to find Yao, five times if he was prepared to take _her_ with us."

"What are we going to do?" Takao asked, rising to his feet and lifting one of Kabuto's arms around his shoulders, taking half of the gray haired boy's weight

"I have some extra things at the house that I'll need to grab," Kabuto replied, "If I had known this sooner we would've went there first but now I do so we better hurry. We won't have much time once we get back there"

"What are you planning?" Takao asked as he helped Kabuto out of the building, double-checking each side of the street before he moved them out of the building

"Hell," Kabuto answered darkly, "I'm planning Yao's trip to hell."

He'll die before he let's someone make his once-friend cry—that's his job

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Kankuro gritted his teeth as he stared at the two boys who now stood over a dozen paces before him, there was no way he could handle the bug master _and_ the Uchiha brat but that didn't mean he was just going to give up and surrender to them.

He had little brother to protect

_Temari you idiot!_ Kankuro moved to stand protectively in front of his brother, regardless of his threats he never once went through with them. Kankuro knew that Gaara could kill him if he seriously peeved him off but for some reason Gaara just never bothered to do more then make him hang upside down in the air—dressed in nothing but his boxers. That was about as violent as Gaara was with him and he refused to get violent in front of or towards Temari, he was almost a different person when she was around.

Kankuro had no doubt that if his mother was still around, that Gaara would be a mama's boy through and through

"K-Kankuro!" his eyes moved to blond girl who landed beside him, her fan mostly outstretched beside her, "Go on, I'll cover you." Temari ordered, holding her fan in front of herself protectively, teal eyes sharp as she examined the two relaxed boys in front of them.

"The hell you will," Kankuro retorted, fingers already moving behind his doll, eyes never leaving his opponents

"Kanku—"

"You can barely stand Temari," Kankuro interrupted with a low growl, "Come on I can handle them, Dad taught me more then just puppets."

"But—"

"_Now_ Temari," Kankuro hissed throwing Crow out towards the Aburame and a burst of golden dust towards Sasuke, "I got this!"

Temari's eyes widened at the sight of gold dust rupturing out from Kankuro's sleeve, moving to attack Sasuke as if it had a mind of it's own, his puppet moving with only his one hand controlling it. He was multitasking with to vastly different techniques that Temari hadn't known to be weald together, she didn't even know that it was possible. Kankuro's dark eyes moved to track both boys, his body blurring as he disappeared to distract the boys and give her enough time to flee with Gaara.

_Kankuro,_ Temari sniffed and pulled Gaara onto her back, using her fan to support the majority of his weight, _come home._ Temari took in a deep breath, summoned her element to surround her and disappeared with a burst of chakra-aided wind.

Sasuke cursed as a tornado of bladed wind surrounded him, cutting deeply before it disappeared

Shino hissed in displeasure as he moved to dodge the tornado made of wind blades, he had switched multiple times with his bugs and still the wind persuaded him, threatening to rip him apart if he wasn't careful

Sasuke and Shino shared one thought in that moment: The Sabaku siblings were hellions in a hand basket

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"Itachi!" he couldn't help but turn at the sound of his name, regardless that he was dressed in his Anbu gear and standing atop an ogre. Poking up from the hole in the roof was a familiar looking Kunochi, brown hair a mess and tears streaming down her pale tattooed cheeks.

"Itachi you have to stop her!" Hana cried out, staring up at the ogre covered with several members of Anbu, "Tayuya's song is shorting her life span! The longer she plays it the shorter her life! It's a _forbidden song!_"

Itachi hissed and disappeared from the ogre's head, quickly jumping from demon to demon and making his way to Tayuya who was standing atop the phoenix still playing her hypnotizing song. The dragon had mistaken him for a threat and lunged at him with a roar, Itachi quickly jumped to a lower portion of the dragon's body, letting the dragon drag him closer to the flaming bird and ultimately to Tayuya.

When he was close enough, he quickly jumped to avoid the dragon's fiery breath and landed atop the flaming bird, trying to ignore the burning in his legs as he hurried to Tayuya. The dragon roared again in fury, unable to do anything to protect his master from the shadow racing towards her. Even the phoenix let out an irritated scream and the creatures within the shield all turned expectantly to Tayuya, seeing the threat that compromised their existence.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

She growled as she caught sight of several wind users moving towards her, pushing her dust golems aside and destroying her floating seals in the same movement. The teams were twisting painfully around the flying debris, substituting around her golden chains—Aiming straight for her. Though she managed to kill a few and kept away the others, one wind user not only had ninjutsu but brains as well; he kept himself disguised as one thing or another, creeping closer and closer to her until she turned right into his katana.

"Enough of you, witch," He hissed, dark eyes glaring furiously at her, "You've killed too many to let live."

"Heh," her eyes glowed hauntingly, "everything for a reason."

His eyes widened

Her chains howled

The world exploded

Darkness reigned

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Karin cursed as she dodged an explosion, her chains bursting into existence again and automatically slashing through her enemies. It wasn't long before she recognized the signatures of her teammate's sweeping through the fighting towards her, taking out any sound shinobi they came across. Smirking to herself, Karin pulled her chains back and grabbed one of the medic's hands, jerking him into motion as she took off towards her child hood friends, knowing they were a safe place. Three teams of sound tried to ambush them while they ran towards her teammates, her eyes widened at their numbers as they bared down on them like a demonic blanket. Just as her chains were about to rupture out of her back, _again_, Karin watched as a swore of insects suddenly burst into being and took out three of the men, three huge rotating blurry took out another five, and a combination of ice, water, and someone's lightening attack finished off the last four sound ninja's. The after math of the attack had Karin slamming to her hands and knees to the ground and forcing out a seal to make the earth rupture up and protect her from the rush of water and lightning.

"Damn it Suigetsu! Haku! You two idiots trying to fry me or protect me?!" Karin asked jumping to the top of her little earthen shield and glare down at her teammate's, who looked up at her sheepishly

"Geez Karin, Nira-san sure is coming out of you strongly today," Suigetsu whined, "Most girls would be happy to have a couple of handsome boys jumping out of no-where and saving them."

"I'm not most girls," Karin snorted, rolling her eyes as she landed before them, "and if you expect Sa-nee to be like most girls then you're destined for failure."

"Oi, don't burst my bubble after all my hard work," Suigetsu retorted with a pout.

"Where are you going Karin?" Haku asked, looking around them worriedly, "I haven't seen Kanshaka-sensei, have you?"

"No, I haven't," Karin answered, "and I was going to the hospital. I've been asked to set up a protective shield and set up some seals for the more extreme cases that'll need time but don't have the required medical personal to work on them."

"Sounds like a plan to me," Haku smiled, his head bobbing in agreement, "I can help with some of the healing."

"Haku, every mist genin knows basic healing," Suigetsu said in exasperation, "It was apart of our graduation test."

"That's great!" the Jonin medic behind Karin grinned widely at them, "You can help us then!"

"Nice one Suigetsu," Haku snickered in amusement, following the excited man to the hospital with the two other medics traveling with him and Karin

"I just had to open my big mouth!" Suigetsu whined, rubbing one hand through his short white hair

"Think of it this way," Karin said with a mischievous look, "Sa-chan likes medics!"

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"Tayuya!" He called out as he ran, trying to ignore the burning in his legs and feet, trying to ignore the deafening howl in his ears and the sweat poring from his body. "Tayuya! Wake up!" He finally reached her, he spun her around and shook her shoulders but it had no effect on her. Tayuya's eyes were glazed over and her face was as blank as his Anbu mask with little glowing lines trying to sweep over her face, the most remarkable thing about her (Other then her curse mark's awakening) was that the Phoenix wasn't burning her like it was burning him.

"Damn it woman!" Itachi hissed, lifting his hand and throwing his mask up as his other hand clasped around Tayuya's wrists and yanked them away from her face with the flute in toe. It looked like she was going to say something but Itachi didn't wait to hear her voice, he tilted her head back and smashed his lips to hers.

If it was one thing Tayuya hated, it was a boy randomly putting the moves on her

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Jiraya panted as he finally managed to take out the summoned snake doing a healthy amount of damage to his village. turning on the top of his summoned toad's head, he examined the pillars of smoke, hundreds of battles scattered through out the village, and the tall purple barrier near the center of his home. He could go the center and check out the purple barrier but...

_Jiraya_, he perked at the whisper soft voice in his mind, automatically turning towards the place he swore he heard come from, _I...I messed up..._

_Nira? What's wrong?_ Jiraya thought, suddenly glade he pestered her into keeping the seal on the back of his neck and allowing him to keep storing chakra in it for emergencies.

"Jiraya-sama? Is something wrong?" Jiraya didn't even look at the young Jonin speaking to him

_Are you deaf?_ Nira asked, her voice sending a shiver through Jiraya's body, _I told you I messed up_

_...I'm beginning to think you can't resist me,_ Jiraya thought, purposefully trying to use a joyful tone of voice to agitate her, trying to ignore how he used flash step a little to liberty, even though he didn't like how he felt as if his stomach was a mile behind him.

_Remind me to punch you when you get here_, Nira replied in a tone of voice that was almost sleepy sounding

_You didn't go an use those damned chains of yours again did you?_ Jiraya asked with narrowed eyes, suddenly moving faster then he thought he could. _Nira?_ Jiraya called through their connection, feeling uneasy with her silence, _What jutsu did you use?_

_... umm... define... ju-jutsu~_, Jiraya cursed and took of in a blind rush for where he swore he could feel Nira's small chakra signature, he was tied between feeling hate and joy for her chakra suppressors. Joy because even the finest of sensors had difficulty with finding her, leaving only those with her telepathy seal on them to find her; and hatred because suppressing her chakra took effort and had an effect.

_Unleash your chakra!_ Jiraya ordered, pausing on a roof and examining the thickly destroyed buildings in front of him, now knowing that Nira had purposefully destroyed the buildings for one reason or another.

_Jiraya_, she said in a tone of voice full of warning and tinged with the sound of a lecture

_Don't lecture me about the dangers of it woman!_ Jiraya hissed back at her, dark eyes narrowed as he searched for her bright crimson locks amongst the gray and black rubble, _Unleash your chakra so I can find you!_

_You can't find me?_ Nira asked in a tone of worry

_You completely destroyed this place! a mouse couldn't find you!_ Jiraya ignored the hard thumping of a few Jonin's landing beside and behind him, already knowing that they wouldn't try to attack him. Jiraya counted to five before he audibly growled, startling the team surrounding him, _Nira!_

An explosion burst into being before them, nearly making the huge mound of rubble erupt like a volcano, the top all but flying off when Nira released her hold on her immense chakra, letting it fly out of her control. Jiraya couldn't help but smirk, his arms raised protectively as the huge mound turned to ash and shimmied away from the floating body it once covered, letting the chakra spinning protectively around the crimson haired woman out of it's clutches.

_That's my girl_, Jiraya didn't know if Nira heard that thought or if he said it out loud, he just burst forward and wrapped his arms around the knocked out woman, knowing that her chakra had long since gotten used to his presence.

"I don't know what you did or why you did it but you sure are a lot of trouble," Jiraya chuckled, shifting his hold on the heavily wounded red head and started on his way towards the hospital, or at least a safe place, silently noting how the large wound in Nira's stomach was glowing violet and closing rapidly.

"That's my girl," Jiraya whispered, deciding that he'll tuck her away in an abandoned house somewhere before he got back to the fighting.

_I'm not yours,_ was the tiered reply

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"Hold on," Temari whispered as she ran, Gaara resting on her back, "Hold on." She felt like crap for leaving Kankuro behind to deal with the Uchiha and she could already tell that someone else must have shown up because she could feel someone else was gaining on her—and it wasn't her younger brother.

"_I know you will love, I know"_

"Hold on" Temari whispered, tears threatening her eyes, "hold on, just a little longer... we're almost free."

"_I know you will love, I know"_

"Just a little longer" Temari whispered, ignoring the sting of the wind as she ran, her hands tightening on Gaara's legs where she held on to him tightly.

_What is this?_ Gaara thought, feeling the wind hit his face like a whip.

"Hold on..." he could barely make out the soft whisper in front of him but it did sound familiar. "Hold on..." he tried to open his eyes, but all he saw was shifting yellow, like a sand storm was covering his face. "We're almost free, just hold on..." he felt something wet hit his face and he could smell something salty in the air, "Hold on Ototo, hold on."

"_Would you like me to sing for you little brother?" she giggled, hand dripping over the edge of his crib so he could hold on to her fingers. "How about mommy's favorite? She used to sing it to us each night..." her smile widened when he giggled, her fingers brushing over his sensitive stomach._

"T-Temari" he whispered, his face buried into the back of his older sister's neck, she must not have heard him because she started to hum. She hummed that song their mother used to sing, the song she whispered when she thought no one was watching, the song she used to sing to him before their father caught her.

…

"_There are shadows in the sky  
>Dancing in the air<br>Calling to my heart  
>Saying, "If you dare,<br>We're running fast  
>We're running far<br>Trying to catch the morning star..."  
>And time and space<br>Our only sheild  
>keeping secrets<br>Unrevealed  
>Falling night<br>Breathes in the dark  
>Trying to catch the morning star...<em>_"_

…

He sighed and closed his eyes, knowing that she was trying to calm her self down by humming. The men in the Sabaku family didn't really mind Temari's little habit, because it reminded them of the woman who used to stand beside them; of the woman who'd tuck them into bed, of the woman who'd scold them for a mistake...

Of a woman Gaara wished he could have met.

…

"_I can fly through my mind when I see them as they shine  
>Can it be so hard to try and charm the elusive morning star...<em>_"_

…

He could hear her humming stop as she heard someone catch up, he could feel their eyes on his back as Temari ran, trying her best to keep them hidden.

…

"_So within the chase  
>We soon will find<br>The light of the moon  
>those left behind<br>Try to free the gypsy in their hearts  
>By trying to catch the morning star...<em>

_Now that the time_  
><em>Has come and gone<em>  
><em>Illusion has past<em>  
><em>And we're on our own<em>  
><em>Know the dream is never far<em>  
><em>When trying to catch the morning star...<em>"

"_Temari! What do you think you're doing?!"_

"_Daddy!" Temari snapped around one hand still held onto by the toddler named Gaara. At the sound his father's voice, Gaara's sand reacted, wrapping around Temari's wrist to keep her from going too far._

"_See what you did child?" their father snapped as he approached, "Are you trying to get yourself killed?!"_

"_He doesn't want me to stop!" Temari tried to reason, "He likes it when I sing! He's calmer when I do!" but their father didn't listen, he jerked a hand forward and golden dust circled Temari's wrist, forcefully removing Gaara's hold on her._

"_Daddy don't!" Temari shouted in a panic "You're going to hurt him!" but the man beside her didn't see that it was his gold that scrapped into her skin drawing blood, he saw the crimson drop lets and the tears in her teal eyes and just yanked her away from the crib scared that Shikaku would favor her blood._

_He never saw Gaara reach out to Temari with tears in his eyes, unintelligible words spilling past his quivering lips._

…

"Stop running!" Temari grunted as she landed, her foot slipping slightly on the wood beneath her, she glanced back and saw Sasuke smirking at her.

"Hah~, ha~h, I finally caught up to you," Sasuke panted softly. "Give up already, there's no where else for you to go" Temari didn't turn to face him but her glare did intensify on him.

"I hope you don't expect me to just give up," Temari replied coldly, straitening slightly and turning, walking back words on the branch until she felt Gaara brush against the trunk. "Suna isn't known for being quitters," Temari said as she set Gaara down and readied her fan beside her.

"That's your mistake" Sasuke shot back, grabbing two Kunai to hold in both hands

"No—it's yours!" Temari swung her fan at him, distracting him with the endless gust of sharp blades. Turning Temari threw her fan, making it arc and come back around to her, "Sorry little bother," Temari whispered, pulling Gaara to his feet and watching her fan as it sailed towards her. "But I don't think I can take you home, you'll have to make the travel yourself..."

Gaara didn't get to answer her as she pushed him onto fan that sailed passed, locking her chakra around his hands so that he'd end up gripping the hand placements for when she was flying the stupid fan. He felt the fan dip instantly, unused to his weight without its master's chakra; then it suddenly went almost straight up, a gust of air forcing it up high into the air and away from the fighting.

…

_He was simply curious about the clatter and shouting, he wanted to know why everyone was being so loud at such a time at night. It wasn't normal for their family, Temari and Kankuro where supposed to be in bed by nine and he was to stay in his room until morning. He was curious so he snuck out of his room and followed the loud shouts to the dinning hall where he found his father and sister arguing loudly._

"_Why can't you do as you're told?" he snapped, glaring at Temari from where she stood in front of the glass windows of the dinning and kitchen area, "Just for once child do as I ask—"_

"_You want me to break my promise!" Temari snapped out at him, fury lighting up her eyes into smoldering, liquid jade. "You want me to treat him like everyone else! Well guess what he's not what everyone else thinks he is! He's Mama's baby boy!"_

"_Damn it child, he killed your mother!"_

"_No he didn't! Shikaku did!" Their father flinched at the familiar name, swearing that he'd never told her about it, "Mama told me before the sealing! She told me to protect him! That I had to understand that not everything he dose is him doing it! That some of the things that's happening is Shikaku trying to protect him!"_

"_Your mother was wrong!" he snapped back, his words seemingly knocking the breath out of Temari, shocked speechless that her father would say such things about the woman he loved more then his own children. "Your mother didn't understand—"_

"_YOU'RE THE ONE THAT'S WRONG!" Temari screamed out, her chakra flaring around her and creating a strong gust that twirled around her protectively; making the air pressure strengthen till it was difficult to breathe._

"_Temari calm dow—" their father ordered with slightly wide eyes, not realizing just how strong his eldest child was_

"_I will not calm down!" Temari shouted at him, tears prickling the edges of her liquid jade eyes. "Mama said no one would understand his pain! Mama said that no one would understand that he was just afraid! Mama said that I have to protect him! She said that I have to be the one to comfort him when he's scared! Mama said—"_

"_Temari Sabaku you will calm down or so help me—!"_

"_You'll what?!" Temari screamed at him, the wind spinning around her intensifying until nearby objects started to react; furniture were starting to move and the glass windows were starting to buckle, threatening to crack. "Will you lock me up like you do to Ototo?! Are you going to isolate me and speak cruelly behind my back?! Are you going to lock me away from the world because you're scared of me?!"_

"_You don't understand the lengths I go to, to keep you safe!"_

"_You're not protecting anyone!" Temari shot back, the glass behind her finally burst out word, giving Temari's wind new air to work with, it twirled around her and pushed and cracked everything in the dining room. Turning the chairs into splinters and knocking over the table into several pieces, breaking and cracking the walls and roof and the counters and cupboards until the room was unrecognizable._

"_Temari your mother wouldn't want us to fight!" he shouted, his voice cracking with panic_

"_Mama wouldn't want you to hurt Gaara!" Temari shot back angrily, the wind that surrounded her pulled at her dress and hair, nearly lifting her as she screamed at her father, "Mama would hate you! Gaara dose hate you!" Temari lifted one hand and drew it out at her in an arc at her father, her voice echoing in the house after her, "I HATE YOU!" _

_The words and actions made the wind arc out and hit their father square in his chest, making him fly back and go threw the wall of the dining room and strait through the wall of the hall and sail half way across the living room before he landed on the glass table they had and shattered it into pieces._

_Temari blinked and wobbled on her feet before she collapsed into a dead faint; Gaara raced over worriedly, fearing the worst._

"_Move Gaara," Gaara reacted instinctively, he crouched protectively over Temari's motionless body just as his sand burst around him, slashing out at the voice who called to him, knowing that he was a threat._

"_Don't touch her," Gaara growled out at his father, not caring that his sand was reacting to his emotions turning half his body into a raccoon dog and yet surrounding Temari protectively. He won't let his father treat her like he dose him, he'll protect her because she's always protecting him._

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

**What you think? Did everything flow okay? any questions?**

**Thoughts are helpful**

**Opinions are wonderful**

**Helpful criticism****is**** lovely! Just don't cripple me okay?**

**Please no cursing!**

**And don't forget to**** rate and**** review!**

**PS:**

**Do any of you remember any of the other arcs after the chunin one?**

**I know it went Chunin arc, Tsunade arc, Idate arc, Gaara's Student arc (What was her name again? I seriously need to look that up), and then... wait wasn't there a few episodes on the whole 'star village' thing or was that a movie? I'm not putting movie arcs in here, that's way to much work, and I don't want to do any arcs that don't involve Sakura some how, so was that it or am I slowly going insane?**

**I know the final 'arc' is Naruto leaving and then returning two years later (I'm totally going to screw with some heads on that one) but I don't recall if there was anything between the 'Gaara's student arc' and the 'leaving Konoha arc'**

**Please help my slowly declining sanity V.V if you don't I just might end up hitting the 'leaving Konoha arc' early then find out I messed up and remove that chapter and end up messing up the entire story, I don't think anyone wants that...**

**Page 32**


	43. Chapter 43

**There is a reason**

Chapter 43: after math

Koomahana

**I'm sorry, I hadn't meant to add 42 last week**

**I've added some scenes (Like Nira's fight), corrected some grammar and spelling**

**I'm sorry for messing up, Hopefully I hadn't messed the previous chapter up too bad**

****Updated **Chapters**

**3, 4, 5, 18, 20, 22, 23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,39,40,41,42,43**

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"Shhh, little one, Shhh," She rocked back and forth, holding the scared child in her arms and trying desperately not to show that she was scared herself. she had gone from the stadium to the safety house in under a minute, the red haired girl with chains in her back didn't even notice that she was awake when she teleported all of them away. She heard more of the children whimper and try to cuddle closer to her, try to feel comfort in her presence that the sounds outside kept taking away. Suddenly they could hear rushing foot steps in the stone hallway, the children whimpered collectively and cuddled closer to her, if that was even possible, she couldn't even feel her own body at the moment.

"Tsubame! Tsubame are you here?!" A faint voice called down the hall, "Tsubame Haruno!"

"I'm here!" she shouted, relief echoing in her voice as she struggled to her feet, "I'm here! In Here! I'm in here!"

"Tsubame!" the masculine voice deepened and she could hear the young man move closer to her room's door quickly, "Tsubame!"

"I'm here!" she jerked and collapsed several times before she actually managed to pull herself out of the mountain of children and take a few unsteady steps towards the closed door, "I'm here! I'm in here!" She heard the screech of feet on smooth stone, the sound of a door opening and slamming against a stonewall, the frightened whimpering of the children and startled whispering of the other women in the room but none of it seemed to matter when compared to the young man standing panting in the door way. he stood in his tattered navy kiekies, his long sleeved white shirt held tight to his chest and body, his loser violet T-shirt with it's wide open color hung like a cloak on his body, his short brown hair disheveled and smoking on the back end, as if he barely managed to escape a fire.

"Tsubame!" the young man panted in relief, his black eyes wide in panic but filled with relief, his perfectly square jaw was sporting a bruise but it wouldn't last long on him as she knew few wounds seemed to last.

"Yagorigi!" She stumbled again but managed to rush forward enough to throw her arms out towards the young man she knew, he rushed forward quickly and wrapped his arms around her tightly; catching her before she could fall

"Tsubame," he whispered in her hair, his hold tightening minutely on her

"I'm here," she whispered back, her own arms wrapping around him just as tightly, "I'm here."

She could now rest easily, she didn't have to be afraid in the dark anymore, she didn't have to worry about never seeing him anymore

Her love was with her, the attack was beyond the mountain faces, the invasion would fail...

Her love was with her... most importantly, her love was with her

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

_She's always protecting me,_ Gaara thought as the fan flew high into the air, giving him a beautiful view of the fire nation. He remembered a few times when he was little, before his uncle died and before the pink haired girl showed up in his life, when Temari would be near and see him acting out. She'd rush in without thinking, spreading through the crowds and passed the shinobi ordered to protect her and she'd tackle Gaara, knowing not to get in the way of his sand, Temari would tackle Gaara and smother him with kisses and a tight hug. The first time he met her after being isolated for so many years, she had scared him senseless, he hadn't known that he had siblings until Temari burst from the crowd and tackled him in a bone-crushing hug. He was scared at first because suddenly someone was touching him and people just didn't touch him but then he saw that his sand wasn't moving towards the girl giggling and laughing in his ear; it was still and had simply softened his fall when she tackled him.

_Always_, Gaara thought shifting his weight and making the fan arc back towards Temari. _You're always protecting me_, he could see her now, braced against the base of a tree and coughing harshly, wet, red liquid spilling passed her lips and staining the ground. Gaara's gaze narrowed in on Sasuke, who was standing nearby with a kunai in hand... a bloody kunai...

_**No**_, Gaara heard the familiar voice he some times called 'mother', echo in his mind. _**Protect her! Save her! Kill that boy! Don't let him touch her!**_

"_**Die!**_" Sasuke's eyes snapped up to look behind him where Gaara was flying Temari's fan straight for him. With wide Sharingan eyes, Sasuke watched as Gaara closed the fan and kicked it at him with more then enough force to slice him in half and impale the earth in front of him. Sasuke had barely managed to perform substitution in time to avoid the attack but that didn't seem to stop Gaara. The red haired boy was already half transformed, the sand from his gored on his back transforming his right side into something akin to a raccoon dog.

"G-Gaara," Temari panted turning to look up at Gaara as he landed beside her, standing protectively. "D-don't l-let him..."

"_I'm in control_" Gaara reassured Temari, not realizing that his voice was slightly distorted. "_Mother doesn't like you getting hurt... I'm to protect you..._"

Gaara burst forward to attack Sasuke before Temari could respond

…

"_Do you understand Temari?" he asked from behind his desk, not looking up at his daughter who stood before him with clenched trembling hands. "Temari," he called lifting his eyes from his paper work to look at his eldest child._

"_I __still__ hate you," She answered, her eyes glaring at him like smoldering jade, "I'll __always__ hate you." Her father was silent as he stared at her, observing her trembling hands, the slight amount of blood that dripped from between her fingers, the way her shoulders shook and the way her eyes glowed..._

"_Be that as it may" He murmured, straitening in his chair to regard her seriously, watching how the dirt at her feet stirred uneasily. Similar to how sand often reacts to Gaara's emotions, he knew that Temari's wind was reacting to her own, "You have your orders."_

"_You're trapping me," Temari snarled, "Like a caged dog."_

"_I'm protecting you"_

"_From who? You? Heaven knows Gaara would never hurt me"_

"_He has and from your self" he sighed, pointedly looking at Temari's right wrist were there was a near perfect crescent reaching from the top of her wrist to end just above her pinky's knuckle. "You destroyed half the house last week. I'm tiered of having to constantly repair the house because of your temper."_

"_So you're sending me away?" Temari snarled at him, shifting her scared wrist out of his sight, knowing that it wasn't Gaara who had hurt that day so long ago. "You're sending me to an all girl's academy, a week's travel deeper into the desert, far from Gaara. You seriously think that sending me away will solve your problems?"_

"_The school specializes in girls like you—"_

"_Girls with a temper?" she asked mockingly_

"_Girls with uncontrollable power" he corrected with a frown, "You know there are several uncontrollable blood lines in the village, your mother's is amongst this group."_

"_So you're sending me away until I'm old enough to control __**my**__ blood line?" Temari hissed at him furiously, "You know full damn well Gaara needs me here in the village, I'm the only one who can keep him calm—"_

"_Yashamaru will take care of that—"_

"_Yashamaru is blind to your orders"_

"_Regardless," her father glared at her warningly, one hand lowering to a nearby drawer were there was a stash of his gold dust, ready to use against her in a moment's notice. "You'll be gone until you have control of your ability, it's dangerous to wield wind without a medium."_

"_I __**hate**__ mediums and you know it" she's always been stronger without them_

"_You don't have a choice in the matter"_

"_I never did" Temari growled turning on her heal and marching for the door "and neither did Gaara, that's why mother would never forgive __**you**__."_

"_You're not excused young lady"_

"_Drop dead old man"_

_SLAM_

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Itachi sighed in relief as Tayuya fainted in his arms, the demons and monsters she summoned melted back into the walls of the shield returning from where ever it was they came from. The phoenix they were standing on bucked and screamed and dove straight down, to the eastern corner at blinding steeds. Itachi lifted Tayuya into his arms and jumped just in time to watch the bird slam into the corner tearing apart the young boy standing there. Itachi flinched in sympathy for the boy (who was screaming bloody murder) as he continued to fall; briefly realizing that he was going to fall straight threw the roof and the hole where Hana was still waiting for them.

"Move!" Itachi ordered, Hana blinked and let go of the edge and fell back into the room below, she quickly landed and moved out of the way as Itachi landed beside her and then proceeded to run out of the room and then out of the building leaving Hana behind as he ran straight for the hospital.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"What are we going to do now?" Takao asked as they hid again, trying to avoid getting seen and possibly followed during the attack

"We're going to my house," Kabuto repeated coldly, "the sooner the better... but even I'm not going to go through a suicide march."

_Yao..._ Takao thought with a heavy sigh, _I'm not sure how you managed to do it, but you actually escaped Kabuto's wrath_

Takao watched Kabuto from the corner of his eye, watching the gray haired boy's hands clench and unclench repeatedly

_For now at least_

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Temari flinched as Gaara fought against a retreating Sasuke, his eyes rounding on the flash of pink and yellow that barreled into the newly made clearing with a shout. Temari watched as Sakura stopped and observed the situation before she moved further, her blonde teammate didn't appear to be so smart; he jumped into the fray with Sasuke and Gaara swinging and shouting.

"Are you well?" Sakura asked as she made her way over to Temari, who glared at her

"No I love being in excruciating pain," Temari snapped back at her, "Why are you even asking? Aren't you going to take us back to your village?"

"No" Sakura answered honestly, "Our mission is to get Sasuke back to the village, we don't care about you and your siblings."

"That doesn't explain the question" Temari frowned, relieved that they weren't after them but still worried about her brothers.

"A medic tends to the wounded first," Sakura answered examining Temari's body for any serious wounds, "Regardless of their affiliation, a true medic will tend to everyone wounded." Sighing, Temari stretched her legs out before her and relaxed against the tree, letting Sakura sweep a glowing green palm over her.

"Um... Temari-san"

"I know"

"...it's showing..."

"It's early" Temari always hated her monthly cycles; she was always immobile for the first day and occasionally the second

"...I have some extra clothes and... things if you're interested?"

"And how do you expect me to change?" She asked opening her eyes to glare at Sakura, Sakura blinked at her and turned to look at her fan that was still imbedded in the earth. "Can you even get that out?"

"Doesn't hurt to try," Sakura commented rising and hurrying to the fan, watching how the boys had some how managed to get further away from them. "Good news: it's not broken"

"The bad news?" Temari asked, watching Sakura tug at her fan

"...I think the boys are trying to kill each other," Sakura grunted then squealed when the fan jerked free and made her stumble back to land on her bottom with the fan smacking her in the head. "Ow~"

"Hurry up" Temari chuckled, trying to sound threatening but ended up sounding like she was laughing, technically she was but she didn't want pinky to know that.

"Coming, geez what is this thing made of?" Sakura asked as she opened the fan and mimicked Temari's action in her round against Shikamaru, burying the fan a good foot in the dirt.

"Trust me, you don't want to know" Temari grunted as she stiffly pulled herself out further from the tree to hide behind her fan.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"Suigetsu cover Haku!" he moved automatically, liquid arm arcing through the air, blocking the thrown weapons and then shielding his teammate and the twenty other wounded from the following explosion.

"Uzu style: Liquid shield!" Karin slammed her hands into the ground, inky black lines erupted out from her in graceful lines, water in the ground and air moved as if it had a mind of it's own, shifting and spiking, and moving together into a large dome around the hospital. "Uzu style: Pure heart!" The water barrier glowed hauntingly, the leaf shinobi moved into the hospital as if the shield wasn't there, the sound and sand shinobi screamed as those who tried to enter were elected until an inch of their life, those within the hospital courters were killed instantly.

"Way to go Karin!" Suigetsu smirked reforming his arm and rubbing at it as if it hurt from the mild explosion from the rigged kunai he blocked. "How long can you hold it?"

"Depends!" Karin shouted, eyes narrowing on a Jonin Suna nin just on the other side of her shield, "If they're going to try and disable it I have to keep concentrating on it. This seal isn't like the other seals I've made, this one needs constant attention."

"Do you need help with it?" A nurse asked, sliding to a stop beside Karin, "I'm a little used to some of the seals the medics use to stabilize a patient, I can help."

"That's great and all lady, but no novice can tend to this seal," Karin replied, crimson eyes narrowing further at the Jonin as another team landed behind him, each man seeming taking his or her orders from the man now glaring at her. "it's pure chakra, Only I can tend to it."

"Karin," Suigetsu said suddenly serious, "how long can you hold it?"

"The other seals that I've made are all self sustaining," Karin replied calmly, growling lowly when the man through an electrical charge through the earth, thinking that what she was going was an earth jutsu which was weak to lightening. "This one isn't the wrong amount of chakra and it'll back fire. It has to be a perfect amount of spiritual and physical chakra; otherwise, it'll lean heavily in one or the other direction. Too much spiritual chakra and the seal will reject everyone who isn't a bloody saint. Too much physical chakra and anyone can enter."

"Karin," Haku said in a warning tone of voice, leaving his now stable patient to glare pointedly at the red head, "How long can you hold it?"

"...perhaps an hour, maybe two," Karin answered, eyes narrowing further as the man took hold of his sword and swung it at the shield, his wind jutsu flung right back at him, nearly removing his head if he hadn't ducked back words. "I've never did one so big before..."

"What's your average time limit?" Haku asked, nodding at Suigetsu to tend to some cranky toddlers. Suigetsu rolled his eyes and moved to cradle the bunch in a huge crib made from his liquid arms, the children were too fascinated with his liquid arms to whine much longer.

"Um, a five foot one I can hold for about a week, a twenty foot one I can typically last about three days, depending whether or not I'm having someone tampering with it," Karin answered hesitantly, brow twitching when the man had a companion throws a chunk of rock at her shield.

"How big is the shield you through up just now?" the nurse asked curiously

"Umm... about hundred plus?" Karin said in a shaky voice, "How big is your hospital?"

"Two hundred long, one hundred wide," the nurse answered, "dose it matter?"

"Massively," Karin answered, looking like she wanted to cry, "The bigger the range the shorter amount of time I can hold it."

"Have you ever held one this big before?" Haku asked, his girls features pinching slightly together

"No," Karin answered, "That's why I said one or two hours, I'll be impressed with myself if I can make it to an hour without fainting."

"Please tell me when you're ready to faint," Haku sighed, "I'll help you with the seal."

_We're doomed,_ Karin thought with a sigh, growling when the Jonin in front of her tried to elected the water portion of the shield, _Mom can I kill this Suna Jonin? He's going to shorten my hold up time on the shield_

_..._ Silence answered Karin's thought and it felt as if someone had just slammed a fist into her chest, threatening to dig through her ribs for her heart

_Mom?_ Karin thought softly, fearing the worst

_n...not n...now...,_ Karin nodded her head, fighting off the urge to cry, knowing that her mother must have been seriously hurt if she couldn't focus on their seal to speak correctly.

_I got her red,_ an unfamiliar, _male_, voice sounded in her mind, _Your mother will be just fine, My name's Jiraya, just in case you were wondering_

_Never do that again,_ Karin thought with a hiss at the older man, _You scared me! I didn't know you had the seal too_

_Thank you mother,_

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"How's the fit?" Sakura asked peaking around the fan to see how Temari looked

"You need to gain weight," Temari grumbled pulling the skirt down further, trying to get it to cover a little more skin. With her original violet dress ruined, Sakura let the blonde wear a back up outfit she had stored in her bag. Temari was now dressed in a black dress that was a little longer then her original and had an open back that arced over her shoulders into a graceful sweet heart neckline. The problem was that Temari's body was longer, more developed and wider then Sakura's; so the two cut the middle of the dress below the bust and ended it a couple inches shy of the back zipper making the single piece dress into a two-piece out fit. This let the top portion move up to cover more ground of Temari's bust and let the skirt slid down to Temari's hips but the middle piece folded over, so Temari took it and folded it to the inside, trying not to blush at having her stomach shown for the world to see.

"How are you feeling?" Sakura asked pulling her bag back over her shoulders, "Need anymore pain reducers?"

"Um... I just need to know where you get that stuff," Temari replied with a blush, struggling to her feet even with Sakura's help. "Meds don't unsurely work on me, and if they do, they don't start working for like two hours and even then it doesn't put in much of a dent."

"If our two villages don't go to war I'll try to send you some more," Sakura replied handing Temari the bottle she got the pills from, "Fubuki-Nee's get's pretty bad too, she made that for me incase I start and I end up being like her."

"Your sister made them?" Temari asked with a frown, watching Sakura put one of her arms around her shoulders, lift her fan out of the ground, and quickly slide it into Temari's belt to keep it from being in the way.

"Yeah she's pretty good at it actually," Sakura chuckled helping Temari stumble to where the boys were still fighting. "It's funny because she can't cook worth a damn and Tayuya-Nee is even worse! _She's_ band from the kitchen!"

…

_She watched as the pinkette sat up on the barrier of the seat, showing her back to the road in front of her and put her feet on her seat. She watched impressed as the girl pulled up her violin and started to play a song she hadn't heard in a few years. She was glade that the girl didn't bother trying to talk to Gaara and she was glade that Gaara didn't try to kill her for being annoying but what impressed her the most was that the pinkette had Gaara's undivided attention. When she put her violin down to sing, he listened closely and yet the girl gave no sign that she saw or noticed his attention. She just laughed with her friends, sang her pieces, played her violin and danced off the bus when it stopped, her friends laughing behind her._

…

_She's a little weird_, Temari thought as she hobbled along with a giggling, bubbling pinkette, _but I liked her_

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

They had done everything they could, thrown everything they had at him but it still wasn't enough. When he couldn't handle them on his own... he summoned the dead

The first and second Hokage's were devastating on their forces

The third fought back, doing his best to protect them, shielding some of the slower ones and encouraging the others. They had to contain them on that roof, if they were released into the village... the losses would be too great. Eventually the Sandaime did what no one saw coming, what no one thought he could do: he used the Yondaime's seal on the first and second Hokage's... and stole Orochimaru's arms while he was at it.

It had coast the Sandaime greatly, his soul was sacrificed to the Shinigami—the death god—but their people were spared and though Orochimaru managed to escape in the chaos of the third's sacrifice, he was short one member of his team. The young man who stood as his 'east' gate was left behind, bleeding and smoldering from the flames of the phoenix that slammed straight through his body.

The medics weren't sure if he'd make it... no one was holding their breath

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"Sasuke Uchiha! Naruto Uzumaki!" Sakura screamed out at the top of her lungs, surprising Temari beside her, "You two idiots get down here before I knock you both into next week!" Gaara took one look at her and saw Temari, he was sweeping toward the pinkette faster then the other two could move to cover her. When he got within rang, Gaara was startled when Sakura lifted her foot and smashed it into his jaw making him fly back to land into her teammates; effectively making all three boys tumble to the ground in a painful heap.

"You three are like a bomb in a flee market!" Sakura hissed glaring down at the three boys, then her eyes rounded onto Naruto in a fierce glare "Naruto, what the hell happened to bringing Sasuke back to the village? Huh? What happened to the plan?"

"S-Sorry, Sakura-chan" Naruto stumbled over his words as he attempted to crawl away but both Sasuke and Gaara were pinning his legs down.

"And you Sasuke!" Sakura growled, eyes landing on the boy menacingly, "Don't you dare glare or pout at me mister, what the hell were you thinking giving chase to a Jinchuuriki, huh? Are you trying to get yourself killed?!"

"If you and the Dobe didn't interfere—" Sasuke tried to reason

"If we didn't interfere you'd be dead!" Sakura interrupted "Incase you haven't noticed dork-wad, you'd been fighting Gaara by yourself for a full fifteen minutes before we showed up! Plus the time in the arena before the invasion, that's twenty minutes of him _playing_ with you! And look at him! You haven't landed a single hit on him! Naruto did! He's out of your league!"

"No he's not!" Sasuke hot back "I could still beat him if you'd just—"

"If you two were still in the arena then the proctor would have called the match at ten minutes" Sakura hissed, "He would have called it after ten minutes and declared Gaara the winner." Sasuke glared at her but he soon looked away with gritted teeth, letting Sakura fix her glare on Gaara.

"And you Gaara Sabaku" Sakura's voice was cold, her face smoothed out and her eyes stared down at him without any emotion, "Congratulations." Everyone flinched and stared up at Sakura, knowing there had to be more then that, "You just started the fourth great shinobi war, I'm sure you'll be hailed a hero when you return to your village." The mockery wasn't lost on the boys or even Temari, who stared at Sakura with wide eyes; apparently she didn't think about the consequences regarding the invasion.

"What are you talking about?" Gaara asked with narrowed eyes at Sakura

"I mean that our two villages will now go to war with each other because of _your_ betrayal," Sakura explained patiently. "As such the other villages will eventually be dragged in as well; the last Great War lasted for just over thirty years this one will undoubtedly last twice as long." Sakura released her hold on Temari and stabilized her as Gaara swept onto his feet and hurried to the blonde's side, intending to put distance between them and the three leaf Nin.

"I hope you're proud of yourself," Sakura murmured as he passed her, "Thousands of life's now stain your hands." Sakura didn't look back at the stunned siblings; she walked forward and ordered her teammates to start walking before she kicked their butts all the way back to the village.

"Come on Gaara," Temari murmured, watching the leaf Nin run away from them, returning to their village. "Let's go home," Gaara nodded absent mindedly, lifting one of Temari's arms over his shoulder and quickly hurried away from the mess he and the other two boys created.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

About an hour later

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Takao stood in the hallway just feet behind his teammate and friend, watching Kabuto suppress his chakra as he always did when his fury moved to a near uncontrollable level. At his feet were the bodies of both of his parents, in the living room, staring back at them, was a team of Anbu staring right back at them, both surprised and startled by their sudden arrival into Kabuto's home.

"Kabuto Yakushi," the captain called, stepping forward, stopping when Kabuto's hand flashed up to stop the captain, his face as cold and still as the captain's near paint-less mask.

"Not now," Kabuto said, his brow twitched twice, "I have something to do." Takao rolled his eyes and turned on his heel, moving back to the front door to get his shoes back on.

The captain flash stepped behind them, cutting Takao off from getting to his shoes, "Do you know who the killer is?"

Takao looked back at Kabuto, who had already moved to follow him to the front door; Kabuto didn't stop until he was half a step in front of Takao. His black eyes were hard, harder then any ice that Takao had ever seen before, regardless of what Yao had done to him; his hands were fisted tightly at his sides, nearly trembling in his effort to keep his arms at his sides. They had gone to Kabuto's home to pack some necessities (extra weapons, communication devises, some emergency scrolls, excreta, excreta) and if his parents had caught them then they were going to try to lie their way out or at least knock them out. Instead, they walked in to find Kabuto's parents face down in the living room floor, his mother half way to the front hall, both dead as nails; their blood splattered the walls and stained the floors. Who ever killed them took a little too much pleasure in doing the act.

"Well?" the captain asked, tilting his head to the side curiously, "Do you know who?"

"We suspect who," Takao relented finally, eyes still glued onto Kabuto, looking for a lead into what to do next

"Who?" the captain asked, "We've just survived an attack, we don't have time to play games."

"All the more reason to let us go," Kabuto said smoothly, his gray bangs hiding his eyes perfectly, "No need to get in my way." Takao sighed and took a step back, knowing that what Kabuto was going to do to Yao would be deadly on a whole new level; Kabuto was going to make Yao regret pissing him off.

_And I thought he was dead before_, Takao thought, _there's no saving Yao now_

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"Hurry Sasuke!" Naruto shouted panic lacing his words, "We have to hurry!"

"Don't tell me what I already know!" He snapped, adjusting his hold on the girl he was helping to carry; he wouldn't admit it but he was afraid as well. One minute they were running together back to the village, arguing loudly and the next Sakura was collapsed on the ground not breathing. Neither one of them knew anything about medicine, that was Sakura's field, they didn't know how to get her breathing again. Although after this scare, Sasuke was sure that the both of them were going to be taking some first aid lessons.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Karin stretched her shoulder, she knew her mother had been hurt but she also knew that Nira had an absurd healing ability, like a reversed version of her own ability of healing. Some of the medics wanted her to start healing some the seriously sounded but when they realized that she'd have to make the recipient drink her blood, they quickly told her to focus on her seals and leave everything else to the trained medics.

_K-Karin_, she straightened at the soft whisper, her crimson eyes already scanning through the hundred of wounded surrounding her, trying to ignore the crying and whimpering.

_Where are you?_

_Find Ji-Jiraya_, her eyes landed instantly on the tall white haired man, she was moving with little prompt and no warning, moving almost as fast as the shinobi running rounds, trying to be helpful. She skidded to a halt next to the tall Sanin, nodding her head at him courtly before she kneeled next to the tiered and weak woman laying on the ground.

_I have to make some rounds,_ Jiraya told them silently, Nira's flickered sleepily towards him, _I need to check on some people..._

_I've got her,_ Karin replied, nodding her head at him again. Jiraya nodded back before he shifted off the wall he was leaning against and moved away from the hospital, already knowing when Karin slit her wrist and pressed it to Nira's lips.

_Drink up Kaa-chan,_ Karin ordered silently, _Don't fight me on this... thank you..._

Did the girls know that he could hear their conversation? Did they know that it was him they couldn't hear until he made an actual effort to communicate with one of them?

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"Are you seriously doubting me?" A tall black haired male asked, sarcasm lacing his words like acid, "I told you that I adjusted everything accordingly. Have you no faith in my skills?"

"I'm worried that you might have accidentally messed up," a feminine voice grouched at him, black clothed arms crossing defiantly, "You still haven't figured out all the little details to your Sharingan."

"I know enough about my eyes," He replied defensively, "I can make other people lean heavily towards an opinion that they otherwise wouldn't, I can even change someone's loyalty around with little difficulty."

"Yeah, yeah, you're a big show off," the woman rolled her eyes behind her porcelain mask, "You only guaranteed one team member of cell six, what about the other two?"

"Oh geez Mouse that's mean," the monkey faced Anbu agent whined, "I've guaranteed two of those members!"

"The other seems to have an unhealthy submissive personality to Kabuto Yakushi," the woman replied, "Who was your _main_ target in that absurd team."

"Hay! If you guys didn't lose him at the hospital I would've had the perfect opportunity to secure his loyalty before the attack!"

_THW~A~ACK!_

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Yao stiffened, feeling a cold shiver run up his spine.

"Yagorigi?" he looked down at the girl he was supporting, coppery-pink hair was tinted in dust giving her hair the color of dull oranges or dirt covered strawberries. Sapphire blue eyes blinked curiously up at him, a small scratch rounded the edge of her left eye and a thick bruise marred her right cheek and her right ankle was fractured but otherwise she was unharmed. The chunin tasked with evacuating the civilians managed to get to her before the fighting did; all her scrapes and bruises were from running and falling.

"Is everything okay?" the girl asked, blinking up at him worriedly, "you just went pale."

"I'll be fine Tsubame," Yao answered, adjusting his hold on her, knowing that she couldn't put much weight on her ankle, "nothing to worry about..."

"A bad feeling?" Tsubame asked, her eyes misting over and a whimsical smile slipping onto her face, "You know you should honor those. You never know what will happen next."

"I know," Yao chuckled, ice settling in his stomach, "everything will be okay..." _I hope..._

"If you say so," Tsubame sighed, leaning into him as he helped her hobble to the nearest medic station. Yao sighed and continued helping Tsubame towards the medic tent, knowing that he really should tell her the truth of who he was.

He wasn't a simple doctor-in-training at the hospital, he was a medical-shinobi

His birth name was Yagorigi, true, but he hated it with a passion. Very few people actually knew his real name; as he had started writing 'Yao' as his name since his first year in the academy, throwing a complete tantrum when his teachers called him out by his real name. The only person he allowed to call him 'Yagorigi' was the Hokage; otherwise he would purposefully not respond to the name (or any other name) until he heard 'Yao'.

Tsubame was the only other exception to his little rule concerning his name

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"Doctor," She called out, watching the passing man stop at the end of her bed, his dark eyes wide as he stared down at her in shock. "My sisters... are they well?" _are they safe?_

"I'm sorry Haruno-san but I can't tell you that," he sighed, stepping over and pulling her blankets a little higher, "You need to rest."

_But I can't_, she thought, watching the man walk away without seeing if she needed anything. She turned her head and looked around herself curiously, it looked like the fighting had stopped but she wasn't sure. She was in the middle of some building that obviously wasn't the hospital laying on the ground beside another injured man and when she looked to her other side she saw nothing but rows and rows of wounded shinobi covering the floor, medics were running up and down the halls, some where silently pulling blankets over some people and moving on to the next body.

How bad was the attach that they couldn't even hold their own wounded inside the hospital?

"Hello peaches, glade I finally found ya..." she turned and looked tiredly up at the man crouching on the window seal over the man beside her, a long main of ratty snowy locks trailed over a crimson coat. "Geez peaches, you look like crap... please tell me you at least took out half the forces with that state you put your self in."

"Ji-Jiraya-s-sensei..."

…

"Hana!"

"Mom!" She snapped around in her seat, stumbling to run towards her mother, seeing her brother beside Tsume, Hana couldn't help but cry out in relief. "Ototo!"

"My babies," Tsume murmured, wrapping her arms around both of her children, trying to ignore the tears that stung her eyes. "Thank goodness... my babies..." Kiba didn't have enough heart to pull away from the two crying women, he just held on to them as tightly as they held onto him.

…

Hiashi sighed in relief as he took count of his family members, glade that his nephew and daughters were all safe despite the number of shinobi attaching their compound. So far, they hadn't lost anybody, he was praying that would stay the case

…

Shino sighed in relief as his father carried him back to the village slowly, content to take their time now that he wasn't in any danger. Shino watched with a smile as members of his family stepped out and lined their path back to the village protectively, some still scanning the forest for intruders. It'd take time but the poison he breathed in would be illuminated, however the gold dust attack he didn't block in time was another matter entirely. There was the possibility that not all of the gold could be removed from his back, some of it was in pretty deep, his father was sure the Kikaichū could take out most but he wasn't sure if they could get all of it.

When Shino realized that there was a possibly to have gold dust stuck in his back, the only thing he could think of was that he was doomed to have a glittery back for the rest of his life

Kiba would never let him live it down

…

Inoichi sighed as he patted his sleeping daughter's head, when the genjutsu fell over the audience she had fallen with it, forcing him to hide her body beneath the seats in a last ditch effort to protect her. It was a good thing he did because her seat was peppered with kunai and shiriken, if he hadn't hid her she would have drowned in her own blood. He had been a little panicked finding the entire arena completely empty upon his return for his daughter, but it wasn't long for one of the Jonin to inform him about the stunt of the 'temporary' mist-leaf walking treaty did. He'll thank the young Uzumaki later but at the moment he wanted to walk back to the village holding his daughter and pretend that they hadn't just survived a nasty attack from Sound and Sand.

…

Chōza chuckled as he lifted his son into his arms, glad that his son hadn't been harmed despite having fallen to the genjutsu. He'd have to work on that with him but he wasn't very worried, his son wasn't in the best of health anyways, it was best that Chōji stayed out of the fighting.

_I'll have to thank Uzumaki-san for saving him_, Chōza thought as he slowly returned to his clan compound, fingers tightening slightly on his sleeping son's limbs. He had came very close to losing his only child today and he swore that he was never going to make his son get that close to death _ever_ again.

…

Shikaku sighed as Shikamaru came walking towards him with his hands in his pockets and his teacher behind him, he wouldn't—couldn't admit that he had been worried for his son. Despite the fact that he had been lazy with the boy's training, he knew that his son wasn't completely useless. Shikaku knew that Shikamaru had snuck into their clan library and studied some of their advanced ninjutsu and that he even spent a good portion of his training month with his mother learning basic first aid in their compound's medicine hall. He loved his wife and all... but that couldn't have been fun, his wife was known as 'Iroyo Yoshino' for a reason. She might not have been 'nice' on the battlefield but once she was in 'healing mode', everyone had better look out because she could be brutal—and her teaching methods weren't exactly 'pleasant' either.

"What took you so long?" Shikaku asked as Shikamaru and Asuma paused in front of him

"Worried?" Shikamaru asked with a raised eyebrow

"Don't make me sick your mother on you," Shikaku replied straight face, Shikamaru rolled his eyes

"I'm fine, we're fine." Shikamaru replied calmly, "how are Chōji and Ino? They good?"

"As far as I know," Shikaku shrugged, "We were told that Karin Uzumaki sent everyone knocked out in the arena straight to the emergency houses through a seal. I'm assuming that's where Inoichi and Chōza are."

"I can't belief she's a genin," Shikamaru sighed and scratched the back of his head, _her skill with seals is creepy_

"Once her transfer over here is complete she sure as hell isn't going to be one," Shikaku commented with a smirk, "No way in hell is the council going to let her sit around being a genin until next year. They'll want to promote her as soon as possible.

…

Mikoto, Fugaku, Mebuki and Kizashi were all standing together, speaking with a young medic as calmly as they could but with all the stress of the attach, Orochimaru, the Sandaime's death and the fact that Itachi, Tayuya and Fubuki were hospitalized with Itachi and Tayuya both in coma's; it was a little hard for the four adults not to collapse in grief and fear. Many of the children through out the village were missing, most were presumed to be in the safe houses behind the Hokage faces, but not all of them were seen going in that direction. Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura where this particular groups concern at the moment, hearing virtually nothing about them other then that they left the village in search of one person or another. Sasuke had been ordered to take out the sand siblings and Naruto and Sakura had been ordered to bring Sasuke back, they only knew that much because Shikamaru had told them as much; Unfortunately there was only so much that he knew, having been scent off to distract their pursuers.

"Mom!" Mikoto and Mebuki snapped around at the familiar voices

"Sasuke!" Mikoto was out of her husband's arms almost as fast as Mebuki was tearing across the rubble in the street towards team seven, "Naruto! Sakura! You're alive!"

"She's not breathing!" Naruto shouted in a panic, letting Mebuki sweep Sakura into her arms in favor of collapsing with Sasuke on the ground, neither caring that there was a puddle of blood beneath them. Mebuki held Sakura close as she turned on her heal and ran straight to the closest medic, the young man having already hurried over at Naruto's frightful shout. He quickly pressed a glowing palm to Sakura's chest and just as quickly said that everything was normal but her chakra levels. He gently lifted Sakura from Mebuki's hold and hurried away with another medic to the hospital, where only the life threatening cases were being taken.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"I see" Jiraya sighed, sitting in the window beside Fubuki, one hand rubbing at his chin thoughtfully. "Do you have any plans, peaches?"

"I need to find my sisters," Fubuki answered, having long since grown used to the strange nickname everyone at one point or another had used to describe her. She thought that it was strange that she was often called 'peaches' by complete strangers while Tayuya was named everything from 'sweet heart' to a couple of curse words. Fubuki was just glade that Sakura didn't have any nicknames under her belt yet, even if it was only a matter of time.

"Oh? Well that's easy enough," Jiraya replied, "Tayuya is in the hospital right now."

"And Sakura?" she questioned, "Do you know about her?"

"The blossom?" Jiraya asked with a raised eyebrow, the first time Sakura had heard Jiraya call her that she screamed and ran to her mother, calling Jiraya a 'creepy old man'. "Sorry Peach's I haven't heard a thing about her... I suppose that could be good news, she was last seen with her teammates."

"Those two are about as reckless as a bomb in a flee market," Fubuki chuckled, the information both scared her and relieved her

"You just described the entire village perfectly" Jiraya chuckled at her

"That's not reassuring" Fubuki sighed, a small smile fighting on her lips

"Sorry, sorry" Jiraya chuckled, "anyways, have you heard the news?" He asked, suddenly serious, putting the pinkette on edge

"Which one?" she asked, "I've heard several..." _So many people have died..._

"The Sandaime's death..." Jiraya regretted being the one to inform Fubuki, her expression was heart broken. The Sandaime had taken a great interest in teaching Fubuki once she made chunin and she showed an interest in Fūin jutsu. When she made Jonin at Sixteen, Hiruzen allowed her to learn under Jiraya the more advanced forms of Fūin Jutsu; she was no genius by a long shot but she made the simple seals in the most interesting of ways.

Her talent with sewing and combining it with Fūin jutsu was all thanks to Sarutobi, an innocent comment made into reality. Now the Haruno's were famous for their shinobi equipment, everything from their smoke bombs that worked well with the Uchiha's fire style to their mass illusions for the Inuzuka's and even their equipment for the Nara household that helped with their chakra control which eventually helped with their nin-jutsu's.

And all of it was made by a single, innocent comment by the Sandaime

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

They tried to follow the two young men, knowing that they would go straight to the murder

They knew that the gray haired boy was Kabuto Yakushi; he was skilled in medical ninjutsu (especially in the fighting aspect of it), his chakra system was sealed in the prelims, he needed to go to T&I for questioning, and he went through the chunin exams too many times to be normal.

They knew that the brown haired boy was TakaoIshuka; he was adapt in first aid and emergency aid, had minor Taijutsu ability, was double jointed in every joint of his body but his neck and jaw, could talk his way out of almost any situation and seemed to follow Kabuto around like a lost puppy.

What they didn't know was that one of the young men was adapt in genjutsu

About half an hour after following the young men through the village, the team realized that they were under a genjutsu. When they dispelled it, they were in the middle of the eastern forest of the village and their targets were nowhere in sight.

The captain swore to find both boys and beat them into a pulp

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"Kakashi," he turned at the sound of his name, eyes immanently locking in on the mothers standing behind him before he blinked and found a familiar blond boy wrapping his arms around him and sobbing uncontrollably.

"Naruto?" Kakashi questioned softly, patting the boy's head awkwardly, "Why are you crying?" he raised his eyes and examined the two women with red eyes and his other male student standing beside them looking miserable. "What's going on?" He asked not sure if he wanted the answer, his heart was beating to fast and he was having a hard time focusing his sight on the women and not on the two boys who where suddenly clinging to him like boa-constrictors.

"It's Sakura-Nee," Naruto sobbed into Kakashi's vest, making his heart skip a beat, "She's in the hospital... she's hurt really bad"

"We don't know what happened," Sasuke grumbled, trying to hide his distress and tears in his sensei's jacket. "One minute we were arguing together and the next she was on the ground—not breathing." Kakashi's dark eye locked in on the two women, finally noticing the fine tremor racing up and down their bodies and how they both leaned against each other just a little too close to be a coincidence.

"They don't think she's going to make it," Mebuki whispered softly

Kakashi felt his world stop

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

A few days later

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

She settled between her sisters, tears streaming down her face as she stared at their sleeping faces. Tayuya with her breathing mask and Sakura... Sakura had tubs down her nose and throat, wires hooked to her fingers with IVs and blood bags hooked to her arms. Despite all the blood being given to her, Sakura still looked like she was carved from ice. Her hair was slick with sweat, dark bruises were formed under her eyes, her heartbeat was horrifyingly slow, beating so softly that the monitor could barely pick it up, and her Oxygen intake had to be forced into her by a pump.

"Imoto," She whispered her voice cracking as she watched her sisters sleep. She was unsure of who to cry for, Tayuya for her unexplained coma or Sakura who was at death's doorstep.

"Wake up," Fubuki whispered, "Wake up... wake up, wake up, wake up!" She threw her face into her hands and sobbed loudly, her body shaking in the seat between her sisters.

"Wake up," She begged, "Wake up, wake up, Wa—"

"N-nee-Cha-an" her head snapped up at the soft voice, sounding more like a groan then a faint whisper.

"Tayuya!" Fubuki cried out, jumping to her feet, happy tears spilling from her apple green eyes. "Tayuya, Tayuya, Tayuya" Fubuki chanted repeatedly, wrapping her arms around Tayuya's neck and collapsing atop her bed

"ow~" Tayuya groaned as Fubuki sobbed on top of her, her blurry hazel eyes swept around her room tiredly. "W-what... what's g-going o-on? Wh-why... yo-ou c-cry-ing?"

"Y-you've be-en in-n a-a-a c-coma!" Fubuki gasped out, pulling back from her sister whipping at her eyes with her wrists. "Ho-how l-long w-were y-you pl-playing th-that s-song?"

"Hmm," Tayuya closed her eyes in thought, "I-I don't kn-kow..."

"About fifteen minutes," both girls turned at the smooth voice, smiling when they saw Itachi get wheeled in with Hana right behind him.

"Tayuya," Itachi said, turning to his pink haired teammate, "Never summon that damn bird again."

"Why?" Tayuya asked hoarsely, her voice cracking with her attempt at a laugh, "You scared of a little birdie?"

"Your 'little birdie' just so happened to have burned his feet," Hana grouched, pushing Itachi forward until he sat on Tayuya's other side. "The doctors don't think he'll be walking for a very long time—if ever."

"...I'm sorry" Tayuya mumbled softly, her eyes watering as she looked at Itachi's two heavily casted feet that smelled like burn ointment and other heavily scented medicines. "I-I didn't... didn't mean... how many did I—"

"Don't start, don't do that your self," Itachi sighed, turning in his chair to reach her hand while Hana hobbled over to a chair at the end of Tayuya's bed, showing that she had broken one of her legs at some point.

"W-what ha-hap-pen?" Tayuya asked, turning to examine with clear eyes the group surrounding her. Itachi and Hana sitting beside her, Shisui was in the bed across from her asleep, Mikoto and Fugaku were holding onto a trembling Sasuke, her own parents holding a red eyed, sniffing Naruto, Fubuki was sitting to her right with Jiraya just behind her and... Tayuya's eyes landed on the end of the bed to Fubuki's left. Confusion twisted her face as she looked directly beside her, there a peach colored curtain obscured her view but she could recognize the shadowed figures on the cloth with the sunlight behind them. She could make out Kakashi's shaky head of hair from where he stood against the window seal behind the curtain but next to the person laying beside her.

"Who?" Tayuya asked softly, her breath quickening as she studied the smaller shadow, laying in the bed, trying to find something in that shadow that didn't match the person she was searching for. She felt both Itachi and Fubuki tighten their holds on her hands; Hana patting her leg reassuringly but not looking at her... no one was looking at her.

"Who's beside me?" Tayuya asked running her eyes over the group standing and sitting around her, Fubuki sniffed, her body trembling as she shakily stood and pushed back the curtain. Tayuya first recognized Kakashi leaning against the window seal lazily, then she saw Karin sleeping on the end of the bed with Suigetsu and Haku on either side of—then Tayuya felt her eyes widen at the familiar color of bubblegum pink hair, smooth aster skin...

"That's not funny," Tayuya said softly as she continued to stare wide eyed at the sleeping child beside her "... N-not funny..."

"It's not a joke," Kakashi said softly, his voice barely louder then the soft beeping of the heart monitor beside him. Everyone flinched as Tayuya's chakra suddenly thrashed out of her body, threatening to suffocate Sasuke and Naruto, startling Shisui into a sitting position with his Sharingan blazing to life, Haku and Suigetsu were immanently standing protectively beside Karin sleepily and Karin had all but threw her self over Sakura with her chains sprouting from her back threatening. It took Karin a little longer then her teammate's to understand that the blast of Chakra came from Tayuya and as she settled back down into her seat, shaking off the last of her sleep in the processes, she understood just what her older sister had attempted to do.

Everyone knew Tayuya was trying to disrupt a genjutsu, refusing to belief that it was Sakura laying beside her

"No," Tayuya whispered when she finally registered that what she was seeing wasn't an illusion. "No... No... No, no, no, no-no-no-no-no-NO!" Fubuki lunged forward and held Tayuya back as she struggled in her bed, trying to reach out to the tiny pinkette beside her. "Imoto! Wake up! Wake up! Damn it! I-MO-OTO—!" Fubuki held onto Tayuya as she wailed and thrashed in her arms, trying to get to Sakura, tears spilling from her eyes as she pushed against Fubuki, ignoring Itachi's iron grip on her left arm and Hana's tear-eyed grunting as she tackled her legs, trying to pin them in place. It took Fubuki five minutes before she was able to knock Tayuya out, the sudden silence after words was deafening to the eldest pinkette.

"Jiraya," everyone turned to see Shikaku lounging against the doorway, his eyes locked onto the Haruno sisters. "The Sandaime made Sakura-chan his apprentice" not everyone was surprised by the news, "I think it's about time we tell everyone here _Why_."

"You don't mean...?" Fubuki's voice trailed off as she stared at Shikaku, who only nodded

"So it's already been confirmed," Jiraya sighed, slumping slightly where he stood.

"Wait, what?" Naruto called out, drawing everyone's attention to him, "What are you talking about? Why are you all—"

"Naruto, Sasuke, Karin, Suigetsu, Haku" Mikoto called softly, cutting the blonde off as she stepped forward, "I think it's time for us to help the others pick up the pieces of the village."

"But—" Suigetsu started

"Now children" Mikoto interrupted, "What they're going to talk about sounds an awful lot like S-class material. None of you are of high enough ranking to hear that kind of information yet and you three are foreign shinobi"

"I'm not—" Karin and Naruto started

"You'll be read in later" Jiraya interrupted the cousins, smiling as he ruffled the blonde's unruly locks. "When you make... um?" Jiraya turned to Shikaku, his voice trailing off in an unfinished question

"How about when you make Jonin?" Shikaku asked thoughtfully, "and Mikoto-chan is right, this is S-class material. Jiraya and Kakashi both know because of their ranks and status to the third, that's why they aren't all that surprised... but the rest here _need_ to be filled in."

"She's our—"

"I know," Shikaku sighed, interrupting Sasuke's words. "I know you guys grew up and are as close as siblings but neither of you are ready to hear this."

"But we have the right—" Naruto started

"Don't you get it?" Shikaku growled out at the blonde, making him flinch, "The Sandaime is trying to protect you, not just you but her as well. It's bad enough that I have to tell your siblings much less your parents but _they need_ to know." Naruto and Sasuke shared a look, deflating slightly as Mikoto put a hand on both of their shoulders, gently leading them out of the room, Karin and her team slowly following with Hana behind them.

"The Sandaime is trying to protect you," Shikaku said softer as the boys stopped just passed the door, "And he's trying to protect her. Please understand, you both will be told just not right now."

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

She stared dumbly straight a head, unsure if what she was seeing was real or if one of the famous illusions her cousin was so good at casting was staring straight at her. She didn't know how to disrupt her 'chakra' as she had no idea how to use it. So she just stared straight a head, taking in the destroyed flat; the blood stained walls and floors which had turned the small 'home' into a blood bath, attracting flies and the like. She didn't know what exactly to do, should she scream? Should she faint? Should she cry? Should she try to shake the body laying in the middle of her destroyed home? What was she supposed to do?

"Tsubame?" the voice was whisper soft and yet familiar, the voice of her neighbor, the one with two kids and expecting her third. Tsubame felt her eyes shift slowly, wetting her eyes so they wouldn't burn like they did, she heard the woman call again, softer this time, as if afraid to wake her from her staring. Tsubame felt a soft bony hand settle on her shoulder but that didn't seem to keep her from staring at her destroyed apartment, her grocery bags forgotten at her feet. There was a sharp gasp, a piercing scream, a hard yank and suddenly Tsubame was watching the world spin as her apartment door spiraled further down the hall away from her.

Tsubame felt, more then heard or saw, her neighbor set her into a seat and place something cold in her hands but that seemed to do little for the trance Tsubame was still in. even though her blue eyes were foggy and staring off into space, Tsubame could only find that her mind had replaced everything in front of her with the image of the large body laying in the middle of her flat apartment.

Blood dripped down the walls, splattered the roof, pooled on the floor, stained her furniture and rugs...

_But... what am I supposed to do now?_ Tsubame looked down at her hands, staring down at her left hand where a pretty silver ring sat soundly. _I was supposed to tell him..._

An hour later when the authorities arrived, they found in the entranceway to Tsubame Haruno's apartment amongst the bags of spilt food and essentials, there was a little white box with it's top askew.

Inside the little white box, sat a pair of little blue baby booties

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"You three can't be serious," Fubuki drawled staring at the three village councilmember's in disbelief, "it's been three days since the attack and you have the gal to _order_ me to take my grandfather's hat? Are you three even thinking?"

"We are thinking perfectly clear," Homura replied tartly, "and Hiruzen wasn't your grandfather, despite his attempts—"

"He was as close as family," Fubuki hissed at her, "I don't know what you're thinking of even _suggesting_ that I take his hat but it's not going to work because I'm more liable to put a senbon through you three's throat then to listen to anything you idiots have to say!"

"I'd expect such a threat from your sister," Danzo drawled in a tone of voice that said he wasn't impressed

"Who do you think taught her weapons?" Fubuki asked, crossing her legs and rolling her eyes, "you can try to suggest, order, advocate, _whatever_ but no matter what you say I _refuse_ to become the Godaime Hokage!"

"I doubt we'll get anywhere with her," Koharu sighed, looking at his old teammate, "That leaves Jiraya, Danzo and Kakashi—"

"No way in hell," Said gray haired man retorted

"Now I know why I'm here," Jiraya chuckled, one hand latching onto Kakashi's arm, preventing the younger man from running out on them

"Now it's just Jiraya and Danzo," Homura sighed, making Fubuki and Jiraya snort

"Have either one of you even thought about Tsunade-Hime?" Jiraya asked, noting how Kakashi went still and calmly let him take his seat back beside Fubuki; who then froze him in place. The look she scent the other Jonin said 'if I have to suffer, so do you'—it only made Jiraya's amusement grow.

"No one knows where Tsunade-Hime is," Danzo replied with a frown, "Who are you going to pick next? Sakura Haruno? She's but a genin"

"You know something," Fubuki said thoughtfully, "That's not a half bad idea." _Technically she's older then Kakashi and just as, if not more, powerful then him._

"You're right," Kakashi agreed with his own thoughtful look, "She's mature for her age, is actually well respected by most of our shinobi, is strong enough to hide her talent so she could be placed on a team with Sasuke and Naruto—"

"And Hiruzen-sensei taught her himself," Jiraya added, rubbing one hand against his chin, ignoring the withering glare given to him by Danzo. "The only person I can think of that would even have a clue as to Sakura-chan's skill would be Shikaku-san, but I doubt he'll go into much detail about it..."

"She's a child!" Danzo hissed, "and a genin"

"You can't seriously think that she actually failed the exams did you?" Fubuki asked with a raised eyebrow

"Oh, and lord Hokage was thinking about making her his successor," a new voice chuckled

"His successor?" Fubuki repeated thoughtfully, before blinking and realizing that it wasn't any of the men surrounding her who spook up. Everyone moved at the same time, blinking dumbly at the Jonin leaning against the window seal and smirking at them in amusement.

"Shikaku," Kakashi greeted, bobbing his head as the scared man smoothly entered the large office

"What do you mean he thought of making her his successor?" Danzo asked seriously

"You seriously didn't think that I was training her for those first two weeks did you?" Shikaku asked with a raised eyebrow, "Lord Hokage did most of her training, between the two of us that girl got next to no sleep. I actually think that she made a solid clone and made it get all the sleep she'd need so she wouldn't be so tiered when it was time to switch teachers."

"Smart," Kakashi chuckled

"Ne~ Hiruzen-sensei was teaching Blossom to be his next successor?" Jiraya asked

"He was thinking about it," Shikaku replied with a careless shrug, "He wanted to see how she did in the chunin exam before he finalized his decision on the matter."

"If what I saw of her fight with Dosu was anything to be proud of, I'd say he decided yes," Fubuki chuckled, "What Hokage wouldn't want their next successor to survive a sound concussion at point blank range, go flying through nearly two _cement_ walls and still have enough strength to get up and taunt their enemy?"

"Not only that but she even had enough strength to take out several sound and Sand teams in the attack," Kakashi smirked at Fubuki. "I actually watched her take out two sound teams with one bomb, a sand team with some wires and then she ran through the crowed with those damned kunai of hers and did a healthy amount of damage to the enemy—all while on the run to me."

"If you think that's impressive you should've seen some of her sparing tactics with Hiruzen," Shikaku chuckled, "He had to create five different shadow clones to keep his sparing on pare with her."

"Eh~ when was this?" Kakashi asked, blinking rapidly at the Nara clan head

"Oh about two weeks in on her training," Shikaku chuckled, "that's when I was brought in to help with her training."

"How'd that go?" Fubuki asked innocently

"The first round she damn near castrated me," Shikaku said seriously, giving the pinkette a glare that said 'I know you taught her that'. Fubuki just smiled innocently at him, as if she didn't understand his glare.

"Sakura-chan likes putting explosive kunai between men's legs a little too much to be healthy," Jiraya commented with a sigh

"Can't say she doesn't get you moving," Kakashi chuckled

"It doesn't matter how much attention you give her," Danzo said, drawing everyone's attention to him, "the girl is in the hospital."

"Ah, yes," Homura murmured softly, straightening as if realizing something, "She's in a coma, isn't she?"

"Then we're still left with Danzo and Jiraya," Koharu sighed, "not that any of us would even consider a _child_ for the title of Hokage, despite her skills on and off the battle field."

_Damn it all_, Shikaku thought, eye narrowing on the three village councilors. _Is it a Haruno thing to never get in NORMAL trouble? Must every national destruction be aimed straight for them?_

"If we can get Tsunade-Hime to come back that can be fixed," Jiraya said seriously, he'll fight tooth and nail to keep them reminded of her presence, there was still a chance that she'll come back to the village.

It was just a matter of finding and then _convincing_ her to return

"Ne~ why not make a bet?" Homura asked suddenly, "We'll give you a month to find Tsunade-Hime, if you can't by then, then Danzo will become the next Hokage?"

"And what if I find her but can't convince her?" Jiraya asked, dark eyes narrowed and serious, "Will you place Sakura Haruno as a consideration?"

"If you find Tsunade and fail to convince her, then we'll _consider_, the young Haruno girl," Koharu agreed, "Be warned Jiraya, we said _consider_, not approve of."

"This also means that if he can both find and bring back Tsunade-Hime, then she'll become the next Hokage," Shikaku said, "just to make sure you're not going to back on your word, you do understand this part of the bet, yes?"

"We understand," Homura rolled her eyes, "that's the point of sending Jiraya out to search for Tsunade-Hime, if he can bring her back she'll be Hokage, if not then we'll take _consideration_ of the girl."

"Alright, I'll take your bet," Jiraya smirked. Koharu nodded courtly, rising to his feet with Homura and Danzo, the three leaving silently. Fubuki waited until she couldn't hear their foot steps, then counted to ten before she turned to address her once teacher.

"You do realize that you don't have a choice in failing this mission, right?" Fubuki asked, regarding Jiraya seriously, "bring back Tsunade-Hime or prepare for my wrath."

"Eh? You don't want blossom to become Hokage?" Jiraya asked surprised

"Don't misunderstand Jiraya-sensei," Fubuki huffed, "I just don't want my little sister to get treated like she's an adult when she's not. I know she can take the pressure of being Hokage, but she is a child still and there aren't many adults who'll take her seriously. The village will get attacked more often, she'll get assassination attempts more often then any other Kage, those of her own generation will segregate her from themselves, adults will segregate themselves from her."

"Ah~ you don't want Sakura-chan to end up like Itachi, right?" Kakashi asked in amusement, "he's not that bad ya-know"

"Yeah, _after_ he met Tayuya he isn't that bad, but did you ever meet him _before_ her?" Fubuki asked, "I did, that wasn't pleasant by any means."

"No worries peaches," Jiraya chuckled, "Even if she gets the title, there's no way for Sakura-chan to some how inherit Itachi-san's personality. She's just too bubbly"

"Plus you and Tayuya have a bad habit of breaking people's walls down like they're nothing," Kakashi chuckled, "If anyone can keep Sakura-chan the way she is, it'll be you two."

"By the way Shikaku," Kakashi called looking at the scared man curiously, "Was anything you said the truth?"

"Of course," Shikaku smirked, "with a lie or two."

_Of course_, Fubuki chuckled and shook her head, _only Shikaku would lie, straight faced, to the council_

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"Are you sure dad?" Ino asked as she pushed herself up in her bed, trying to ignore the pain in her leg as she sat up

"I'm sure," Inoichi sighed, restacking her pillows and adjusting her blankets, "I saw her yesterday evening."

"Is she going to be okay?" Ino asked, surprised her voice didn't crack with the emotions she was feeling

"...I don't know" Inoichi answered truthfully, "Jiraya-sama is taking her teammates to go search for Tsunade-Hime. There's a chance that if she can get back in time, that she just might be able to save her"

"If?" She asked softly, staring dully at her father making him sigh

"...The doctors don't think Sakura has much time left" Inoichi clarified softly, not liking having to tell Ino the bad news. "They're giving her a week..." Ino couldn't stop the tears from spilling, she had wanted to talk to Sakura, to apologize and ask for forgiveness—now she wouldn't get the chance.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"_I'll never run away!"_

"_Ototo! Don't die! Don't Die! OTOTO!"_

"_I'll always love you"_

"_No! Don't die! Don't die!"_

…

"_You're a cowered," he mumbled_

"_You're a fool" she shot back_

…

"_Can you save her?" He asked fearfully_

"_Nothing can save her"_

"_Please" He begged, tears streaming down his cheeks "please save her... use whatever you need, take from me everything you need, just __**please**__, you have to save her!"_

"_...You'll die for her?"_

"_A thousand times over"_

…

_She was standing in the crimson office, staring at a familiar white robbed back, a familiar village sitting peacefully just beyond the window. Oh how she loved the view from his office window, oh how beautiful her village must look behind that chair_

"_Now that the threat is over, will you still leave?"_

"_Yes" she answered softly, her heart saying something else, yelling and screaming at her to say something else, anything else_

"_Will you come back?"_

"_No" Yes!_

"_Are you sure?"_

"_Yes" No!_

"_If I died," he started softly, his dark eyes not looking back at her "Would you come back?"_

_She didn't have the heart to give him an answer because she knew that she was divided. Her mind said he would die some day and that logically she would return for him, so yes. Her heart believed that the ancient man couldn't die so she would never have to return, so no._

_She was divided, her mind and heart spook two different truths and she didn't know who to believe_

…

She woke up in a cold sweat in another unfamiliar room, always an unfamiliar room—it was once a familiar room, once long ago...

She could still smell the copper and rust that made blood—the warm, sweet scent of his favorite smoking tobacco

She could still taste the burning of stomach acids—the sweet, overly honeyed tea he loved

She could still hear the screams—the soft laughter that warmed her heart and brought forth only pleasant memories

She could still feel the blood—his hug when she was sad, his arms that spun her around and around just to make her laugh again

She could still see the begging faces of those souls she failed to save—his smile as he welcomed her home

"Just a dream, it was... just a dream" She whispered, raking a hand threw her long pale locks, honey eyes rising to look out her window to see a large crimson moon glaring down at her. "It was just a dream... Right?"

"_Tsunade-Hime" he called with laughter dancing in his voice, "Come home safely this time, okay?"_

"Sensei..." she whispered, leaning over to examine the sky a little closer. In the distance, she watched the wind blow a group of leafs high into the air and twirl before the moon before they were blown again out of sight.

Was it just her or did those leafs stay too long on the surface of that bloody moon?

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

**Who do you think should become a chunin?**

**I want to stay close to the original story line but I'm not above making adjustments**

**Thoughts are helpful**

**Opinions are wonderful**

**Helpful criticism****is**** lovely! Just don't cripple me okay?**

**Please no cursing!**

**And don't forget to**** rate and**** review!**

**Page 31**


	44. Chapter 44

**There is a reason**

Chapter 44: A different kind of recovery

Koomahana

**Fubuki was 10 when she met Sakura & 11 when she was taken to the leaf village**

**Tayuya was 8 when she met Sakura & 9 when she was taken to the leaf village**

**Sakura was 3 when she was taken and returned to the leaf village**

**Yagura was 20 when he first met Sakura and 21 when he returned to his body.**

**Yagura is 17 years older then Sakura**

**Fubuki is 7 years older than Sakura and 2 years older then Tayuya**

**Tayuya is 5 years older than Sakura**

**Fubuki was a genin at 12, Chunin at 14 and Jonin at 16**

**Tayuya was a genin at 12, Chunin at 13 ½ and Jonin at 16**

**They are now:**

**Yagura is now 29 years old—Mizukage**

**Fubuki is now 19 years old—Jonin for three years (Same age as Shisui—Anbu—and Shikan—Jonin)**

**Tayuya is now 17 years old—Jonin for one year (Same age as Itachi—Anbu—and Hana—Jonin and Kimimaro—Chunin)**

**Sakura is now 12 years old—Genin (Same age as Naruto, Sasuke, Gaara, Karin, Suigetsu and Haku)**

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

She stared at the girl standing in front of her, pale eyes narrowed dangerously and her face a smooth, emotionless mask. The platinum blond in front of her stared right back, face just as passive but her baby blue eyes showed her nerves and unease. The blonde's teammate's stood on either side behind her, her father directly behind her, his own teal-blue eyes locked in on her worriedly. She could feel her sister to her right and behind, looking at them in confusion; her cousin was standing to her left, half heartedly standing in the middle as if he had yet to decide who's side he should stand on and she _knew_ her own father was standing directly behind her—a near perfect mirror reflection of the group in front of her.

"...Have you forgotten my warning?" Hinata asked levelly, the girl flinched in response, "Why are you here, Ino Yakamaka?"

_Nice to know we exist too,_ Shikamaru thought with a sigh, sharing a worried look with Chōji. They knew things were 'tense' between the two heiresses but the level of tension between them now was almost enough to make the grown men standing behind both girls shift uncomfortably.

"I'm here to apologize," Ino said softly, taking a deep breath and leveling her blue eyes onto Hinata

"I'm not the one you need to apologize too," Hinata replied calmly, voice empty of emotion; indirectly making her relatives twitch at it, as if they were uncomfortable with her voice.

"I know Hinata-san," Ino said, trying to calm her heartbeat down, knowing that Hinata had the strength (and will) to knock her back into the hospital (not that she was supposed to leave anyways). "But... I know that I wasn't exactly nice to you either over the years. I don't want to act any more, not for the clan celebrations, not for the council, not for complete strangers—I want my friends back."

"The monthly clan celebrations were all acts?" Hinata asked, wanting to raise an amused smile but knew she was frowning instead, a look that had her father sighing and rubbing at his face tiredly.

"Yes and no," Ino shifted uncomfortably, "What I meant was... I don't want to pretend to be friends with you and Sakura any more—I want us to be friends, like we used to be."

"...we're a little old to be sharing bathes," Hinata replied as calmly as she could, looking at Ino as if she had two heads.

"That's not what I meant!" Ino said a little loudly, her face flushing three shades of red, "I meant that I want us to be friends for real! Not just acting so we wouldn't put stress between our clans!"

"I know," Hinata smiled, confusing and silencing the blond. "Doesn't mean I forgive you," Hinata added, her eyes narrowing once more and her smile disappearing, "You did a lot of damage Ino." The blond flinched, "It took too many hours to make her tears stop flowing and every year on _that_ day, she still cries." Ino looked miserable, her head bowing and her eyes misting over with the need to cry yet her pride kept her from doing so

"Ms. Yamanka Ino!" a loud shout roared through the air, as one the two groups turned to see a team of medics with furious expressions head straight for them.

"Uh-oh!" Shikamaru spun on his heal, grabbed one of Ino's wrists and pulled her away

"Run!" Chōji shouted, quickly pulling one of Ino's arms over his shoulder as he followed Shikamaru away from the Hyūga compound

"You're supposed to be resting!" the medics shouted, barging past the Hyūga's and Inoichi like they weren't there, frustration ringing in their voices and marring their faces.

"Ino!" Hinata called, just before the blond turned a corner, "Prepare for a spare!"

Hinata swore that Ino let out a frustrated shout as her teammate's ran with her, Hinata couldn't hide the smirk on her face if she tried

"Hinata," Hiashi called, nodding at Inoichi as the blond man spun on his heal and left

"Yes father?" Hinata asked turning to look at her father

"Never do that again," Hiashi ordered, turning on his heal and walking back into the compound, leaving his daughters and nephew at the gates

"Do what?" Hinata asked in confusion, turning to look at Neji and Hanabi in confusion, "what'd I do?"

"I think father meant your moment of perfect heiress," Hanabi answered, staring up at her sister blankly. Hinata blinked down at Hanabi in confusion

"He meant that you should never act like him again," Neji sighed, turning to follow his uncle into the compound, Hinata waited until she couldn't see her cousin before she voiced her next question.

"I was acting?" Hinata asked, looking down at her little sister in complete confusion, her head tilting to the side cutely, "I thought I was being quite serious." Hanabi stared at her sister for a moment before she let out a sigh herself and followed her cousin and father into the compound; Hinata following her in confusion, questions spilling out of her lips repeatedly.

_Father, I think Hinata-nee is a secret genius actress_

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"Alright boys this is it," Jiraya chuckled as he looked out at the city before him, glade that they just might have caught up to his old teammate. Turning he saw that both boys weren't even looking at him, they were staring dejectedly at the ground.

_Geez those two have it bad_, Jiraya thought as he started forward, the boys following behind him silently. He knew they grew up together but this silence was starting to get at him, he was used to people being vocal around or at him. He looked around the greatest gambling village he knew of, his eyes scanning the buildings and faces, searching for those familiar pale yellow locks he knew so well. When night fell and they still didn't stop to rest, Jiraya stopped in front of a bar and went in side, the boys following behind him silently.

"Will you two make some noise already?!" Jiraya asked loudly, finally having enough he snapped around to glare at the two boys who now looked up at him bewilderedly. Unknown to Jiraya the two boys had left him for a good portion of the day, letting one of Naruto's clones keep an eye on him while they went to eat, train and take a short rest before they returned to him. "Don't look at me like that! I've been trying al—"

"Jiraya?"

"Huh? Tsunade-Hime!" the woman Jiraya called out to was tall with long platinum locks and eyes like carved Amber and a small violet diamond in the middle of her forehead, she wore a dark green coat and a gray kimono top that barely covered her larger then normal bust and navy blue pants. Beside her sat a tall and thin woman with Onyx black hair and matching eyes dressed in an Ashy black kimono.

"What are you doing here?" Tsunade asked, leaning back in her chair as Jiraya let the two boys move in before he sat down across from her and beside them. She recognized the Yondaime's son, noting how he was the spitting image of his father and she was mindedly curious about the dark haired boy silent beside him.

"Looking for you of course," Jiraya answered, smiling when Tsunade turned her eyes on him, her head tilting curiously. "Orochimaru attacked the village and killed Sensei," he saw from the corner of his eye how the two boys flinched at the reminder, still silent as they stared sullenly at the tabletop. "There are some people in the village you need to—"

"No" Tsunade replied automatically

"Wha but—"

"What do you mean you won't come back?" Sasuke asked, shifting his dark eyes from the table to look up at Tsunade with a frown.

"I said I wouldn't return to that village," Tsunade replied, "I'm keeping that particular promise."

"So you're going to let Nee-chan die?" Naruto asked her, his voice soft as he stared up at her with watery blue eyes, "You're not even going to try? You're not even going to look at her? I thought you were the best medic in the five nations?"

"A true medic would look at everyone wounded regardless of the consequences," Sasuke recited to himself, frowning up at Tsunade and ignoring the glare she shot at him. "Dose that mean that you're not a real medic? That you're just trash?"

"What?! How dare you!" Tsunade snarled slamming a hand on the tabletop and making it crack

"L-Lady Tsunade—" Shizune stuttered out

"Calm down—" Jiraya advised

"What makes you any different from Orochimaru?" Naruto asked, not phased in the least by the show of her strength, his words shocking the adults around him.

"What makes you any different then the man that destroyed your home and killed your teacher?" Sasuke asked coldly, "Don't you _care_?"

"Who are you to question me?!" Tsunade asked, her face twisting into a glare at the boy who seemed to be unaffected by the look that even had Jiraya backing up slightly

"My name is Sasuke Uchiha" Sasuke replied calmly. "My older brother is Itachi and my younger brother is Naruto, my older sisters are Fubuki and Tayuya, my younger sister is Sakura—all but Naruto need your help. Yet you do nothing but raise your voice and crack tables when you're mad and glare at me when I speak the truth to your face."

"He's right" Naruto commented thoughtfully, drawing attention to himself. "You really can't be that great of a medic if you won't even _look_ at your patients."

"Guess we were just wasting our time waiting for you to _grow up_," Sasuke sighed rising from the table, his feet stepping onto the seat as Naruto quickly mimicked him. It was a jab they had heard a thousand times from Sakura, typically aimed at Ino, but looking at Tsunade's enraged expression, they both now understood why Sakura had said it—it lit something in the receiver's eyes, making them question themselves after they stopped to think about their spoken words.

"Listen here you little brat," Tsunade hissed, reaching forward and snatching up Sasuke by the scruff of his shirt's neck. "I'm Tsunade Senju—"

"The granddaughter of the first Hokage, niece to the Second Hokage, student of the third Hokage, a world renowned medic and one of the great Sanin" Sasuke cut her off with a bored kind of voice, unaffected by the venomous glare given to him. "The Shodaime and Nidaime would be _disappointed_ with your behavior and the Sandaime would be _ashamed_. The world cries because of the souls you could have saved but refused to do so and as for being one of the great Sanin?" Sasuke reached up and tapped a glowing finger to Tsunade's wrist making her hiss and release him with a harsh jerk

"I don't see anything so great about you," Sasuke sighed standing on the seat and looking down on Tsunade, "I only see a little old woman weeping for her past, to scared to move on and see that those she loved most wouldn't want her drowning herself in a bottle." Sasuke didn't wait for a response; he flipped over the barrier of the seat and onto the floor on the other side, Naruto close behind as they both weaved their way out of the bar and into the cold dark night.

"I'm sorry Tsunade-Hime," Jiraya said as he hurried to his feet, "I'm sure he didn't mean it the way it came out..." Tsunade didn't say anything as she messaged her wrist, ignoring Jiraya as he hurried after the boys.

"Hmm? Hay what's this?" Shizune asked softly, reaching across the table to pick up a small blue bag; Curious she flipped open the bag and looked at the continence. "Oh, one of the boys must have left this behind..." she went to flip the lid of the bag back up but she stopped as a picture sown into the lid caught her eye. Shizune stared at the image, her silence drawing Tsunade's attention.

"What are you—?" Tsunade cut her self off as she looked at the image that caught Shizune's attention. The image was a little larger then normal, taking up almost the complete inside of the flap, covered in clear plastic and rounded in thick material to protect it from the weather. It showed a semi-large stage in an all white room, with several large instruments stationed around the platform with several people in the middle playing them. Tsunade stared at the familiar looking black haired boy, with the scars on his cheeks, on the piano; leaning against the piano beside him was a hot-pink haired girl with an elegant silver flute in hand; a little bit further away was another pink haired girl standing center stage, her hands folding in front of her and her eyes closed with her mouth open with an obvious long lyric—she must have been singing. Beside the singing pinkette was Sasuke, smiling as he played a guitar beside a joyfully laughing blonde on some hand drums. At the end of the platform was a graceful looking midnight haired girl with dancing snowy eyes, in her lap was a large viola, a smile tugging at her lips as she played.

Tsunade took this all in without feeling a single thing but it was the small pinkette between Naruto and the white eyed girl that had her staring. She was sitting with her knees pointed towards her sisters and her shoulders facing the camera, her head was tilted to keep the violin she was playing from slipping, her long cheery locks were pulled back into a high braided bun, her eyes were closed and she was smiling softly.

Even after nearly ten years, Sakura hadn't changed at all

To Tsunade the youngest pinkette looked the same, her small button nose, her smooth jaw and soft cheeks, her aster skin, her almond eyes and even her bubble gum pink hair was the same as the time she first saw her at three years old. Tsunade was even betting that she still had her watery emerald pools she called eyes.

"That's mine," Tsunade flinched back at the arm that reached across her and jerked the bag from Shizune's numb fingers.

"Ah Sorry," Shizune chuckled at Sasuke, blushing and scratching the back of her neck nervously. "You all looked so happy, I couldn't help but to stare..." Sasuke stared dully at her, glancing down at the picture and smiled softly at it. Tsunade watched as he drew a finger against the edge thoughtfully, sighing he flipped it over and tugged it over his shoulders.

"Thanks to you that'll be our last practice," Sasuke said as he started to walk away, "None of us can play without her and you're going to let her die... along with her dream."

"Her dream?" Tsunade asked curiously, not realizing that she spoken aloud

"Sakura's dream was to be apart of the first musical shinobi team that Konoha housed," Sasuke explained, glancing back at her briefly. "She wanted all of us to be the first shinobi band... but her dream isn't going to happen because you're going to _let_ her die."

"You can still become the first—"

"No" Sasuke snapped out, cutting Shizune off with a fridge tone of voice. "None of our practices sound right without her. She started it... of course only she could finish it..."

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"How're you feeling?" Takao asked as he changed the bandage on Kabuto's arm, taking extra care not to cause any more pain

"Like hell," Kabuto sighed, "Using my chakra hurts."

"At least you figured out the drawback to the seals," Takao remarked, trying to sound cheerful. "I don't think anyone else would've figured out that they'd have to keep their chakra suppressed even as they used ninjutsu."

"I still can't do much," Kabuto rolled his eyes, "barely even the basics"

"Everyone has to start somewhere," Takao smiled, "Something is better then nothing."

Kabuto snorted and rolled his eyes, "you ready for the mission?"

"I can cover you," Takao bobbed his head, "Where are we meeting Master?"

"tomorrow," Kabuto answered yawning tiredly, "Don't Tremble"

"I don't tremble!" Takao pouted at him, pulling out the 'annoying little brother' card and putting it on high, "You can't say you weren't scared the first time you met him."

"Of course I was scared," Kabuto replied sleepily, "I just watched him slaughter an entire village..."

"And you have the gull to tell me not to be afraid," Takao sighed, finishing his wrapping and tying it off, "Do you need anything? Want any—"

_Sn~o~r~_

Takao blinked dumbly and looked over at his teammate, finding Kabuto out cold despite the blood staining his clothing. Smiling and shaking his head ruefully, Takao raised himself to his full height and turned to the nearby river. Removing his shirt as he walked, Takao tried to ignore the icy water as he stepped in and then proceeded to wash out his blood soaked shirt.

He highly doubted Orochimaru would be very pleased with seeing them covered in blood from head to toe

Not that he'd be very happy with finding out about Yao but with luck they wouldn't be on the receiving end of his fury

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

He swept through the tall dark stone room, eagerly moving closer and closer to the only water source he had to work with. He easily slipped into the small pool, letting his sand slip from his body before he jumped back out of the pool and charged almost head first at the first shadow he came across. He grunted as he felt several hits land against his rib cage and one arm get twisted behind himself before he felt a foot land squarely in the middle of his back, sending him crashing to the cold stone floor.

"You're right, your Taijutsu sucks," his teacher commented dryly as Gaara shook his head and pushed himself back up.

"Hai, I need to work on it," Gaara replied pushing himself onto his feet and turning to settle into a low stance across from Baki.

"Just out of curiosity," Baki said as he slipped into his own stance, "Who brought this to your attention?" He asked as he moved forward with a hard Ax-kick to Gaara's shoulder, _Who beat you into realizing this fault?_

"Two water users" Gaara answered simply, jumping back words to avoid the kick and then blocking the follow up punch

"Why are you interested in using Taijutsu?" Baki asked as he moved fluidity into another string of punches and jabs to Gaara's weak points, not holding back as the boy had requested.

"Because," Gaara coughed, stepping back to rub at his chest and throw an irated look at Baki "A Kazekage has to be well rounded in all forms of fighting. Taijutsu is my worst feature, I'm average in everything else but excel in Ninjutsu," mostly because of his bloodline which he couldn't exactly help, being Shukaku's container and having a strange mixture of his mother's and father's bloodlines 'en all

"You plan to be Kazekage?" Baki asked stopping his attacking and backing away slightly, just to get a better look at the boy in the lamp light of the small room.

"yes," Gaara nodded, recalling a loud declaration from a certain blonde from weeks before, the strong words of an old friend, the questions of a curious woman and the declaration from the youngest sister, voice cold as she spat out facts that he failed to see. "I want to stop the coming war before it begins."

"Not much worry on that one," Baki sighed straightening from his stance as Gaara's sand returned to his body, making the red head sigh as he was forced to take another dunk in the small pool. "The sand and leaf villages are both Kage-less, neither village can move until at least one of us has a Kage."

"The sooner I become Kazekage, the sooner I can request forgiveness from the leaf," Gaara replied, dunking under the water's surface _again_.

_You've changed,_ Baki thought with a fond smirk, watching the boy rise back out of the pool, _the leaf really dose change people._

If Gaara could accomplish becoming Kazekage, then surly the next few years would be interesting in a positive light

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"Lady Tsunade..." Shizune called softly as her arms tightening on the folders in her arms. "About what that boy said..."

…

"_Are you really a Sanin?" Naruto asked, having doubled back to meet them outside of the bar, his eyes wide in curiosity and swimming as if they were the gates to an ocean. "Are you really the same as purvey-sage and snake-man? Are you really one of the kids Jiji taught?" Tsunade had no words for him, feeling lost in a pair of eyes so similar to a woman she once knew long ago. "Are you really one of the shinobi of my village—my home? Are you really the woman Sakura-chan wants to be when she grows up?"_

_Tsunade had no answers for his questions, she walked passed him, not even glancing down at the files in his arms. She didn't look back at him as he passed the files to Shizune, she didn't look back as he let out a restrained sob, she didn't look back when she heard him run away, she didn't look back when she heard him stumble into something when he turned down the road but kept running anyways_

…

"Don't worry about it," Tsunade murmured as they walked down the dark streets of the infamous gambling city; Naruto's expression was one she hadn't seen since Kushina. It was a look Kushina wore when she was feeling over whelmed about being the last Uzumaki or when she was weeping in front of Mito's grave, feeling lost without the elder beside her.

"_A Hero!" Sakura shouted her eyes wide and sparkling as she pointed at the blonde who was in shock at the pinkette's out burst. "Mommy says you saived me wong time ago," Sakura pulled back and smiled brightly, "Thank you for saiving me!"_

She hated it when parents lied to their children about the 'legendary Sanin'. Honestly they weren't any different then any other shinobi, their hands were just a little more bloody that's all. The only difference was that Jiraya could do seals, Orochimaru was hell on the battlefield (that wasn't uncommon at all) and she could... she _used_ to heal...

They were just an average... front line... team... they used to be a team...

…

_She smiled as she entered the small park, glad that the child she met the previous year was still with them. It didn't appear as if Sakura had aged at all, still hiding behind her horrendously long pink hair and peaking out of the cherry curtain with watery green eyes._

"_Hello little one," Tsunade greeted, stopping at the edge of the sand pit of the swings_

"_Hime!" Sakura shouted out, a bright smile lighting up her features as she jumped off the swing and ran straight for her_

"_It's been a long time," Tsunade chuckled, catching the girl as she barreled into her legs, "Have you been well?" Tsunade asked as she pulled the girl into her arms and started for one of the nearby stone benches, smiling when Sakura nodded her head eagerly._

"_Lord Hokage said that if I cleaned up my speech I cwould go to the aca-dem-ity!" Sakura giggled and wrapped her arms around Tsunade's neck_

"_Really?" Tsunade asked curiously, sitting on the bench and adjusting her hold on Sakura_

"_Yeah... but" Sakura sighed and shifted more comfortably on Tsunade's lap, "He said that I have to get at least nin-ty per-cent to enter and if I fail, I have to wait till I'm six to try again."_

"_That sounds reasonable" Tsunade chuckled_

"_But I wan'na be with my sissies!" Sakura whined to her, puffing out her cheeks and blowing her bangs out of her way._

"_You wanna know a secret?" Tsunade asked with a chuckle, sweeping gentile hands forward and tugging Sakura's hair back from her face_

"_What?" Sakura asked, giggling when Tsunade tickled her neck as she pulled her hair back into a quick braid_

"_I didn't enter the academy until I was six," Tsunade said, smiling as she pulled one of her own hair ties loose and used it on Sakura's hair_

"_Really?" Sakura asked, turning to look up at Tsunade curiously_

"_Uh-huh" Tsunade smiled as she brushed Sakura's slightly shorter bangs aside to see Sakura's face, "and guess what? I didn't graduate until I was twelve years old."_

"_Really?" Sakura asked, her eyes wide in amazement_

"_Really," Tsunade chuckled, laughter dancing in her amber eyes_

…

Tsunade paused in the dark road thoughtfully, turning she snatched up the thin file with the familiar name and continued walking, ignoring Shizune's curious questions.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"So," Shikamaru started, adjusting Ino's IV while Chōji tucked her into bed, "When are you going to try to get to Sakura?"

"Huh?" Ino blinked dumbly at him

"Don't give me that Ino," Shikamaru sighed, turning away from the IV and putting his hands on his hips, "I Know you're planning on entering her head like you did in the chunin exams."

"...Are you sure you don't have a little bit of Yamanaka in you?" Ino asked with a frown at her teammate, earning amused chuckles from both boys. Ino chuckled herself, letting herself and her teammates fall into that familiar feeling of safety before she bothered with answering the question.

"So?" Chōji asked, trying to get his chuckles under control, "What are you gonna do?"

"I'm gonna take possession of Sakura," Ino smiled at her boys, "Every time I do I end up in her subconscious. I figure that she can't tell the difference, if I can get there then I can show her the way out."

"What you mean she's just stuck in her head?" Shikamaru asked

"Yeah," Ino agreed, bobbing her head, "Dad already told me that the doctors here can't figure out what's wrong with her. Her body is in perfect condition and according to Naruto and Sasuke-kun she didn't do anything that would've done a huge amount of damage to her head."

"Well, to be fare she did go flying through a wall," Chōji said with his head tilted to the side, "Could that have done any damage?"

"That blast should've killed her," Ino replied, "But Fubuki-san prevented that and Karin said she let Sakura drink some of her blood. You know the kind of bloodline she has."

"Yeah, I'm surprised some of the doctors haven't tried to take a sample of her blood and make an artificial version of it." Shikamaru added, shaking his head, "Karin's seals are holding up well too, well according to mom they are."

"Oh yeah, she put some advanced seals in Sakura's room didn't she?" Ino asked with a slight frown, "I don't know how that's going to work with me trying to take possession of her body, it might back fire..."

"...we'll figure it out together," Shikamaru sighed, "Don't do anything until we have all the facts."

"Right," Ino bobbed her head

"Until then get some sleep," Chōji suggested, "We've all had a long day trying to out run those medics. Who knew they were so fast?"

"I didn't know you had to be a marathon runner to be a medic," Shikamaru snickered his agreement, Chōji and Ino both laughed themselves, the moonlight from outside lighting up the room and nearly making it glow.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"_Well then... since you shared a se-cret with me... cwould I—can I share a sec-ret with you?" Sakura asked, biting her lip as if she wasn't sure of her decision_

"_You can tell me anything," Tsunade said with a smile_

"_That's great!" Sakura smiled at her, Tsunade smiled and nodded. Sakura then proceeded to tell her of her adventures with her older siblings for the past year. Telling Tsunade how 'Nii-tan' helped start her with reading and writing and how her 'Nee-chan' helped with her understanding when she read from a book._

"_What are their names?" Tsunade asked curiously, smiling as she fixed her own hair, pulling it back into one ponytail_

"_Nee-chan said her name was Rin!" Sakura giggled, not seeing Tsunade's wide-eyed look_

_It couldn't be that __she__ was the reincarnate, plenty of girls were named 'Rin' these days... right?_

"_And Nii-tan said his name is Yagura!" Tsunade felt the blood drain out of her face by Sakura's proud declaration, "And I miss him..."_

"_Did he go away?" Tsunade asked softly, finishing her ponytail and wrapping her arms around Sakura securely, hoping that no one was near to hear the secret. Sakura would never truly understand just how dangerous that secret was, how it could end her life before it could truly begin... Tsunade prayed that no one else had heard the secret._

"_Yeah..." Sakura sighed, slumping in her hold slightly before she smiled a little sadly at Tsunade, jerking the blond from her desperate thoughts and prayers. "He promised to find me though, I hope I don't have to wait too long, I don't want to forget his face!"_

_After Tsunade returned Sakura to her parents, spent some time with the new members and eventually told the Haruno family good bye, she left to her teacher's office, telling him her decision... and her request..._

…

_Damn,_ Tsunade sighed, staring at the image in front of her. Of course Tayuya would play a forbidden song that shorted her life span and _of course_ Itachi would run across a flaming bird and possibly end his career as a shinobi with never healing burns, and let's not forget Fubuki's little Ice and water stunt that damn near ripped her arm off. Tsunade was impressed that Fubuki wasn't in a coma, the fact that she's only broken her arm and exhausted her chakra reserves was amazing in and of it self.

But none of them were even close to Sakura's condition

That stupid little brat exhausted her reserves until they were barely even standing and because she's always had such 'small' reserves no one could tell if the amount she has is what she's always had or if she's standing at death's door step. Tsunade wasn't sure how the youngest pinkette managed to do it, but she some how managed to put herself into a coma, even after every doctor in the hospital double and even triple checked her body for wounds they've found nothing to be the cause of her comatose state. Yet they were all too scared to send in a Yamanaka, thinking that if her injuries were on a mental level then only she could heal her self and that if a Yamanaka tried to enter her head they might never come back out.

"Amazing right?" Tsunade's eyes locked onto the familiar white haired man sitting in the window beside her, making her briefly wonder just how long he had been sitting there. "The Haruno sisters are truly something else... especially little blossom"

"Has she thrown anything at you for that?" Tsunade asked, rolling her eyes, "Fubuki froze you for a week for her nick-name and Tayuya damn near killed you when you called her 'thorns'."

"True" Jiraya chuckled, settling further into the room, "Sakura actually started to cry, she ran straight to Mebuki and hid behind her while Tayuya and Fubuki laughed at me."

"Amazing" Tsunade chuckled, "oh that reminds me." Tsunade turned and grinned up at Jiraya, her eyes dancing in the morning sunlight, "Sakura told me that Hiruzen made a deal with her, did she really enter the academy when she was four?" Tsunade had no doubts that Sakura could enter the academy at four and pass the exam, especially if she was the reincarnate of Rin Nohara; something she suspected before she left the village and knew since she left the village.

"You mean you didn't hear?" Jiraya asked with a frown, making Tsunade stiffen slightly, knowing that what he was going to say next wasn't good "The day of the test... blossom got kidnapped."

Tsunade felt her heart stop

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Sasuke sighed as he sat on his hotel bed; in his lap was the picture from two years before that Shizune had seen the previous night. It wasn't the last time they played, not by a long shot, but the two women didn't need to know that. Any little bit of guilt would be helpful to their cause, and if anyone could make someone feel guilty, it was Sasuke; if anyone could make someone second-guess themselves, it was Naruto.

The two could play mind games that would make Ibiki proud and yet neither were as good as getting someone to talk as Sakura had been—was—is

Sasuke sighed, unable to find the proper words for his own thoughts

"Come on Teme, let's go!" Naruto shouted from the floor where he laid

"Go where Dube?" Sasuke asked with a frown, noting how the blond still hadn't moved

"To a nearby training field," Naruto snickered at him, "We need to work on our Taijutsu! Sakura-chan would kick our butts if she found us slacking!"

Sasuke smirked at the mental image that created; yeah their girl would be furious with them for slacking off. She hated it when people sat around feeling sorry for themselves...

Sasuke's smirk widened and a mischievous glint entered his dark eyes, "Hay Dobe, you wanna try something?"

"You look like you just chopped someone to pieces—and _enjoyed_ it," Naruto retorted with a grin, Sasuke threw a pillow at Naruto, his smirk widening

They were about to ruin someone's day

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

He sighed as he sat back in the tree, watching a young woman sleep soundly, her dark pink hair pulled over her shoulders in matching braids tipped with little glass beads. It had been two week since the attack on the village, near a full week since she last woke up and only a few hours since Ino started to try to break into her once-friend's hospital room. However, this particular pinkette was older then them by two years, her eyes were hazel instead of green and her skin was darker then her sisters.

…

_Though the girls share no relation—none are from the same country or back grounds and they don't share the same personality—it is startling to see that each one shares the same jaw line, nose, eye shape (Fubuki and Sakura share the same eye color) and the same hair color (though there is slight difference in shade, with Tayuya having the darkest and Fubuki with the lightest). As it is, the three girls act as if they've been around each other their entire life, like they were raised by the same parents in the same house. Fubuki Kakuyoku (9, the eldest) has explained that since their abduction they've had only each other with no adults or other children around (she named one other girl by the name of 'Karin' who was taken away just before the raid) as such they grew very close very fast. Tayuya (8, and an orphan with no known last name) explained that the guards avoided their room as if they feared it to be cursed, she often heard them mumbling curses about their level of the base (the highest and most kept) but she never caught the reason why._

_Some of the older slaves had shown us where the 'masters' kept all their paper work, (it was well organized) which then explained to us that the heist level (the one the three girls were kept in) was originally used to entertain 'guests' (buyers) but was changed into their room when Fubuki was discovered (She was found in snow country, where they were originally looking for anyone with a slightly normal hair color—such as red, yellow, white, purple, excreta—she immanently caught their attention). When she was brought there, the 'masters' then made it an almost personal hunt for anyone with pink hair, they sent multiple teams through the larger elemental nations and nuke-nin through the smaller nations. Paying the nuke-nin with money and telling them to 'search' for anyone with unique hair, to take pictures and accurate location descriptions and the like. Their own men already knew what to do and did so quickly, the first team to come to fire nation went straight to Konoha, where they found Kizashi Haruno playing with his daughter, Sakura Haruno (3), in the local park. They immanently followed them home, planned and later kidnapped Sakura Haruno while she was out shopping with her mother (Mebuki Haruno). Even going so far as hiring two Nuke-Nin's; one specializing in earth ninjutsu to make a clone of Sakura so the mother wouldn't notice right away and another to trick Sakura into wondering away from her mother._

_It was later discovered that the team with Sakura Haruno was discovered by a patrol and though they were able to kill the earth user (disabling the earth clone of Sakura and alerting her mother) the genjutsu usurer was able to eliminate the patrol and escape to the meeting point with the handlers. He then protected them with multiple layered Genjutsu's and escorted them out of fire nation, after which he was sent to another meet point, paid and possibly re-employed somewhere else._

…

It was information Shikamaru wished he never knew but at the same time it was information he was glad he knew, Shikamaru was glad his father dropped the large file on his bedroom desk. For some reason it just cleared every question he had of the 'Haruno sisters', why his mother chuckled at the name every time she heard it, why his father sighed or rolled his eyes whenever they were brought up. It explained why Fubuki and Tayuya flew through the academy the way they did, spending barely two years in it before graduating, why they were so protective of Sakura and of each other, why they kept every male their age and up with a ten foot pole with very (_very_) select few becoming close to them. It explained everything about the older 'sisters' and their personalities, their talents, habits, but it explained nothing of Sakura Haruno. It didn't explain her intelligence, her lack of favoritism in any specific style of ninja art, her accretive personality, the way she greeted everyone and anyone as openly as a new born. It explained nothing of the youngest Haruno. She wasn't like Fubuki and Tayuya, she excelled in anything she put her mind too, she didn't prefer ninjutsu or genjutsu, she didn't have any kind of favorite of anything—other then her violin and foods.

_Confusing_, Shikamaru thought with a sigh, leaning further back into the tree so he'd get a better view of the sky but a still perfect vantage point of the hospital room below him. He expected the sisters to be reserved and afraid, as if they expected their past to come back and haunt them but they didn't, they smiled and laughed as brightly and loudly as anyone else in the world, like that bleak beginning to their life hadn't happened. Shikamaru's eyes snapped in on Tayuya's hospital room, eyes locking in on the semi-small red haired girl and her elder counter part as they both moved to draw bloody lines on the smooth white of the wall and floor surrounding the comatose pinkette.

_Karin_, Shikamaru thought, straightening slightly in his slouch, remembering that the file had mentioned a 'Karin' who was taken away just before the invasion on the temporary base. They had assumed that she was sold to a nuke-nin, the reason why none of them could find her. The only question he had was if the 'Karin' he knew was the same 'Karin' who was put in the same room as the 'Haruno sisters'—wait that was a dumb question, Karin and Sakura were closer then just friends, they were practically siblings. Groaning, Shikamaru rubbed a hand over his face; was it a leaf thing to just barge in unexplained, kick butt, take in the orphans and then leave the next generation to clean up their mess or were all the shinobi villages just as messy with their secrets?

He understood that his father was trying to teach him about Sakura's reasons for her actions in the prelims (or something to that effect) but if he figured out that Karin and Sakura was so close because of what happened to them, then who else did? Wouldn't the other villages have monitored the 'Haruno sisters' after all these years? Did that mean that the other villages knew about Karin being that 'missing girl' who was 'sold' the same day as the massive slave-ring-annihilation? Wait, did Karin's mom, Nira, buy her? Did that mean she was a bad guy? Wait a—

_Too hell with it!_ Shikamaru groaned and rubbed at his head with both of his hands, _Might as well think of something else..._ thinking about the mess the 'Haruno sisters' had been through was only going to give him a migraine... what was it that he came to the hospital for anyways?

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"_Hime-chan..." Sakura called suddenly, staring seriously up into Tsunade's face, "Are you leaving us?"_

"_Where did you hear that little one?" Tsunade asked, more sighing the question then anything else_

"_I heard some grown ups come-plank-ing" Sakura answered slowly, "and you have a bag with you," Tsunade looked down and chuckled, she actually forgot that she had brought that with her._

"_Yes I'll be leaving soon" Tsunade answered, "I didn't come here to talk about that though..."_

"_Will you come back?" Sakura asked, her eyes looking like liquid jade_

"_I'll come back," Tsunade agreed softly, brushing Sakura's bangs back slightly "For you if nothing else..."_

_The guilt she felt for the lie tripled at Sakura's bright smile and cheerful 'I'll wait for you'_

…

"It was Itachi who saved her that day," Jiraya's voice brought Tsunade back from her memories, "after spending the day with the Haruno's he decided to graduate with his class mates instead of graduating early."

"I see..." Tsunade sighed and glanced at the files on the table in front of her, eyes clouding over with memories and thoughts

"Will you be returning now?" Jiraya asked seriously, "I know you've had a... a connection... to the little blossom..."

"_She's_ the one who had the connection with _me_," Tsunade corrected, not looking at Jiraya "Who're the other contestants for the title?" _my promise..._

"Danzo," Jiraya answered bitterly, Tsunade flinched at the memory of the fridge man; she'd die before she left that village to him!

"You're not giving me any wiggle room," Tsunade murmured with narrow eyes at Jiraya, "You know what he'll do to them—to _us_..."

"Drag you out of retirement or kill you," Jiraya grumbled, "Or at least try to kill you"

"He'll destroy that village," Tsunade sighed, slumping against the table and dragging her fingers through her scalp, "He'll destroy everything those men built... he'll destroy those shinobi... and those _children_..." _all those children... they'll be destroyed!_

"You know what he'll do to _her_..." Jiraya sighed in agreement, _not to mention our newest set of Uzumaki's_, "What he'll do to her sisters... and those children..."

"He'll kill _her_ for being _weak,_" Tsunade hissed, glaring at the picture of a comatose Sakura

"Or brain wash her" Jiraya added

"He's not _touching_ her," Tsunade snarled at Jiraya with a fierce glare, "We damn near lost half our force for that girl, to lose her to him would be an _embracement_."

"Then come back," Jiraya said in a voice close to begging, "Please Tsunade-Hime, come back to the village... save it from that man and the darkness he wields..."

"...I don't have a choice"

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

She curled up beside her friend, placing her head on the small bed beside the girl's chest so she could hear her heart beat and pulled her own hands close to her chest, wrapping one around the comatose girl's stomach to keep herself on the bed and put her feet over the girl's hanging off the other side. She tried to hold back the tears, tried to ignore the feeling tearing her heart apart, the feeling of her eyes being slowly and painfully pulled out of her head. She tried to ignore every sign her body showed in the form of pain, what she couldn't ignore was the feeling of something shifting the bed. Snapping her violet eyes wide open she stared wide-eyed at the boy by her feet and the girl standing solemnly on the other side of the bed.

"What?" She asked with a glare at her white-eyed cousin, suddenly feeling defensive; it was hardly the first time he's seen her sleep with her child hood friend.

"I apologize Hinata-sama," Neji said with a straight face, "you looked uncomfortable so I brought another bed for you to lay on."

"Oh," Hinata moved out of curled up position and quickly moved out of the older boy's way. "Wait, why?" Hinata asked turning to watch Neji pull out the little lamp desk beside the bed and set it aside while he moved to push the extra hospital bed between the wall and Sakura's bed, careful of the breathing apparatus.

"She is precious to you," Neji replied smoothly taking out zip ties and moving under Hinata's bed and zip tying the sides together to keep the beds from moving.

"That's never impressed you before," Hinata replied, watching Karin repeat his process on the other side, except she didn't use Zip ties on the bed, too afraid that something would happen that would require Sakura's bed needing to be moved.

"...My father left me a letter," Neji said rising to his feet and refusing to look at Hinata as he shifted to move a warm blanket over the bed for her. "Uncle didn't give it to me before because he didn't think I was ready to read it..." Hinata was quiet, observing her cousin curiously, knowing that it didn't matter what she said because there were no words to give a respectful reply. She had always known that her elder cousin was always kinder when her friend was around weather he realized it or not. Neji didn't sneer as much as he smiled when Sakura was around; her sarcasm made him smirk, her questions made him ponder, her actions made him curious, her complements made him happier, her smiles _always_ relaxed him.

Weather he realized it or not, Neji was different after meeting Sakura

Weather he liked it or not, Neji was kinder after seeing Sakura

"D-Do you mind?" Karin asked softly, shifting uncomfortably beside the bed, drawing both Hyūga's from their own thoughts

"Mind what?" Hinata and Neji asked together, confused by her random question

"I-if I can lay here," Karin answered with a blush, "We used to in wave and when we...we were..." Karin stopped speaking and regard the two cousins curiously. "Do either one of you know how we know each other?" Karin asked suddenly, tilting her head to the side, her crimson ponytail swishing with the soft movement, her big red eyes blinking at them curiously.

"I thought you were sisters?" Neji asked with a frown, that was how he was introduced to Karin; Sakura herself called Karin 'Imoto'.

"My name is Uzumaki and she's a Haruno," Karin reminded him with a raised eyebrow, "to my knowledge Kizashi is an only child and he's only been married the one time. Plus if you look close enough you'll realize that I share more facial features with Naruto then Sakura."

"So... you're related to Naruto but not Sakura?" Hinata asked with a frown, "I don't understand, Fubuki and Tayuya both call you Imoto and Mebuki-san calls you Mesume."

"Yeah that's because they've unofficially adopted me, kind of like they've unofficially adopted Naruto," Karin smiled at them, moving to put one knee onto the bed she deemed to be hers. "I guess it's not my secret to tell," Karin sighed pulling back the simple knitted blue blanket and crawled into her place beside Sakura, not daring to put her head any higher then the pinkette's elbow.

Neji and Hinata shared a confused look, they've known Sakura since she was four years old; how the hell did Karin know her _longer_ and yet hadn't met them until last month? Knowing that Karin most likely wouldn't answer their questions, her earlier words rang through their minds like bells, Hinata crawled onto her bed and Neji took a seat at the end of Sakura's bed.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"Get back here!"

_Huh?_ Tsunade turned at the familiar sounding voice, eyes widening as she saw three children run right passed her, one with short dark hair, one with short yellow hair and... and one with long pink locks trailing after her like a comet tail.

"You guys are so dead!" the girl shouted out, waving her fist threatening at the two boys who were laughing loudly as they ran from her

Tsunade watched as the laughing children disappeared into the crowd. Curious she turned and watched her surroundings carefully, noting how no one seemed bothered that a group of children just ran passed and then disappeared.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

_I better hurry_, Shizune thought as she ran through the busy streets with Ton-ton in her arms.

"Let go!" Shizune skidded to a halt at the shrill voice, turning Shizune watched with wide eyes as two girls held a small pinkette in place while another girl made sloppy work of the girl's long hair with a pair of scissors. "Ino! Ino help!" the pinkette shouted struggling in vain in the girl's tight hold, looking closer Shizune could see a short haired blond walk away from the group.

"Why?" 'Ino' asked turning slightly to look back at the group, "You have that and so much more coming for you."

"Ino! Ino!" the pinkette cried as the blonde continued walking away, the violet haired girl behind the pinkette smirked and continued cutting away at Sakura's hair.

"Stop that!" Shizune flinched at the shrill voice of a boy as he burst out of the bushes and threw a rock at the girl holding the scissors. "Hurry up and run!" the boy shouted as the girls turned on him and started to swing punches at him, the pinkette didn't look as she ran away, tears streaming down her cheeks like rivers. Shizune watched curiously, as the pinkette ran passed her but once she was a few feet away her surroundings suddenly turned into a perfect all white landscape without anything to get in the pinkette's way as she continued to run in place just a few feet away from her.

"I see," Shizune murmured, staring at the back of the pinkette as she ran, _Genjutsu, they're showing me their memories of the girl_

Shizune watched how the tiny six year old kept running and crying, it wasn't long before she grew just a little taller and her crying stopped, her hair growing to rest just passed her shoulders. A second later Sakura grew again, her hair a little longer and her clothes just a little more boyish; another second and another year, her hair brushing at her upper arms and her skirt fluttering around her knees and her sleeves around her elbows. Shizune watched, as the little girl kept growing taller and taller as the seconds passed, eventually growing into the twelve year old she was supposed to be this day. Her hair brushed at her hips teasingly, her skirt at her knees swishing flirtatiously, her sleeves long enough to hide her hands but not her fingers.

Shortly after this final year passed Shizune watched as her surroundings changed again, this time in the familiar darkness of training grounds 44. Sakura was still running, this time with Sasuke and Naruto beside her, Sakura through both of her hands out in front of her as if to protect her teammates from something up ahead. Sasuke pulled out his earth scroll and quickly sealed it into the golden flower on Sakura's right sleeve while Naruto mimicked him with a white flower on Sakura's left sleeve. After a while, Sakura stumbled, gasping and coughing, Sasuke swept forward and pulled her onto his back without stopping in his sprint. Then the scene shifted again, this time to show the arena in Konoha, Shizune watched with wide eyes as Sakura fought against a tall-bandaged boy, eventually getting close enough to drag her elongated glowing blade over his right arm, destroying the metallic thing in one swing but at the price of being thrown through a stonewall.

Then the scene shifted _again_, showing Naruto and Sakura running through the trees hurriedly, never stopping even as poisoned senbon was shot at them. They kept moving until they came into contact with Sasuke, a blonde girl and a red haired boy who quickly revealed himself to be the Ichibi Junchuuriki. The boys fought while Sakura separated from them, after a few minutes the two girls hobbled back over to them; where Sakura proceeded to scold the three boys and then let the boy and girl from sand go while she threatened Naruto and Sasuke into running back to the village. About half way back, Sakura stopped running, she wobbled and then fainted, falling flat on her face on the hard cold ground fifteen feet below her. The boys doubled back and then quickly hurried her back to the village, panic and fear echoing in their eyes as they ran full tilt.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

The nurse opened the door to room 403 and immanently stopped in her tracks, her brown eyes widening at the sight presented to her. The room was supposed to house the one comatose patient with no visitors outside of immanent family, however, the room she walked in on was positively filled with children all about twelve and thirteen years old. Two other young girls were curled up beside the comatose girl like frightened children, a young white haired boy was sleeping on the edge of the red haired girl's bed snoring loudly, another brown haired boy was sitting in a chair at the foot of the comatose girl's bed glaring at her warningly and yet _another_ brown haired boy—no another brown haired girl was curled up sleeping soundly behind the red haired girl facing the white haired boy, sharp brown orbs stared in tiered irritation at her.

She blinked at the pile of children and she swore the action woke the girl sleeping closest to the wall, her head rose just enough to reveal frigid violets glaring at her. Obviously, she had awoken the young Hyūga girl without even meaning to.

"Get out," the two Hyūga's murmured together in smooth, calm voices

The door was shut closed in almost the same breath as their order

No one in the hospital was willing to disobey a Hyūga, especially the Hyūga heir

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

_THW~A~ACK!_

"OW!"

"You two are idiots!" Tsunade snapped, glaring at the two boys with near perfectly round bumps on their heads, "We were going here to tell you my decision and you go off showing your memories in genjutsu form on the whole damn village! Are you trying to tell every nuke-nin in the country your greatest weakness?"

"We thought you might need some convincing" Naruto pouted, "Sakura-nee really looks up to you"

"Although I don't have the faintest clue as to why," Sasuke grumbled rudely

"You two idiots don't know?" Tsunade asked, straightening in her stance and glaring pointedly at Jiraya as if it was his fault for not informing the two boys, "She's never spoken of a 'Hime' to you?"

"...You mean Sakura-chan's imaginary older sister?" Sasuke asked with a raised eyebrow, he remembered her bringing it up once when they were little but had a bad reaction when he told her that she was imagining the older brunet.

_Thwack!_

"I'm not imaginary!" Tsunade snapped, _too close, sorry Rin_

"About ten years ago there was a huge commotion in the village, I doubt you'll remember," Jiraya spoke up with a smirk. "You'd have been three at the time, or maybe two?" Jiraya looked thoughtful from where he leaned against the hotel wall, now unsure of how old the two boys were, much less when they had left to 'heal' the Mizukage

"Are you talking about the kidnapping incident with the Hyūga's?" Naruto asked, "Everyone knows that and then we were taught in the academy how to handle those kinds of situations."

"Every clan head with a kid immanently taught their kid how to escape from such situations," Sasuke agreed, rubbing at his sore head with an irritated look at Tsunade. "Security tightened around the compound and dad was brutal with his training, he didn't let me forget it and mom put Itachi through some special training—with me on his back." His expression said that hadn't been fun and that he properly has a few scars from the experience

"It's not the Hyūga's I'm thinking about," Jiraya replied with a slight frown, still thinking about how old the boys would've been during the mission he had taken part in, "There was another kidnapping episode later that same year."

"Oh you mean the huge man hunt everyone went on?" Naruto asked, surprising everyone, "I vaguely recall being taken to Jiji and spending most of my time listening in on him giving instructions to everyone."

"You remember that far back?" Sasuke asked with a raised eyebrow, _you should've been like two—at least_. The only thing he remembered from that age was trying to learn how to get out of rope binds and escape tactics that his father _still_ drilled him and Itachi in.

"It helps that it was also the one week Jiji spent almost all of his time with me," Naruto shot back with a pout at Sasuke. Everyone in the village, especially Naruto's 'family', knew that the little blond only remembered things that he deemed to be important and when it concerned such 'important' things his memory could kind of be like Sakura's in the sense that it was trippy.

"It was Sakura who was kidnapped," Tsunade sighed, drawing both boy's attentions immanently "Kakashi, Jiraya and I, along with a few others, saved that girl's life. Sarutobi-sensei made me promise to come back to visit with her, if anything should happen to him I was to take over her training and even adopt her if anything went wrong."

"So why did you reject coming back to the village?" Sasuke asked with a frown

"Automatic reflex" Tsunade answered straight faced, "What'd you expect brat? I was drunk, not thinking clearly and, at that point in time, didn't give a damn."

_That's a load of bull sh*t_, Jiraya thought, staring at the back of Tsunade's head. Although when he thought about it, the boys didn't know Tsunade like he did, so they couldn't call her bluffs as easily as him.

_I knew that girl looked familiar_, Shizune sighed, sneaking a glance at the suitcase Tsunade always had beside her. She knew just where Tsunade kept her small wallet of pictures. She had gotten curious after a while on the road; every now and again their communication slug would appear and spit out a photo for Tsunade to see. Whenever her suitcase was taken she'd hunt down the culprit and beat him to an inch of his life and then she'd check that compartment first before looking at anything else.

Every single picture Tsunade owned was of a smiling, well-dressed, pinkette about three or four years old with wide, dancing emerald eyes and aster skin. Each photo was dated and sometimes it came with a little letter attached, they always made Tsunade feel better and she'd actually teach Shizune something new. However, after several months on the road the pictures stopped arriving, which wasn't like the slug to stop sending them. It had put Tsunade on edge when the communication slug suddenly reported that her counter part had returned to the summoning realm with grievance injuries.

They haven't heard a word from Konoha since

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

**Any ideas on summoning animals?**

**Obviously team seven is going to have main contracts with their original summons but I was thinking about sub contracts, any suggestions?**

**Examples **

**Team 7:**

**Sakura—Main contract: Slugs—Minor contract: Birds and maybe something else**

**Naruto—Main contract: Toads—Minor contract: Haven't figured that one out yet, should he have more then one?**

**Sasuke—Main contract: Snakes—Minor contract: Hawks and possibly something else**

**Team 8: (Do they even need summoning?)**

**Hinata—main contract: maybe she should have a bird contract too... no that's redundant (Cage bird seal)**

**Kiba—Main contract: he has Akamaru...**

**Shino—main contract: He has his family bugs...**

**Team 10:**

**Ino—Main contract: pigs? I thought that was a little redundant...**

**Chōji—Main contract: I was thinking something like butterflies but I don't know if that can be done...**

**Shikamaru—Main contract: Dear—Minor contract: Haven't figured that one out...**

**Do you know if any of the Jonin's have contracts? I know Kakashi has dogs and Gai has turtles but what about everyone else? Dose Kurenai or Asuma? Should I make something up for them?**

**Should Karin and Nira have summoning contracts?**

**Thoughts are helpful**

**Opinions are wonderful**

**Helpful criticism****is**** lovely! Just don't cripple me okay?**

**Please no cursing!**

**And don't forget to**** rate and**** review!**

**PS: I just finished chapter 46! I feel so proud of my self **

**Page 26**


	45. Chapter 45

**There is a reason**

Chapter 45: Catching up

Koomahana

**I kind of glossed over the hot spring incident and the Sanin fight...**

**Yeah... I kind of didn't know what else to do with that but I did try**

**I hope everything turned out okay**

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

He panted as he watched his teachers switch out, calmly speaking while he took another dip in the small pool, forcefully removing his sand from his body and soaking it clean through so that he can learn his Taijutsu cleanly without it interfering with his attackers. He didn't know how long he'd been at it, determined to up his Taijutsu skill to at least a manageable level before he worked on either one of his other objectives. Deeming his sand wet enough he surged to the surface of the small pool and started to push himself back out of the pool, he froze when he found himself starring at several familiar looking bunched beige robes.

"Gaara Sabaku," he rose his eyes to the three old men in front of him, smoothly he pushed his back against the other side of the pool and set his arms on the floor as if in instant boredom. Beneath the water's surface, his feet were pressed against the walls of the small pool to propel himself out if any of the three councilmember's decided to attack him.

"Can I help you?" Gaara asked politely regarding the three calmly, trying to ignore the whispering taunts of Shukaku in the back of his mind

"We understand that you've been training with several of our high ranking Jonins" the oldest one said, his words were said as a statement but Gaara could pick up the tone of confusion seeking a truthful answer to the hidden question

"I have," he replied just as calmly, "Is it interfering with their responsibilities to the village?"

"No," the thinnest one answered gruffly, "that is not why we are here."

"Then what is it?" Gaara asked dropping his eyes to look at the entrance to the underground training room he was using, pointedly looking at the two Jonin's conversing softly together, "I have another instructor coming."

"...What is your goal?" the eldest one asked curiously

"Why do you care?" he asked, knowing that they didn't care about anything he did so long as it didn't involve releasing Shikaku to destroy the village or killing 'innocent' villagers

"Because there are some..." the fat one shifted slightly, tilting his head to give his beady black eyes a darker look when he glared down at Gaara challengingly, "_unsavory_ rumors flying about."

"About what?" Gaara asked with a raised eyebrow, now curious as to what was being said now

"Rumors that hold no weight and no evidence," the oldest replied calmly, "they were simply formed by someone to keep you looking bad but every Jonin in the village has spoken with the highest regards to you." Gaara stared dully at the tree men, not sure what they were talking about _now_ knowing that they often jumped between subjects with his father just to annoy the man.

"Tell me Gaara," the oldest started again, his voice like sand paper and cotton drums, "Are you aiming to become the next Kazekage?"

Gaara's eyes narrowed slightly, still not sure if the three elders of his village's council were worth his trust, "Why do you ask?"

"Just over half of the civilians are accretive of you becoming the next Kazekage," the thin one informed him calmly, "More and more of the shinobi are quickly falling in behind you as well."

"More specifically, the Jonin's have requested to make you the next the Kazekage," the oldest one continued

"...I'm thirteen," Gaara said steadily, "And a genin. I thought I had to be at least sixteen and a Jonin to be a candidate for the Kazekage title"

"Technically you've been named chunin with the last exam," the eldest replied, "Konoha didn't want to give you a promotion because you were apart of the attack on their village but even they couldn't deny that you filled all the requirements of being a chunin."

"They also said you needed a therapist desperately," the fat one nearly sneered, some how managing to catch his tone of voice before it could cross a line. "They requested that you spend at least ten years with one before you're even considered for the next chunin exam."

_Great_, Gaara thought, not showing just how agitated the information made him

"But we, the Suna council, have decided against it," the oldest one spook up again, drawing Gaara's attention to him almost instantly, "you've shown a remarkable mental recovery since your return from Konoha. The Jonin here are quite pleased with your ability to keep Shukaku in check and have yet to put anyone's life in japery."

"This helps," Gaara replied pointing at the pool of water

"Shukaku doesn't like water?" The fat one asked dumbly

"My sand doesn't like water," Gaara corrected patiently, _How the hell are you a councilor?_

_**Can we kill him? Put him out of his—**_

_No, now shut up_

"Back to the matter at hand," the thin one sighed, "Gaara Sabaku you've been named chunin of the hidden sand village. Within three to six months time you'll be tested to become a Jonin, if you pass the test then in another eight months time you'll be named Kazekage."

"You'll be our youngest Kazekage to date," the old one smiled at him

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

_I don't have much time,_ She thought, ducking in behind a nurse and threw a pair of locked doors, if she followed close enough no one would question her presence but if she followed to close the nurse would notice. The last thing she needed was the entire staff of the hospital ganging up on her to knock her out—again. Grinning she ducked down an empty hallway and hurried down before anyone could notice her.

She was almost there, just a few more feet...

"_Security alert! Security alert! Search and find one Ino Yamanaka! Take her back to room 301! She will not go quietly! Force __**is**__ necessary!_"

Cursing Ino ran down the hall, gritting her teeth, she snapped down the hall, grabbing onto the corner of the wall to slingshot herself further down the next hall and out of sight.

_Got it!_ Ino's eyes danced as she skidded to a halt and slammed open the familiar door—

"Nice try," she coughed and doubled over, letting the familiar hospital guard catch her

"Why?" she coughed out, glaring up into his pale white eyes, "I was so... so close..."

"If you stopped to let your body recover like it's _supposed to_," the guard said hefting Ino into his arms and started down the hall, back to her own room, "I wouldn't have to hit you so hard."

"I... I could help..." Ino coughed, curling up in the man's hold, wincing at the burning in her lungs

"Or you could get stuck," he replied with a roll of his eyes, "if you possess her, _you_ might never wake up."

She'll try again tonight, when everyone was too tiered to check her room regularly

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"Everyone ready?" a feminine voice asked softly

"We're off on a suicide mission, of course we're not ready," retorted one of the masked men beside the woman

"It's not a suicide mission and you know it," she sighed, sweeping long navy-black hair back behind her ear, "We're off to aid our allies."

"Yeah, because they aided us in the exam," the young man replied sarcastically

"They did," she retorted with a smile, "Or did you miss the young red haired kunochi running around placing seals to protect the wounded while the medics worked?"

"I saw her," he replied courtly, "I also know that she's our walking peace treaty with mist, she didn't exactly have a choice in the matter."

"Her two teammate's did," his partner replied, "and they both worked double time over the wounded at the hospital."

"Can we just go now?" the blond man asked curiously, "we're late enough as it is, we have to hurry if we want to make sure that history isn't going to repeat itself."

"Yeah, yeah, we're going, we're going!"

The four forms disappeared before anyone could blink

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"Tayuya! Fubuki!" Hana shouted slamming open the door, her smile softened and her eyes teared up when she locked eyes with a pair of startled crimson orbs.

"She's coming," Hana said softly, stepping further into the room, "Tsunade-Hime is coming!" Itachi sighed and slumped back, a relieved smile tugging at his lips. Hana sniffed and moved toward the three squashed together beds, wire binding them together and keeping them in place while the three slept together. Hana's smile widening as she saw that Fubuki was curled around Tayuya, who fell back into a coma after finding out that Sakura had gotten hurt pretty bad and was sleeping soundly as Itachi curled up on Tayuya's other side.

"She'll be safe now," Hana whispered crawling into her place beside Itachi, laying her head on his shoulder as he wrapped an arm around her comfortingly, she quickly pulled her legs up, mindful of Itachi's carefully casted ones. "They're be okay now... right?"

"Tsunade-Hime can heal them," Itachi agreed softly, one hand tightening on Tayuya's while his arm pulled Hana just that little bit closer, "Surely she can save them..."

They slept together like that, throughout the night and through the next day, the nurse's were mindful and kept their room as dark as possible so the 'siblings' could sleep and recover. They had long since given up on getting the strange team to sleep in separate beds, the group slept better when together, they were less violent when they were startled or first waking up—so while the doctors and nurses disapproved of the actions, they let it slide.

They'd do anything to keep their sanities and pristine walls in tact

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

While Tsunade was busying scolding Shizune about using the transformation and clone jutsu to try to get her suitcase from Naruto, said blonde was attempting to sneak away with said suitcase. The two men he had be friended were standing nearby with Sasuke watching Naruto carefully, trying to make sure that Tsunade wouldn't turn on the blonde next.

"Dube!" Sasuke's shout came too late

"IDIOT!" _THWACK_ "OW!"

Sasuke hissed in sympathy for Naruto as he was sent crashing into the hard ground, the suitcase in his hands flew forth and fell open when it hit the ground. While Tsunade was busy scolding Naruto for being his idiot self and not thinking before he acted, Sasuke smoothly took two big steps forward and gracefully lifted a little leather pouch from ground that the case had flung out when it opened. Ignoring Shizune's startled shout, Sasuke smoothly opened the little pouch and pulled out the thick paper inside.

He wasn't prepared for the first image to stare back at him

"What the hell?" Sasuke asked loudly, unable to stop himself, drawing everyone's attention.

"Hay!" Tsunade bellowed out with a glare and a blush, "Those are my private property!" Sasuke ignored her as he flipped through the five other pictures huddled with the first one. There was Sakura in her favorite long sleeved blue shirt and black skirt, her first day at the music store when she first met Hinata, the day Sakura first met Itachi, and two more Sasuke didn't recognized.

"What are these?" Sasuke asked with a glare at Tsunade, jerking the five pictures away from her clasping hands and moving out of her reach. "Why do you have pictures of Sakura from before she even met _us_?!" In Sasuke's little world, Sakura didn't exist before the age of five when they first 'technically' met at their first clan celebration. She didn't 'officially' exist until about their fifth meeting with Itachi trying to pacify the both of them with a spare—where she vary nearly won.

"I already told you that I had already met Sakura during the kidnapping fiasco!" Tsunade replied with a glare

"This one shows you two _hugging_!" Sasuke said in an accusing tone of voice, pushing said picture into Tsunade's face. True to his word, it showed Tsunade kneeling in a familiar red room with three-year-old Sakura held in her arms with a blinding smile. She could even see Kakashi's legs from where he leaned against the window seal of Hiruzen's office and the little trail of Sakura's coat from where she tried to hide behind her 'Inu-kun'. Tsunade figured that Hiruzen must have taken the picture when they weren't looking, although she didn't have the faintest clue as to how or why

"She was very appreciative," Tsunade replied, jerking the picture out of Sasuke's flabbergasted hold, "Didn't Mikoto-chan teach you any manners?"

"Yes," Sasuke hissed, glaring when Tsunade placed six of her photos into her little leather pouch and hid said pouch in her bust. He wasn't even sure when she managed to take them out his hand but he wasn't dumb enough to try and get them back from her.

"Maybe I should have a talk with her about her teaching methods," Tsunade mused, moving to walk away from them, "Shizune my bag—"

"It's packed and ready to go!" Shizune smiled, hurrying after Tsunade with the suitcase in hand a smile on her face, "Lets get to Konoha!"

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Of course, the one night they don't knock her out is the one night they put a guard in her room

"If you keep glaring your face is going to get stuck like that," the white eyed gaud replied calmly, not even looking up from the sketchpad in his hands, waiting for his shift to end.

"Do you know how much chakra suppressors hurt on someone like me who has small reserves?" Ino asked, her blue eyes narrowing further on the passive man sitting on the other side of her room, "Can't you remove them?"

"No, you'll possess me," he replied without so much as pausing in his sketching, as if he'd been expecting that question

"Heh, you scared a little girl will take hold of your body?" Ino taunted, with a vicious smirk and amusement dancing in her eyes

"I'm not scared," he retorted evenly, "Just smart enough to know that you'd possess me and get to your friend's room and then possess _her_."

"...I hate you right now," Ino hissed, knowing he was right

"You'll thank me some day"

"I highly Doubt that"

"Just rest"

"You first"

"You'll cut off your binds,"

Ino growled, crossed her arms and glared out her window, trying to ignore the smug satisfaction rolling off the white eyed man—she won't rest until he dose. An hour and a half later Ino fell asleep, her guard set his sketchpad aside and smoothly rose to his feet. Carefully he lifted Ino's blankets, tucked them around her shoulders, and returned to his seat just as quietly.

_I wish you weren't so stubborn_, he thought as he lifted the sketchpad back into his hands, pausing at the image staring up at him accusingly. _But I suppose that's a good trait for a kunochi_

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

They hadn't even been on the road for a day before Orochimaru made an appearance, wanting Tsunade to heal his arms, she was curious at first, played her part well before she returned to Jiraya and filled him in, Shizune having distracted the boys for the night. They had made a plan together, Tsunade would play her part of 'drunk over her past' and Jiraya would be well Jiraya, then they were going to work together to kill Orochimaru. Hopefully they'd be able to do so without dragging Sasuke and Naruto into the fight.

They had no such luck

"Damn you!" Tsunade roared, slamming her ankle into the head of Orochimaru's summon, knocking the giant snake out for the time being. Orochimaru and the two young men he was with all jumped in different directions, scattering further apart.

"Damn Hime!" Jiraya laughed diving toward Orochimaru, "Leave some for me!"

"Teme! / Dube!" Naruto and Sasuke shouted at the same time, Naruto dived forward and blocked Sasuke's back from one of the cloaked boys with Orochimaru, Sasuke spun on his heal to block Naruto's blind spot from the other cloaked boy—both boys stood back to back.

"Not half bad," a familiar voice chuckled, Sasuke's eyes widened and the boy in front of him jumped away, his partner quick to do the same

"Hay, aren't you..." Sasuke straightened slightly, "that boy... the boy from the chunin exam..."

"What is it Sasuke do you know them?" Naruto asked pulling out a pair of gloves from his back pouch, sliding them on

"Yeah," Sasuke answered with a frown, pulling his own navy blue fingerless gloves, "You remember that boy from the exams? The one Sakura flipped on..."

…

"_Okay I think we got off on the wrong foot," Kabuto said raising his hands up peacefully. "I have some information you might be interested in knowing... you see I've been here for so long that I've gathered all the participants names and abilities and stored them on these ninja-cards," Kabuto explained pulling out the cards for the group of Genin to see._

"_That's highly doubtful," Sakura replied, sweeping forward and placing a kunai at Kabuto's throat threateningly. "Not everyone here was at the previous Chunin exam and besides," Sakura pressed the kunai a little closer to the shocked boy's throat, threatening to draw blood. "You'd have to break into the ninja records room to get any information on anyone here, and if you did it here in this village then you'd only get information on Leaf shinobi not the foreign participants." Sakura's eyes narrowed when Kabuto's hands raised slightly higher, trying to reassure her that he's not a threat._

"_The only other way to get information on other shinobi is either by breaking through their own village's ninja records or having contact with them and gaining their unrelenting trust where they'd spill their guts to you." Sakura's eyes narrowed further, noting how Kabuto's dark eyes were slightly wider as they stared down at her, sweat trickled down the side of his temple. "Unless..."_

…

"Yeah, what about him?" Naruto asked

"Do you remember his name?" Sasuke asked, watching the shadow in front of him wirily

"Ka something right?" Naruto asked shifting readily as his shadow moved to regroup with his partner

"Ka...ka..."

"_Kabuto Yakushi"_

"Kabuto!" Sasuke's eyes widened in realization, his breath hitching slightly with the name, "Kabuto Yakushi!" He heard one of the shadow's hiss furiously, the one facing Naruto slid to a stop in front of the other protectively, kunai raised defensively in front of him.

"Oh yeah!" Naruto gasped, moving to stand beside his teammate, "So one of them is Kabuto... so then who's the other guy?" the two-cloaked figures looked at each other, as if conversing silently. After a moment of silence, and just when Sasuke was ready to throw a kunai at them, the slightly shorter of the two-cloaked figures lifted a hand and removed his hood; revealing long silver hair, pale skin, almond shaped tiered black eyes rimmed in thin black wire glasses.

"I knew it," Sasuke hissed

"Kabuto!" Naruto growled, "What are you doing here? I thought you were a leaf nin?!"

"A shinobi who wear's masks for a living," Sasuke said, cutting Naruto off before he could go on a tangent, "They're also known as spy masters, remember what Sakura said? He's a spy master! And a traitor at that!"

"So, Sakura-chan was right this whole time?" Naruto asked with a slight frown, "Kabuto... he really wasn't to be trusted? He was a double agent this whole time?"

"Yeah," Sasuke growled, watching the other cloaked person lift a hand removed his own hood, revealing nicely tanned skin, auburn brown hair, chocolate eyes rimmed in thin black glasses and a headband reading sound instead of leaf.

"Great who's this guy?" Naruto asked loudly

"My name is Takao Ishuka," the boy said, "I am Kabuto's teammate." Naruto and Sasuke shared a confused look, as if they couldn't remember where they heard the name before.

"Whatever," Sasuke sighed, turning to look at the two teammates, "I take it your third teammate is hiding somewhere? What was his name again? Yao?"

"You needn't it worry about Yao," Takao replied calmly, "He's dead."

_No need to worry?_ Sasuke thought, staring dully at the two older boys, _awfully calm about losing their teammate..._

"So what? Did you guys kill him because he didn't want to follow you to Orochimaru?" Naruto asked with a glare, his hands clenched and trembling ever so slightly

"Huh, I thought you were smarter then that, Naruto-san," Kabuto replied just as calmly as Takao. "No I killed him because... well that's none of your concern." Again, Sasuke and Naruto glanced unsurely at each other, not sure how to feel about the matter

"Are you sure it's none of their concern?" Takao asked curiously, "I mean... she was related to them..."

"Not directly," Kabuto replied moving to stand at Takao's side, "Besides, she's safe in the village so there's no worry on that end."

_She?_ Sasuke questioned, lowering his stance slightly, "Who are you two talking about?"

Kabuto and Takao shared a look, Kabuto nodding in acceptance of some silent question on Takao's part

"Tsubame Haruno," Takao answered, "She was going to marry Yao. Yao was going to take her to sound—to Orochimaru's base."

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"My, my, you both sure are angry today," Orochimaru chuckled, dodging a kick from Tsunade, "whatever is wrong?" He smoothly dodged a punch from Jiraya

"You killed Sensei! / You attacked the leaf!" Jiraya and Tsunade shouted at the same time, lunching forward with their summons and attacking full force

_...Something's missing..._Orochimaru thought, dodging the attacks smoothly, _What's missing?_

Tsunade and Jiraya must have felt it too because they both backed off and shared a confused look

What was missing from their fight?

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"So... You killed Yao to protect Tsubame-san?" Naruto asked in confusion, threading his fingers together and popping out five clones. Each one then pushed their hands together and apart, a web of hair thin, chakra tempered wires stretched between his hands. "But then... why fight with Orochimaru?"

"He is our master," Takao answered calmly, eyes scanning the clones carefully

"Nice one Takao, now they think we're miss-guided good guys," Kabuto sighed, "That might be your reason but mine was different."

"Oh yeah... Your parent's..." Takao seemed to shrink in on himself at the memory of the house they had walked in on

"That doesn't explain why you're here!" Sasuke shouted aggravated, "Why are you two fighting with Orochimaru?"

"We've told you," Kabuto replied calmly, lifting up a kunai threateningly, "He's our master!" they lunged forward together, kunai glinting in the sunlight; Sasuke and Naruto split apart, Naruto taking on Takao and Sasuke taking on Kabuto. Suddenly Naruto's clones ran past Kabuto and before he could do anything, he was jerked back harshly, his back slamming against the tree they had been near, knocking the wind right out of him.

"Nice going Dube," Sasuke smirked, approaching Naruto and his clones. "Now we just have to wait..." Sasuke looked over at the fighting Sanin, only to blink in confusion because the three adults weren't moving.

"Good job, Naruto, Sasuke," both boys looked up into the tree's branches and saw a smirking Shizune crouched there. "Tsunade-Hime and Jiraya are trying to come up with a plan to deal with Orochimaru at the moment," Shizune said, jumping and landing before the boys in a half crouch, "It shouldn't take too long now."

"Ch," Kabuto looked over at Takao; the brown haired young man waved his fingers at him dizzily, some blood dribbling from a cut on his brow into his eye. Apparently, Naruto had got a good hit to Takao's head, disorienting him enough to tie him with the threads and force his back to the tree. Naruto had even wrapped Takao's legs and arms up so that he couldn't dislocate his joins and attempt an escape.

_They're smarter then I thought,_ Kabuto thought, turning his attention to the blacked haired woman as she moved to address them

"As for you two..." Shizune said seriously, "Pray that Tsunade-Hime will be feeling charitable after her fight."

"The fight isn't even close to being over," Kabuto replied as calmly as he could, _If I can just get my fingers together..._

"We'll see," Shizune replied, turning to view the Sanin fight, "It looks like a stand off for now..."

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"Something's missing Hime," Jiraya said softly, a frown twisting his features, "Do you know what?"

"Hmm? So you realize it too," Orochimaru commented slowly, "What is missing from our fight?"

"Go Tsunade!" the three turned at the boisterous voice, they stared dumbly at the three figures standing beside a large tree. "You can do it!" Suddenly the three figures blurred and a different figure was standing there watching them, a deeper voice cheering them on. Just as quickly as the figure arrived did it disappear, leaving the three once-team-members confused.

"You've got to be joking," Tsunade hissed, turning to face her teammates with a pointed glare, "Even from the grave he's still picking favorites!"

"huh?" it took Jiraya and Orochimaru a moment before they realized what she meant; Jiraya busted up laughing, Orochimaru looked at Tsunade like she was cracked and the their audience was still cheering loudly.

"Tsunade-Hime," Orochimaru called seriously, "When was the last time you saw a physiatrist?"

"Like you can talk!" Tsunade screeched, launching herself at him, fists swinging at vitals. Orochimaru smirked and smoothly dodged her attacks, ignoring Jiraya's howling laughter, "Quite running away damn it!"

"If I did that I'd end up six feet under," Orochimaru commented, briefly his eyes flickered towards his two helpers, his smirk growing when he saw Kabuto nod meaningfully at him.

"Well Tsunade-Hime, Jiraya," Orochimaru said dodging Jiraya's attempt at back kicking him towards Tsunade, landing smoothly on the ground Orochimaru regarded them seriously, "It's been fun but I think it's time for us to part ways again."

"You're going to leave your two lackeys?" Jiraya asked with a frown

"That doesn't sound like you," Tsunade commented, still holding her defensive stance

"Oh they don't need my help," Orochimaru grinned, his eyes glinting when Shizune let out a pained scream making Tsunade's head snap in the younger woman's direction. Kabuto had managed to substitute himself with a few branches from the tree, he then attacked Shizune with chakra scalpels and removed her use of her legs before he freed Takao smoothly. Naruto and Sasuke tried to attack him but Takao covered him and it wasn't long before both teens were running towards Orochimaru, Sasuke and Naruto pausing at Shizune's shout at them not to follow.

"Lord Orochimaru!" Kabuto shouted, stumbling slightly before Takao grabbed his arm

"Retreat!" Orochimaru shouted, jumping back and running away from Tsunade and Jiraya with Takao and Kabuto close behind; Tsunade hurried towards Shizune and Jiraya hesitated for a moment before he followed.

"I'm alright," Shizune said when Tsunade slid to a stop beside her, her own green hands slamming over Shizune's, "Just cut tendons."

"Damn him," Tsunade hissed, glaring over her shoulder at Orochimaru's fading figure

"You two should go after him," Shizune advised, "I'll watch over the boys."

"No offence or anything Shizune but I'm running low on chakra," Jiraya sighed, "So is Orochimaru, that's why he ran."

"You both still suck at chakra control, don't you?" Tsunade asked, rolling her eyes, "How're you two?" Tsunade asked Naruto and Sasuke, Ignoring Jiraya's pout and grumbles

"We're fine," Sasuke answered, "a few scratches but those will heal with time."

Naruto said nothing, his eyes locked onto the retreating figures in the distance

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

She was laying down on a long stretch of grass, observing the night sky high overhead, wondering what her world looked like to them. She watched as the stars winked at her, as if they were whispering their secrets. She had wanted to stay that way for the rest of her life, just laying on that endless grassy field watching the endless stars twinkle at her but it seemed that life was going to be cruel to her that night, refusing to give her what she wanted. The sharp features of a curious looking black haired boy with a blade of a nose and a slash of a mouth obscured her beautiful view of the night sky; his mouth looked as if someone couldn't shape it right and got mad at it, so they just ripped a kunai straight through his face.

"_Oi, what the hell do you think you're doing?_" her endless silence was interrupted by the bastards harsh, cold voice that undoubtedly gave normal children nightmares. Then again, normal children would've screamed or cried at the sight of his mouth full of sharp teeth—She out right deck him to get her beautiful star speckled view again. She ignored his shouts of pain and loud whining that she had just broken his 'beautiful' nose; eventually his whining subsided as he realized that she really didn't give a damn about his little antics.

"_Oi, Ona_" she looked at him when she felt something sharp poke at her upper arm, at the other end of the long stick was the boy she had just punched a few minutes prior, looking like he wasn't sure to run for safety or stick around and annoy her.

"_Go away,_" she ordered him coldly, returning to look back up at the stars

"_Why are you alone?_" he asked instead, still regarding her wirily

"_I'm mourning now go away,_" She snapped just as coldly as before

"_Why are you mourning alone?_" he asked, lowing his stick thoughtfully

"_My teammates died yesterday,_" She replied, rolling her eyes. How dumb was this boy? Everyone in the village knew that she was too weak to keep her teammates from dyeing on that simple C-rank mission and that because of her weakness she was never going to leave the village ever again.

"_Where's your sensei?_" he asked curiously

"_He's working,_" She snapped, glaring up at him, "_I'm trying to watch the stars, now go away._" Her teammate's liked the stars... made them feel at peace... why can't she feel—

"_Or what?_" he asked with an amused look on his blood stained face

"_Or I break your nose_" she growled, voice dropping menacingly "_again_."

"_it's already broken_" the boy snorted at her, only to wince at the pain that flared through his face, brining fresh tears to his dark beady eyes. "_Pi-ck s-something else_" he hick-upped, trying to speak without giving away that he had just hurt himself

"_How about your jaw?_" She asked, turning to look back at the midnight sky overhead, "_maybe then I'll get some peace and quiet._" The boy was quiet for a moment as he watched at her watch the night sky over head

"_ya' know_" the boy started off slowly, softly, as if he wasn't sure if he should say what's on his mind, "_My big brother used to tell me that when someone says they want to be alone, it's really their way of asking for a hug_."

"_You touch me and I'll castrate you_," She growled, dark eye flashing warningly at him

"_You missed what I meant,_" he chuckled, "_I meant that I know how ya feel._"

"_How so?_" she asked sarcastically, a tone of voice that meant she didn't belief him in the least. Her teammates were older then her because she graduated hell-a early, they saved her butt when people tried to abuse her for looking different, they protected her when assassins tried to kill her... they took her hits when she was too slow to avoid them... it was her fault, her teammates were killed because of her messed up bloodline that wasn't supposed to mix... which made her a rarity that other villages wanted.

"_My big brother used to take me here,_" the boy said in stead, "_It's all I have left of him now, he died yesterday while trying to protect his teammate on an out of village mission._"

"..._oh_," She whispered, eyes never leaving the sky even as one of her hands rose to rub at her now blind left eye; A permanent scar to remind her about her failure with her teammates. Azua was pissed enough that she had attracted a bounty on her head for her bloodline but when she didn't move in time and got cut across her face was the last straw for him. He refused to say another word to her as she tried to heal her face so she could fight with him and Tsugi but the eye wasn't within her range of healing abilities. She stopped the bleeding just in time to look up and catch Azua and Tsugi protect her from a large arrow aimed straight for her. Their blood had spilled over, running down her face and stinging her good eye as the arrow tip had slammed into her other eye. She didn't register the pain of her now ruined left eye, she could only see Tsugi smiling down at her, white hair spilling over his shoulder and sticking to her face mockingly.

Short version is that she lost her freaking mind, made even worse when she realized that she couldn't heal them

Yagura had arrived with back up too late

She was already flinging acid and magma around her teammates protectively, trying to keep her assassins from getting too close to her teammates, she was literally blind in one eye and the other was blind with fury and desperation. It took Yagura an hour to get close enough to her to knock her out without accidentally releasing the Sanbi on her. Later her father said that he could heal her eye so that it looked normal, for the most part, but she'll never see through it ever again.

"_He was trying to protect his teammate,_" the boy said suddenly, his voice snapping her out of her memories, "_you see when he first met her he was mad and wouldn't shut up about how annoying she was. But after awhile she grew on him, he told me how he would save her time and time again from people who wanted to use her genetic marital to make solders for their villages._"

"_She had a bloodline?_" she asked softly with slightly wide eyes, _she's just like me?_

"_Yeah she did,_" he answered with a slight smile, his own dark eyes watching the dark sky overhead, "_He didn't want to admit it but the girl really grew on him. He started to call her 'Imoto' when he was at the house and when he didn't think I could hear. I called him out on it and I got a beating for my efforts,"_ he chuckled, as if it was common for big brothers to beat their younger brothers for calling them out.

"..._Did?_" She whispered, afraid of the answer but knowing that she needed too

"_Yeah... Nii-san... he didn't quiet make it in saving her on that mission_," he answered, "_She died with them that day. Her bloodline went out and destroyed an entire mile in a near perfect circle all the way around her, preserving only their bodies._"

"_I see,_" she whispered, watching the sky brighten with a new sun, her stars slowly winking out

"_You know what my big brother also used to say?_" The boy asked as the morning sun peaked over the hill they sat on, a bright stream of sunlight lit up his face as he turned to smile at her.

"_He said that the sun rises every morning to give us a new day, so that we can move on from our past and look forward to the coming sunrise of tomorrow!_"

…

She stiffly opened her eyes and took a good look around herself sleepily, not sure what had happened. She stared dully at the pale ceiling overhead and tried to remember what that annoying beeping noise in her ear was. Blinking repeatedly, she tried to push herself up but only winced when her arms gave out and she was sent smacking back down into her bed with a wince and gasp.

"Terumī-sama?" A soft voice called from her left, she blinked sleepily and turned to look at the person approaching her cautiously. "Terumī-sama?" a young woman with long midnight blue hair bent over her, wide obsidian eyes stared curiously down at her, "Terumī-sama are you feeling alright?"

"No," she whispered hoarsely, "S-sensei?" she asked suddenly remembering that she was traveling with the man before her world turned black, "Yagura-sensei? Is he well?" She tried to push herself up to take a closer look at everyone around her, but the unfamiliar black haired woman gently pushed her back down.

"Please stay down ma'am," the woman said, gently pressing against her shoulders "You've been out for a month and a half; you aren't ready to start working out yet. It wasn't easy waking you from that coma ya know" the woman said tucking her back in and sitting on the edge of her bed with a reassuring smile.

"Who-who are you?" Mei asked with a cough, accepting the straw to a glass of water the woman had suddenly pressed against her lips

"My name is Mikoto," the woman smiled seemingly sadly at her, "Mikoto Uchiha. Your village requested my help with your condition, last time it was my husband who came but he doesn't have medical knowledge and he had to remain in the village for the sake of the clan and our sons."

"U-Uchih-ha?" Mei stuttered with a frown, vaguely recalling their aid nine and half years ago, "Ko-Konoha?"

"That's right," Mikoto smiled at her, gently brushing her bangs aside to reveal Mei's other jade eye

"Wh-why?" Mei asked, turning her head to search for a familiar head of pale yellow-green hair within her sight, "S-sensei... where is Yagura-sensei?" Mikoto turned away from Mei, biting her lip nervously which brought Mei's sharp green eyes onto her person almost instantly.

"Where?" Mei asked sharply, forcefully pushing herself up and glaring at Mikoto when the other woman tried to protest her moving. "Where is my teacher?" Mei watched Mikoto flinched back at her sharp voice, the crows' feet around her soft dark eyes and the soft smiling lines revealed Mikoto's true age to Mei. Mikoto turned in her seat, staring sadly down at her pale, thin hands

"He's... Yagura-sama is... is with his predecessors," Mikoto answered softly, Mei felt her heart beat freeze in her chest, her hands growing cold, "I'm so sorry Mei-san... You're the only survivor."

Mei's world turned black

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

He stared at his teammate, watching him watch the night sky, blue eyes lost and confused. It appeared that he was the only one who noticed the blonde's strange behavior, not that it took a genius to know what the boy was thinking about.

"You think to long and your head will explode," Sasuke commented dryly, Naruto didn't even twitch at the insult

"Hay Sasuke," Naruto said instead, voice calm and steady, surprising his teammate. "Do you remember a boy from when we were younger... he used to be always around Tayuya-nee... following her around..."

"Not really," Sasuke replied, "I remember Nii-san used to run around with Tayuya... oh, there was another boy with them."

"That's what I mean..." Naruto turned to frown at Sasuke, "I can't remember what his name was... but I'm fairly sure that he had gray hair and wore glasses."

Sasuke was quiet a moment, thinking about the odd realization, "You think that boy you can barely remember is Kabuto?"

"Maybe," Naruto sighed, turning to look back out the window, "If it was Kabuto back then... then it explains why he'd kill his teammate. He knew of Tayuya's and Tsubame's relation, he knew that if anything happened to Tsubame, it'd hurt Tayuya..."

"You think he actually hurt one of his own teammate's to keep Tayuya happy?" Sasuke asked, "Why'd he do that? What gain would he have for it?"

"I don't know," Naruto confessed, "I'm not even sure if it was Kabuto back then..."

"But if it was him," Sasuke said suddenly straightening up in his bed, "Then he did what he did to protect Tayuya, not Tsubame."

"I thought about that too Teme," Naruto replied with a sigh, "But why would he go so far for her? she doesn't even like him..."

"But if Kabuto is that boy we can barely remember, then it's possible that he did it reflexively," Sasuke retorted, his face pinching slightly. "It's possible that something happened between them that pushed them apart... if that's the case then... then the bond is still strong for him..."

"Okay, so what dose that mean for Tayuya-nee?" Naruto asked, "dose that mean that Kabuto went with Orochimaru to act like a spy for the leaf?"

"Maybe," Sasuke sighed, "I doubt that's all there is to the story." Sasuke pulled his blankets a little higher around him, "Get some sleep Naruto, we have a long track to make tomorrow."

"Yeah but—"

"Seriously Naruto, leave it alone," Sasuke ordered, "It's properly another thing that's over our heads. Just like Sakura is." Naruto flinched harshly at the reminder of their third teammate, how there seemed to be an ever-growing number of secrets to her. He looked back to the night sky, his chest squeezing tightly as he bit unsurely at his lip, he loved his 'family' and everything but he didn't like secrets being kept from him—even from them.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

He walked through the halls with the three oldest members of his village councilors, he had just been named chunin with his siblings and already the council was asking him what to do with the hidden leaf village. They had chosen a new Hokage but she wouldn't arrive at the village for another three days, they wanted to know if they should attach again and hope that they could actually win this time because they didn't actually have a central command. Instead he informed that attaching the hidden leaf the first time was bad enough and to do so a second time would be suicide, especially since they didn't have a Kage of their own (at least not a legal one). Instead, he suggested that they ask the leaf for forgiveness and release the new treaty to their new Hokage, letting her make it up as a sign of remorse and regret. If the leaf chose to attach Suna there wouldn't be much that Suna could do to stop them.

"Has anyone found my father?" Gaara asked suddenly, stilling the conversation between the fat and thin councilors, he honestly hadn't been listening to them because he mostly didn't give a damn.

"No," the oldest replied

"No sign?" He asked stilling in his walking to look back at the three men

"It's like he just disappeared," the thin one replied with a frown, "which is strange because it's not like him to just disappear. Especially for so long..." Gaara thought about what he knew about his father, the council and their meetings... before the three elders could do anything Gaara burst into a sand cloud and disappeared out the closest window. It took him several minutes but he eventually found the man he was looking for, he quickly reformed before the Jonin and straightened to his full height before him.

"Baki, I would like to make a request of you," Gaara said seriously, disregarding where they now stood in the middle of the only hot springs in the hidden sand and the fact that he was surrounded by hundreds of shinobi wrapped in only a towel within the large spring that was only sectioned between shinobi and civilian.

"What is it?" Baki asked, tightening the towel around his waist, already half out of the pool he had been sitting in originally. It wasn't like Gaara to show up in the hot springs, too many people for his liking and for some strange reason he just didn't like the hot springs, the cold springs and the sand baths yes but not the only hot springs.

"It's about my father," Gaara replied, keeping his eyes on Baki's face and ignoring everyone else, "I would like your help in finding him."

"Any ideas about where he might be?" Baki asked, tilting his head to the side slightly, he knew that the previous Kage was missing but he didn't know that even Gaara couldn't find him. Which had never happened before, Gaara could find anyone he wanted to regardless of where they were in the village or country.

"None," Gaara replied, ignoring the silence that now reigned around them, "I fear father might have done something stupid." Baki raised his eyebrow in inquiry

"An example would be nice," Baki said when Gaara didn't continue

"For me not to find father..." Gaara said with a slight frown on his face, "...I think father might have died but I can't be sure until his body or evidence of his life is found."

"So either Yondaime-sama is dead or he's not within Suna's borders?" Baki asked with his own frown, knowing that it was strange for the previous Kazekage to leave without notice... almost like the third Kazekage.

"Yes," Gaara agreed with a bob of his head, "I would like it if you could help me with finding him."

"Why not just let me form a team and start searching for him?" Baki asked scratching the back of his neck with a sigh, "You're training to replace your father. It's best if you return to your training" Gaara wanted to go out and search for his father himself but the look in Baki's eye and the hurried whispering surrounding him told Gaara that he didn't have much of a choice in the discussion. Baki would head the team that went out for his father—he had no place on that team.

"Fine," Gaara agreed with a sigh, disappearing again in a whirl of sand

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"This way please!" the red haired girl in front of them gasped, pulling against the blonde's hand hurriedly, "We have to hurry! They don't think she'll last much longer!"

"Wait, Karin!" Naruto shouted hurrying after his cousin and Tsunade, eyes wide and panicked, "Who're you talking about? Tayuya-nee or Sakura-chan?"

"Both!" Karin said, crimson eyes panicked, "Ta-nee is in surgery with the best the hospital has to offer but Sa-chan's heart is slowing down rapidly!"

"How rapid?" Tsunade asked suddenly pulling Karin along as she hurried through the near-empty streets of Konoha.

"A beat a minute," Karin gasped, "Kaa-chan has been trying to stabilize her for the past week but one of the nurses told me she collapsed from chakra exhaustion an hour ago."

"Shizune go to Tayuya Haruno's room and see what you can't do for her," Tsunade ordered

"Wouldn't it be better if I aided you?" Shizune asked

"No, we don't know what kind of condition the hospital is in," Tsunade replied, "I need you to try and help Tayuya, I'll tend to Sakura. Is there anyone with her?"

"Fubuki-nee," Karin gasped, "She-she's a medic!"

"Good," Tsunade disappeared, leaving Karin to stumble to a halt, Naruto hurrying to catch her before she fell

"Hay red," Jiraya called, landing behind the two teens smoothly, "Where's your mom?"

"She's resting," Karin answered

"My seal is gone, how's yours?" Jiraya asked, face pinching as he hurried towards the hospital with Karin and Naruto

"Mine's still active but not for long and Kaa-chan is unconscious," Karin replied

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

_Beep, beep, beep, beep... beep, beep... beep... beep, beep..._

"Imoto?" Fubuki called softly, her hand tightening on Sakura's, "Imoto wake up," the monitor's soft 'beeping' was slowing down and it was starting to put her on edge.

_Beep, beep, beep... beep, beep..._

"Imoto, Imoto wake up! Wake up!" Fubuki gripped Sakura's arm and shook her "Wake up! Sakura! Wake up!"

"Easy you don't want to hurt her," Shisui advised, rising from where he leaned against the window seal to pull back on Fubuki's shoulder's gently, "Tsunade-Hime will be here soon."

"What's wrong with her?" Fubuki asked brokenly, turning her tear filled green orbs onto her teammate, "Why isn't she responding?"

"You don't want to know," Fubuki snapped around at the hard voice, eyes widening as Tsunade swept forward and placed glowing palms onto Sakura's chest and head.

"Quite your staring and help me," Tsunade hissed, amber eyes flashing at her

"Y-Yes ma'am!" Fubuki jumped forward and placed her hands over Tsunade's, eyes closing as she followed the blonde's chakra with her own

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

_The abyss she was in was similar to one she'd seen long ago but this one was all pastel jade and blinding white, there was no blue and violet, there was no warmth in this strange abyss. There was neither up nor down, no right nor left, there was only the blinding abyss._

_How long has she been here?_

_Where is here?_

_She didn't know and some part of her deep inside said she didn't want to know_

"_It's time to wake up," she blinked and suddenly auburn hair was clouding her view and warm arms were wrapped around her in a tight embrace_

"_You're leaving," She accused with a sniffle, tears blurring her sight as she wrapped her own arms around the older girl, "Please don't go Nee-chan, I've already lost Nii-tan..."_

"_It's time Imoto," She whispered stroking her hair affectionately, "The dead don't belong with the living."_

"_We've been living for the past twelve years," She replied with a hic-up, "Please Nee-chan... don't leave me alone, what if the monsters come back?"_

"_Oh sweetheart you'll never be alone," She chuckled warmly, her hug tightening briefly "You're surrounded by people who love you and are willing to protect you. As for the monsters? Don't worry Imoto, they can't touch you"_

"_You're still leaving," She whimpered, her hands fisting in the girl's navy shirt_

"_Wake up Sakura-chan" the girl whispered in her ear, "everyone's waiting..."_

"_But I'm scared," Sakura whispered "What if I mess up? What if I do something wrong?"_

"_We're all scared inside" the girl chuckled and pressed a soft kiss to her temple "The bravest of men face their fears, that's what makes them so great, they aren't afraid to face their fears."_

…

"Wake up brat," That wasn't a response she was expecting nor one she was used to, "You have people waiting to see you." Her eyes scrunched together and slowly her eyes opened to stare tiredly up at a pair of warm honey orbs

"Hi-Hime" Sakura whispered, tears streaming from her eyes as she lifted trembling arms up to the older woman, "_Hime!_"

"Shhh, Shhh" Tsunade murmured bending to lift Sakura up into a sitting position, letting the pinkette wrap her arms around her and cry on her chest. "I'm here blossom, I've kept my promise, Shhh"

"Their gone!" Sakura wailed brokenly in Tsunade's arms, "They're gone! They left me behind!"

"Everyone has to move on at some point," Tsunade murmured, tightening her hold on Sakura, "all we, the living, can do is pray to see them again some day."

"_Security alert! Security alert! Search and find one Ino Yamanaka! Take her back to room 301! She will not go quietly! Force __**is**__ necessary!_" Tsunade and Sakura straightened at the slightly irritated slightly panicky voice shouting through the intercom. They watched as a young man jumped through Sakura's open window and skidded to a halt at her door just in time to have it slam open.

"Ah-ha! Missed!"

"Check again," the young Hyūga growled out, hands on his hips

"T-Teme" Ino coughed and leaned against the doorway, one hand pressed to her chest

"Excuse me," Tsunade snarled lifting herself up from Sakura's bed and rounded on the Hyūga guard, "What in the seven hells do you think you're doing?!"

"L-Lady Tsunade!" the Hyūga called out wide-eyed

"Idiot!" Tsunade snapped thumping the young man and proceeding to give him a good old-fashioned scolding

"S-Sakura!" Ino coughed out, smiling as she saw Sakura was sitting up in her bed and watching Tsunade, "You're awake!" Sakura watched wide eyed as Ino ran into the room and collapsed on her legs, she was aiming to give Sakura a hug but that was good enough.

"Ino," Sakura murmured with a frown at the dizzy looking blonde, "Why are you still in the hospital?"

"Because I kept sneaking out of my room to get to you," Ino answered pulling a nearby chair forward so she rest in it without giving herself a heart attach. "Apparently my actions kept aggravating my wounds," Ino shrugged carelessly, "Anyways the point of my visit."

"That'd be nice," Sakura said automatically

"I kept sneaking out so I could try and wake you," Ino continued with a mild irritated look at Sakura "I figured if I tried out my possession I'd end up in your head like last time but _someone_ kept dragging me back to my room." Ino glared pointedly at the sulking Hyūga in the corner of Sakura's room, still getting scolded by Tsunade, "I thought you were just stuck in your head, that happens sometimes you know, so I thought I could wake you up by showing you the way."

"Why?" Sakura questioned blinking dumbly at the blonde

"Be-because," Ino shifted nervously, her eyes dropping and her cheeks reddening "I-I want to a-apologies... a-and ask for forgiveness... a-and maybe-e be friends... a-a-again?"

"You realize that you'll need Hinata's approval right?" both girls jumped at the dull voice, looking up both girls blushed brightly at Sasuke and Naruto crouching on the window seal together, both smirking in their own cocky way.

"H-how long have you b-been there?" Sakura asked as both of her teammates moved to enter the room fully

"Since Hyūga boy jumped in and created the ruckus," Sasuke answered his smirk growing

"So? Did you get Hinata-chan's approval?" Naruto asked curiously

"After she tried to kill me? Yes" Ino answered, "She... she didn't quite believe me at first..."

"Can you blame her?" Sasuke asked, "you three were almost in-separate-able for like three years and then suddenly you did something stupid and Hinata was suddenly hell-a over protective of Sakura and Sakura wasn't nearly so open to other kids, much less other girls."

"Yeah~ I remember" Ino coughed and rubbed at the back of her neck "So~ can we be friends?"

"Have you decided to grow up?" Sakura asked with a lifted eyebrow

"If growing up means apologizing for doing something stupid that I did, then yes, I've grown up," Ino answered

"Good, it's about time," Sakura smiled, "I've missed my friend."

They were both done pretending to be friends once a month; they were done pretending because not all of it was an act

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

The next time she saw that strange boy with the bright smile, it was at the funeral for her teammates. She was standing beside the caskets and her teacher, still too scared to look at the villagers and family members of her teammate's knowing that their accusing eyes would stare right back at her.

His voice was soft with disbelief and surprise, calling her out and waking her from her depressing thoughts

"_Ona?_" her head snapped up and she stared with one wide eye at the familiar black haired boy standing several feet in front of her, a look of confusion on his face. "_So wait, you're Nii-san's teammate? That girl he tried to—_" she couldn't take it, she snapped around and ran away as fast as she could, refusing to look back at that boy who had been plaguing her thoughts for the past week and a half. She ran straight through the crowds, ignoring Yagura's shout for her to return, she ran across the roof tops and the soggy bark of the trees of her village, running for everything she was worth to the only thing she had left of her teammates.

She never made it to the hill that day, in fact, she barely made it a dozen yards before another body slammed into her and knocked her to the ground in a heartbeat.

"_Get off of me!_" she shrieked automatically, rising a foot to slam against the body that tackled her, only to freeze at the sight of familiar sharp black eyes staring at her. The boy moved again, quick like the wind, and wrapped his arms around her shoulders tightly. "_Let go of me!_" She shouted pushing against the boy desperately, not wanting to hurt him but not wanting him to hold her.

"_Azua! Tsugi!_" She had screamed the names without a thought and it had taken her a moment to realize what she had shouted. When she did realize it, it was as if a damn broke. Her tears burst out of her normally dry jade eyes and she found herself clutching to the black haired boy as he rocked her back and forth, ignoring the whispers and the rain that was suddenly pelting them with icy fingers.

"_Shhh, It'll be okay, everything will okay,_" the boy whispered in her ear, his arms tightening around her as her hysterical crying subsided into sniffles and gasps.

"_How-how c-can yo-you know?_" she asked pushing against him, finally freeing herself from the strange boy, tears still rolling down her cheeks, "_I killed them! It's my fault!_" She shouted, slapping her hands to her face and crying with renewed strength, "_they'd still be alive if I hadn't been born!_" suddenly the boy had ripped out her hairpin in one smooth movement.

"_Hay give that back!_" She shouted automatically, twitching when the boy stuck the expensive hairpiece in his mouth then slammed his meaty hands in her hair, raking it back harshly. "_Ow! Hay stop that!_" he moved faster then she did and quickly put her blue and black hair piece back into her hair, carefully moving her bangs to frame her face gracefully.

"_My name is Zabuza Momochi,_" the boy said with a smirk, hands stilling on either side of her face, "_And I promised big brother that I'd marry the woman who killed him!_" Her brain had promptly stalled and refused to get to working again until the boy ducked forward and quickly stole her first kiss.

Fury lit her like a bone fire

_THWACK!_

"_Who'd marry you?!_" she shirked rising to her feet, putting one hand on her hip and pointing accusatorily at Zabuza with her other and glaring down at him with a look that would have made most men back away slowly. "_Why'd the hell would I marry you anyways?! It's bad enough that I have to live with you! Why would I want to marry you?!_"

"_Because that's apart of our custom!_" Zabuza grinned cheekily back at her, noting how she didn't notice that if she simply denied the action of killing his brother then she wouldn't have to merry him. But no, she didn't notice the little verbal trap he set up for her. He knew her assassins were trying to either kill her or steal her eggs for their village so that village would get a new bloodline, so he didn't blame her for his brother's death, knowing that he had fought with everything that he had to protect her—As was Azua's way.

"_Our custom is taking care of those we've let down!_" She shirked at him, "_I let down your brother which means I have to take care of you in his place considering he's kind of dead!_"

"_Great you can marry me later!_" Zabuza's grin didn't fall even after she slammed a foot into his leg, nearly breaking it

"_NO!_" she bellowed out at him, a bright crimson stain running across her face

"_So you gonna tell me your name or do I keep getting to call you Ona?_" Zabuza asked as he rubbed at his sore leg, deftly moving his other before she could possibly break it with a vicious stomp

"_Mei,_" She froze instantly and turned to look up at her teacher through her wet hair, her hands twisting nervously as he approached her with an umbrella.

"_Ah! So your name is Mei!_" Zabuza laughed, his smile brightening when she glared at him, "_Sweet Mei won't you marry me now?_"

"_NO!_" Mei and Yagura snapped out at the same time

"_Mei—home—now,_" Yagura ordered

"_Yes sir,_" She was running before Zabuza could stop her

"_Zabuza..._" the boy stared up at him sullenly, "_eighteen—no sooner_"

"_Yes sir!_" Zabuza agreed cheekily

"_Sensei?!_" Mei shirked at him, nearly falling flat on her face

"_Home!_" Yagura snapped at her, a smile in his eyes and laughter in his voice. He knew what Zabuza tried to do and he approved the boy instantly, the fact that Mei had yet to realize what her obvious answer should have been, amused him further.

…

He honestly prayed that he'd never wake up but he knew just when he did, he could feel the soreness in his neck and shoulders, telling him that he slept bent over again and that it hadn't been the brightest idea he's done since he first met Karin. The ach in his head said that he must have hit his head pretty damn hard in the fight, the burning agony in his left arm and right leg said he over worked his bloodline _again_. Slowly his eyes opened to a world of white silk, breathing out a heavy sigh he slowly pushed himself up into a sitting position, he moved as slowly as he dared, not wanting to receive more pain then he was already in. He didn't have to look at the head of the bed to know that it was empty; he did so anyways, he wasn't all that surprised as he pushed himself further back in his seat and turned to look at the morning sunlight streaming through the open hospital window.

A woman was sitting in the window seal, one leg propped up on the edge of her bed carelessly as she stared down at her cupped hands. Her long muddy crimson hair shifted lightly with the breeze entering through the open window beside her; her bangs moving to show a jade green eye filled with tears silently slipping down her pale cheek. Her long blue sleeve shifted slightly, revealing something large and navy rimmed in black in her palm.

"My teammate Azua gave me this hair band," the woman whispered, stroking the dark blue object affectionately, setting it down on the seal so that the morning sun could make it glow like candle light. "My teammate Tsugi gave me these earrings," she set a side a matching pair of jade and sapphire tear drop earrings, the sort that dangled and were a great weapon an enemy could use against a kunochi if they got close enough (in other words one good tug and she'd never be able to wear earrings ever again). "My teacher gave me this bracelet," she set aside a large, thick black band similar to his own, she pat it affectionately before she regarded the smallest item in her hand, holding it carefully as if it could shatter into dust.

"The man I loved gave me this ring," she stroked the simple band with an amused smile, "We did more fighting then actual living. Sometimes he'd spend the night with another woman and in the morning, if I caught her leaving our home, I'd proceed to kick his butt around the training grounds." She chuckled weakly, fresh tears spilling down her cheek as she continued to stare at the simple little band, "I think he did it to remind me of his promise. I never once took him seriously and I never dared to admit my own feelings, afraid that if I finally agreed that he'd walk away like all the other women he'd been with."

He couldn't say anything to her, there was nothing to say. No amount of words could describe the woman's pain and no amount of words could make that pain disappear; her kind of pain was one that never truly went away.

Slowly the woman straightened and pulled back her hair, leaving very little to frame her face gracefully, and pulled her hairpiece into place with a hard push and tug. She sniffed and whipped at her cheeks with her thin fingers, smoothly putting her earrings back in and slipping her black bracelet back on, her strong chakra signature disappearing in an instant, going from a thick hearty beat down into a faint, ignorable hum. She pushed her back against the smooth window seal behind her, holding the little silver ring dangling from a matching silver chain, letting the morning sunlight bounce off it like a glass chandelier.

"The sun rises every morning to give us a new day," the woman whispered as if reciting a poem from long ago. She smoothly dropped one end of the chain and let the ring fall into her palm, she just as smoothly placed it on her ring finger and rose to her full height in the same elegant move. "Let us start a new day and pray to meet the marrow," she smiled at him as she paused at the end of her once bed, letting him take a good look at the large scar running through her left eye brow through her white-washed apple green orb and running half way down her left cheek. Was that scar the reason behind her insistence of hiding half her face behind a wave of her muddy crimson hair?

"Come Kimimaro," she said holding her hand out to him with a sad looking smile, "Let's begin our day, eh?"

"Lady Mizukage," He replied, not moving from his seat, regarding her levelly, "Only if you become the next Mizukage, as Yagura-sama and Zabuza-sensei would have wanted you to."

"It's already been decided," Mei replied, "Well, are you going to be my escort?"

"Don't I have to be a Jonin to do that?" Kimimaro asked with a frown

"Don't you know?" Mei asked, her smile widening slightly, "You survived the wrath of the Sanbi in his fully released form, fought beside Yagura-sensei for heaven knows how long and returned to our village in, basically, one piece." She stopped as if that was enough of an explanation, as if it told him everything that he needed to know

"So?" he asked with a slight frown, still not quite getting what she meant

"Kimimaro Kaguya," Mei's smile returned to that sad look that wasn't quite as sad as it was when she was at the window, "You are now a Jonin and one of my personal guards."

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

**Okay so I totally found something that I find rather funny **

**It goes like this: Month, name, day okay?**

**January— Gai 1, Shino 23**

**February—Tayuya 15, Yahiko 20 (Nagato's friend that he killed to free Konan)**

**March—Tenten 9, Kisame 18, Sakura 28**

**April— (I didn't find anyone born in this month but I also didn't look that hard)**

**May—Chōji 1, Deidara 5, Kankuro 15**

**June—Itachi 9, Kurenai 11, Karin 20**

**July—Neji 3, Kiba 7, Kushina 10, Sasuke 23**

**August—Tsunade 2, Yamato 10**

**September—Kakashi 15, Shikamaru 22, Ino 23**

**October—Naruto 10, Anko 24, Orochimaru 27**

**November—Sasori 8, Jiraiya 11, Rin 15, Sai 25, Lee 27**

**December—Madara 24 (why am I not surprised?)**

**I just realized that I've been spelling Jiraiya's name wrong this whole time**

**Am I the only one who finds some of this funny?**

**Ino's the youngest in her team and Sakura is the eldest!**

**Shino was the first one born of their generation too! **

**And Gai was the first one born of his generation! **

**And I only know of these guys because their the only ones that I have the picture profiles on **

**Thoughts are helpful**

**Opinions are wonderful**

**Helpful criticism****is**** lovely! Just don't cripple me okay?**

**Please no cursing!**

**And don't forget to**** rate and**** review!**

**Page 29**


	46. Chapter 46

**There is a reason**

Chapter 46: Moving on

Koomahana

**okay, So I didn't have the time to add this, this morning but yesterday my house reached 100 degrees... it wasn't fun. I think the only reason I survived that was because I was drinking iced water like it was going out of style :)**

**and now! back to the story!**

**(this note is the only thing that was added :) )**

* * *

><p><strong>Fubuki was 10 when she met Sakura &amp; 11 when she was taken to the leaf village<strong>

**Tayuya was 8 when she met Sakura & 9 when she was taken to the leaf village**

**Sakura was 3 when she was taken and returned to the leaf village**

**Yagura was 20 when he first met Sakura and 21 when he returned to his body.**

**Yagura is 17 years older then Sakura**

**Fubuki is 7 years older than Sakura and 2 years older then Tayuya**

**Tayuya is 5 years older than Sakura**

**Fubuki was a genin at 12, Chunin at 14 and Jonin at 16**

**Tayuya was a genin at 12, Chunin at 13 ½ and Jonin at 16**

**They are now:**

**Yagura is now 29 years old—Mizukage**

**Fubuki is now 19 years old—Jonin for three years (Same age as Shisui—Anbu—and Shikan—Jonin)**

**Tayuya is now 17 years old—Jonin for one year (Same age as Itachi—Anbu—and Hana—Jonin and Kimimaro—Jonin)**

**Sakura is now 12 years old—Genin (Same age as Naruto, Sasuke, Gaara, Karin, Suigetsu and Haku)**

* * *

><p><strong>So~ I found out that Temari is actually three years older then the rooky generation... I know it's not accurate and some of you are properly pulling your hair for it, but I'm too lazy to fix her age<strong>

**Temari is staying five years older then the rooky generation**

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"Do you really have to leave?" Sakura asked staring at Karin as she fiddled with her finger tips in her little nervous tick that came out only when she needed to talk about something but didn't actually want to.

"Well... I don't have too," Karin said thoughtfully, "but I really want to get back to the mist. Kimi-kun became a Jonin somehow and-and Zabuza-sensei..." Karin trailed off her eyes filling with tears as she settled her hands into her lap with a heavy sigh, trying desperately not to start crying.

"I'm sorry it was rude of me to ask," Sakura said reaching forward and pulled Karin into her arms just seconds before the red head burst into tears. They had received the news while she was still in a coma, the Yondaime Mizukage—Yagura— was killed by the same man who attempted to kill him nine years before, killing Zabuza when he became too much of a problem during the fight. It was assumed that Zabuza or Yagura knocked Kimimaro out before the man could touch him but honestly, no one really knew what happened. Hiruzen may have sent out that letter after her panic attack about her 'Nii-tan' but they didn't find Yagura and his guard until a week after the final round. The only reason why they found Kimimaro is because he had woken up to something trying to eat his foot and had automatically forced out a bone spindle to make the damn thing go away; as such it went straight out of the earthen burial he had been in and nearly went through a sensor's hand while they were looking for him.

"I'm so sorry Imoto," Sakura whispered as Karin cried on her, "I'm so sorry—"

"What if he comes again?" Karin whispered suddenly, "What if he comes after us again? How can we be safe with that monster still lose?"

"He'll never touch you," Sakura promised with gritted teeth, suddenly knowing who she was speaking about, "and if he dose I'll rip him apart."

"I-I want to go," Karin whispered miserably, "I want to go to the celebrations for the boys, I want to go to the funeral for sensei but-but how *Hick-up* How c-can I-I whe-when Or-Orochi-im-maru i-is st-still-ll ou-out th-there?!"

Sakura didn't know what to say, she just held Karin tighter and let the red head cry hysterically on her chest, unable to do anything more then just hold the girl

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"So what is that you're saying lord Orochimaru?" Takao asked curiously, tilting his head to the side. they had escaped his master's teammate's wrath weeks ago but Kabuto had nearly been put into a coma for his efforts, the seals seemed to only get worse with time.

"Takao... you're not as smart as Kabuto is, are you?" Orochimaru asked dully, Takao didn't take it as an insult, Yao basically said the same thing to him on a weekly basis.

"No sir," Takao agreed easily, ignoring Kabuto's sigh as he adjusted his glasses to hide his reaction to Takao's agreement. "I'm not as smart as Kabuto is; I'm not ashamed or embarrassed of that fact. He can read between lines and speak in riddles like you can sir; I'm just not smart enough to do so. I can only offer my apology for the inconvenience."

"He's talking about transplanting my seals onto someone else," Kabuto sighed, leaning back against the thick pillows Takao had gathered for him so he could speak to Orochimaru sitting up instead of laying down. "Although I don't see how it can be done... I didn't even know that it could be done."

"Oh rest assured Kabuto, Takao, it can be done," Orochimaru smirked at them, "how do you think I escaped the leaf hmm? Danzo was kind enough to do all the labor and hard work for me, even supplied one of his own little soldiers for the task."

"And it worked?" Kabuto and Takao asked at the same time

"but how? How are we supposed to mimic what he did without a seal master or—"

"Calm down Takao," Orochimaru sighed, waving one hand out and pushing the room's door open to reveal three young boys standing side by side, all with their heads bowed, "You think that I didn't take three of little casters with me? Danzo came across a gold mine; of course I indulged myself on the theory of transplanting seals."

Takao and Kabuto shared an unsure look before they went back to examine the three young boys curiously

"Do any of you actually know how to perform this seal transfer?" Takao asked carefully, not wanting to indirectly insult his master by asking the question. Two of the boys looked at each other before they stepped forward, "And you boy? What was your job?" the last one looked up at him through inky black hair, black eyes dull and lifeless

"Chakra control," the boy said softly, "I monitor and control the flow of chakra."

"I am the bridge for the seal transfer," the brown haired boy said just as softly

"I perform the seal transfer," the last and seemingly eldest of the three said dully, as if he expected them to already know this fact

"All we need now is..." the dark haired one, locked eyes with Kabuto and Takao, pale face blank of all emotion

"Is a receiver," the eldest interrupted. "We've learned from Orochimaru's procedure that the seal receiver must have the same or equal amount of chakra as the bearer of the seals."

"Other wise the receiver will die," the brunet said, "his chakra network will fry on a cellular level."

"Then his other cells will catch fire," the black haired one continued, "there is no way to put out the fire. The fire will only grow and grow until the body is unrecognizable."

"What is the success rate?" Kabuto asked curiously

"Depends on your definition of 'success'," the three answered together

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

He moved quietly through the trees, brown eyes sharp as he observed his surroundings and impending targets. He smoothly slipped onto the ground, moving lowly to keep out of sight and keep his scent from giving his targets any warning. His head jerked up, his eyes sharpening and his feet slid out in front of him to slow himself down, nearly sliding on his bottom in the processes. He held his breath as his momentum ended, the bush in front of him moved slightly, giving him a near perfect view of the clearing beyond and of his targets; raising one hand he smoothly lowered a branch and turned his near perfect view into the perfect view.

_...Fifteen, sixteen, seventeen..._he counted slowly, eyes sharp as slowly his targets moved, some closer together some farther away, _eighteen, nineteen, Twenty..._ he waited patiently, watching them shift as if feeling uneasy, his hands coming together and his eyes narrowing as he tracked one particular target that was slowly moving away from him, moving ever slower out of his reach. _Now!_

The darkness around him stilled, something in the knee-high grass shifted, the targets scattered in fear...

_Fifteen, sixteen... damn!_ His eyes locked in on the three white tails disappearing in the darkness on the other side of the large clearing, he was fairly sure that he saw a flash of a fourth but he wasn't sure. Doing a quick recount, he realized that he had missed four of his targets in his rush to get the more huddled up targets before they scattered. He sighed and rose one hand to his throat were a mike was sitting, waiting to be used

"Shika to alpha, I caught sixteen_,_" he whispered, not moving in his stance, concentrating entirely on the dear he caught

"_That's too many,_" his relative sighed into the mike, "_We only needed ten_."

"So I did little extra training, you're going to scold me for that?" he asked with sigh, "When can you get here?"

"_How long can you hold?_"

"Shikan don't make me put bugs in your bed," he said lowly

"_You asked for help I'm giving it to you, so how long?_" was it just him or did his cousin sound a little smug?

"Ten minutes," he sighed, deciding that cutting his number in half would make his cousin wait an extra five to ten minutes before he bothered to come by and help him; if that did happen then he would only be fighting to keep the sixteen for about five or so minutes.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

She peaked in on the hospital room, sharp amber locking in on the two curled up bodies sleeping soundly in the same bed. Then they drifted over to the two attached beds on either side of the main one, a single navy haired girl laid close to the window, one arm wrapped around her pink haired friend; the other bed housed a blond girl curled up like a kitten, facing the other three laying beneath the window asleep. In the bed closest to the door laid two young boys, one with snowy white hair and the other with coffee brown hair; beside them was a grown man sitting in a chair, leaning against the wall, his long hair spilled over his right shoulder in a wave of pure snow. When she pushed the door open just that little bit further to examine the rest of the room, she saw that on the other side of the room where several piles of bodies, all huddled together and sleeping soundly. At the end of the girl's bed were four chairs and in them was a single white eyed young man, she knew he was white eyed because he was half sitting up and staring straight at her. Smiling she nodded at the young man, closed the door and quietly walked away, knowing that it was the last night the sixteen young shinobi would be able to share a room together. in the morning the mist team would leave, after two or so weeks the red haired girl would return and become an official member of Konohagakure shinobi forces.

There was only one member of the large team missing, a young man with auburn hair and chocolate eyes, which was usual because he's never missed one before.

_Where are you...,_ She paused beside a window, amber eyes rising to examine the near full moon high over head, _Shikamaru Nara?_

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

The silence in the room was beginning to stifle and thicken the air, none of the three adults in the room liked that answer.

"Are you telling me," Orochimaru's brow ticked twice, glaring down on the three boys in irritation, "That Danzo used a theory on me? That he had no idea weather or not I'd survive?"

"Yes," the three answered together again

_I'll kill him_, Orochimaru hissed in displeasure, eyes darkening dangerously and mind filling with a hundred different ways he could touchier the old man

"...I'll do it," Takao said, his voice echoing in the stilled silence of the room, interrupting Orochimaru's train of thought and Kabuto's attempt to speak. "My chakra is at full capacity, I'm the easiest and closest person with a similar chakra signature _and_ it's at the same amount."

"Takao no—" Kabuto tried to argue

"We don't have a choice" Takao interrupted, "You're more important to lord Orochimaru then I am. If life was represented by a game, it'd be shogi or go." it was the first time Takao had ever said Orochimaru's name and Kabuto wasn't sure if he was the only one heard the strange tilt to the name or if it was just his imagination. "In that line of thinking I'm a pawn and Kabuto, you're a knight—you're a hundred times more powerful and important then I am." Kabuto wanted to argue but he couldn't come up with anything that contradict his childhood acquaintance and only surviving teammate, so he settled for gritting his teeth and clenching his hands. Apparently Orochimaru had noticed Kabuto's hesitance to accept the seemingly logical trade and spook up reasoning before anyone else could confirm or deny Takao's suggestion.

"It's a good point and even better reasoning," Orochimaru fringed thoughtful consideration of Takao's suggestion, "but why don't we find someone else first?"

"My lord?" Takao questioned, tilting his head to the side in confusion

"How about if we don't find someone else who fits the requirements the way you do by the end of the month," Orochimaru locked eyes with Takao, letting him know that he was serious in this decision, "Then we'll go with you. That sound good to you both?"

"Yes," Kabuto agreed immanently, bobbing his head, "do you have any experiments you don't mind losing?"

Takao sighed in acceptance, knowing that Kabuto would use anyone else to get the seals off himself. that is, anyone who wasn't _him_

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Thirty minutes, that's how long it took for his smug cousin to approach him and help him in their given task, a task his mother had ordered them to complete before midnight. Now they were both being scolded by said woman for coming back five minutes late, _four_ dear short, and _extremely_ late for their last family sleep over before a good portion of their family left for another village.

"As nice as your scolding is Aunty," Shikan suddenly interrupted, smirk growing as his mother's glare seemed to sharpen on him, "I think my punishment for little Shika has been paid in full and then some. As such, please excuse me,"

"Hay what are you—" _Poof_ "... that had better not have been a shadow clone," his eyes rounded onto his sweetly smiling mother, both hands locked behind her innocently, "He never came did he?"

"What is tonight?" Yoshino asked, batting her eyes at him with a smirk growing on her lips; he blinked dumbly at her before he tilted his head to the side in confusion, "okay, what is tomorrow—today? It is three in the morning..." Shikamaru sighed and looked a the calendar on the wall by the door, his light brown eyes instantly narrowed on the date.

"That _ %&*$_!" Shikamaru cursed wildly as he spun on his heal and ran out of the brightly lit building, ignoring his mother's shouting / scolding him about his cursing.

It's not like he did it every time he opened his mouth, he just couldn't help it at that exact moment

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"How're Tayuya's tests?" Tsunade asked, pausing at the nurse's station and lifting up a clipboard and reading through it quickly, the nurse sitting before her stared dumbly up at her. "Tayuya Haruno's tests," She hissed with a pointed look at the young woman, "What are they?"

"Oh!" The nurse scurried to look around herself, her dark eyes wide and frantic, "here!" She hurriedly pulled out a few papers from the printer and thrust them at Tsunade with a bright blush on her face. Tsunade scowled at the woman before she turned on her heal, papers in hand, moving towards the more heavily guarded sector of the hospital, knowing that it was heavily guarded because the Jonin shinobi had a bad habit of ditching the hospital before they could be discharged.

_She relapsed into a coma?_ Tsunade thought as she read through the disorganized papers, righting some so she wouldn't have to read upside down, _genjutsu mistress... nightmare specialist eh? Ibiki must love her... intelligent, though not without work required... not very physically strong but adapt in... in the what? Spring Taijutsu? Is that even a legal style?_ Tsunade shook her head ruefully, recalling that Mebuki Haruno could be quite... spontaneous when she wanted or needed to be, she must have taught her girls her style of Taijutsu; which was unorthodox on the best of days.

_Let's see... broken bones... fractures... _Tsunade paused in her walking, her brow ticking as she read through all of the wounds Tayuya sustained in her fight with Orochimaru, the file she was given when Jiraya came for her had only the tip of the ice burg, what she was looking at right now was little more then a complete mess. _Is there anything in her body she didn't break, fracture, rupture or puncture? _Sighing, Tsunade moved further through her white walled 'prison / home' she'll be spending a lot of time in the hospital between now and her day of inauguration, which was in the following week.

"Lady Tsunade?" She looked up at the soft voice, stilling in her steps to examine the two people in front of her. Hana Inuzuka stood behind a wheel chaired Itachi Uchiha, both looking as if they haven't slept for days, dark bags like paint beneath their eyes.

"Can we have a moment?" Hana asked softly, standing tall behind Itachi

"About what?" Tsunade asked curiously, eyes locking in on Itachi's heavily bandaged legs

"You've been here for a week but..." Hana trailed off uncertainly, dropping her eyes as she bit at her bottom lip

"Have you seen Tayuya Haruno?" Itachi asked calmly

"I was getting to her now," Tsunade replied, "There were other patients I had to look at; Sakura Haruno, Kakashi Hatake and Rock Lee were some of them." _Kakashi was a snap but Sakura took time, I don't even wanna know how much work I'll be forced to do on Lee; He's possibly the worst out of everyone in the hospital._

"We understand that," Hana said softly, "it's just that..."

"Have you read her file?" Itachi asked, "Have you read what she did during her fight with Orochimaru?"

"You mean that forbidden song she played?" Tsunade asked, "All I know about that is that it shorted her life span, do you two know more about it?"

"Yes," Itachi bobbed his head, "Tayuya first played the song when she was nine, she hadn't actually meant to play it. She only wanted to protect Sakura and Hinata from, who she believed at that point in time, a pedophile."

"The young man who got the full brunt of her song lost his earring and his mind—he went insane." Hana added softly, "it was discovered a few months later that the song had somehow shorted her life span."

"And just how did we figure this out?" Tsunade asked moving forward to the room she needed to be in next, Tayuya's sealed off room

"Her chakra system suddenly pulsated as if a Hyūga was hitting all thirty six chakra points at the same time," Hana stressed the word, turning Itachi in his chair to follow the blond further down the hall, "_repeatedly._"

"Repeatedly?" Tsunade mimicked with a frown at the Inuzuka heiress, "Not many people could survive all thirty six of their gates being closed of the _one_ time. Are you sure that's how they found out about it shortening her life span?"

"Yes," Hana agreed, "A Hyūga was there when Tayuya was hospitalized for the incident. He informed the Haruno family what was happening to her. He said that her gates were opening and closing at the same time, like someone was forcing them closed and she was forcing them open again. He said that doing so would have severe consequences and advised Tayuya to never play that song again."

"It was lord Hokage who named it forbidden" Itachi added, "He said that the price was too much for anyone to play. Though he did allow her to write the rest of the melody out so that it could be placed in the forbidden section of the library." Then he added softly, under his breath "hopefully as nothing more then a side note."

"How did you both come to find out about this?" Tsunade asked, flipping through the papers in her hands, "the report said that neither one of you knew what it was until Fubuki told Hana that it was forbidden, who then shouted it for everyone and their brother to hear."

"It was Fubuki who told us," Hana answered with a bright blush, "She's the one who informed us about the song, its creation, the side effects and benefits, everything about the song."

"Hmm?" Tsunade looked over at the two heirs curiously, a question mark painted on her face

"It was Fubuki who helped finish the song," Itachi clarified, "she knows it like the back of her hand."

Tsunade decided that the Haruno sisters were nothing more then troublemakers and that if she was smart she'd turn around and ignore Tayuya Haruno until her life ended. Sadly, Tsunade wasn't that smart. She kept walking through the half-lit halls, rubbing at her temple to keep a headache at bay.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

He smoothly scaled a tree and just as silently jumped to the open window he was searching for, sighing in relief when no one in the dark room stirred at his entrance. Movingly quietly, he carefully put his slightly muddy feet on the white marble floor, eyes sharp for any movement in the packed room. on the three tied together beds slept four bodies, a midnight haired girl beneath the window, clinging tightly to a pinkette, who held tightly onto a crimson haired girl who looked like a frighten cat and a familiar looking blond slept on the very end, closest to the door and furthest from the window. On the other side of the room, two boys slept on a single bed together, their temporary instructor sleeping in the chair beside them. To his right the floor was crowded with different sized bodies, the two closest to him were of two boys curled up on their sides, the one with a small white dog curled up on his chest. Beside them was an older boy curled up on his side, one arm flung around an older pinkette who happened to look like a frightened child in the black haired boy's arms. Behind the pinkette laid a shorthaired blonde curled into her pink haired husband's side, both out cold.

At the far end of the room, leaning against the corner of the room so that he could observe everyone without being seen first, sat his brown-eyed cousin. The older boy nodded courtly at him, as if he expected him to show up through the window and smoothly disappeared without a sound. Sighing, Shikamaru rubbed at the back of his head and placed chakra beneath his feet so that he could cross the room without making noise and waking the four Jonin's. The last thing he wanted was to get hospitalized because they thought he was a threat and as such, peppered him with their specialized weapons. Shikamaru turned and quietly sat down on the floor, leaning against the wall, Shikamaru crossed his arms and closed his eyes.

He didn't mean to pass out, he only wanted to fall into that half awake-half a sleep state

The two pairs of amused green eyes looking in his direction said he was out before his eyes even closed

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

She glared at the body sitting beside the comatose child; eyes closed one tanned hand clasped around her own. she wanted to shout, yell, scream at the young man for even thinking about getting so close to the girl on death's door step, waiting for someone to open the door but she couldn't do anything more then glare at him and march forward. Ignoring his startled look and stumbled over apologies, Tsunade slammed her glowing palms over Tayuya's chest, searching for the damage done to her. though the doctors at the hospital fixed her broken bones and most of her damaged organs, the Hyūga's even worked a little with her chakra system, there was still a lot of damage done to Tayuya—most of it centered at the base of her head where it connected to the neck. To Tsunade, it appeared as if someone had tried to cut off the chakra network in the center of her spinal column but had only managed to disrupt its chakra flow, kind of like pinching a nerve or artery and expecting it to heal on its own.

Tsunade's eyes narrowed, her prideful and competitor side raised its' ugly head

Her glowing palms moved and surrounded Tayuya's neck, barely even placing two fingers between it and pillow used to prop up her head. Tsunade's world turned black, her mind focusing entirely on the challenge before her, recognizing nothing but her given task.

She never once noticed a pair of ruby red eyes watching every move she made and committing it to memory

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"My lord?" he turned at the soft voice, pausing in his walk back to his own room for the night. Just a few feet behind him stood Takao Ishuka, his back straight but his head bowed

"What is Takao?" Orochimaru asked, eyes narrowed warningly on the brunet

"It's just that... it's just that Kabuto won't let me be his receiver..." Takao shifted uneasily, the boy never really liked being so close to him. even when they had first met, the boy went out of his way to stay at least ten feet away and he never dared to make eye contact or even draw attention to himself. Yao had no problem with showering him in complaints, always treating him like some kind of king while Kabuto made it clear that he wouldn't give him special treatment but he wasn't so wiry or untrusting as Takao; Kabuto made eye-contact and spook up about his opinions and thoughts, not particularly caring about the consequences.

"What is your point boy?" Orochimaru asked, observing Takao closely, knowing that the boy was as loyal to Kabuto as Yao was to him.

"It's just that..." taking a deep breath, Takao bent and bowed deeply to Orochimaru, "Please let me be Kabuto's seal replacement!"

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

She watched from between her family members, her older and younger sisters standing protectively on either side of her with her parents standing behind them, all of their eyes locked on the top of the Kage tower. Waiting for a familiar tall blonde to walk into view on the beautiful day, undoubtedly finding away to make the sunlight appear to dance around her. When said blonde finally chose to walk into everyone's point of view, the excited crowed fell silent instantly, awaiting her first words.

"From this day forth," her hand reached up and clasped the rim of her white and red hat, "I will be your Godaime Hokage!" the hat was removed, showing the entire village her face, her long platinum hair, proud amber eyes, and flawless peach skin.

The crowed burst into loud cheering

Tsunade Senju just became Godaime Hokage, surly the leaf will prosper like it never has before

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

The next day

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

He watched as the two girls gave one last hug, fighting the tears that brimmed their eyes, their voices whispering promises of return. To him, the two girls looked like mirror reflections of each other, one with long crimson hair and one with long bubble gum pink hair, both pulled back in matching ponytails with matching blue and green crowns. His own 'student' wore the same navy blue vest, black spandex shorts, and dark green Tunic that she wore for the chunin exam. The girl she held onto wore a crimson quipo shirt that was half hidden beneath a white skirt that tied around her waist, ending at her knees where it revealed a pair of black shorts. His other two 'students' stood beside him with fond smiles, standing and ready to move on, just waiting for their childhood friend to get enough courage to follow them.

_We didn't need to stay for so long_, Kanshaka thought with a sigh, watching Karin finally get enough courage to walk away from her 'sisters'. _But those boys will do anything to see her smile_

"You ready?" Suigetsu asked when Karin reached them, She gave them a watery smile and bobbed her head

"You can stay," Haku sighed at her, "Its not like you're a mist kunochi. You're a walking treaty for crying out loud. You'll be back before you know it."

"Yeah Karin, you can return as soon as the funeral is over." Suigetsu reminded her, "We'll even escort you back." Karin gave him a watery chuckle

"You just want an ex-excuse to see S-Sa-chan again," Karin hick-upped, her watery smile straightening a little into a real smile.

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Suigetsu laughed, throwing his hands behind his head with a blinding smile. His 'careless' actions elected a real laugh from the red haired girl, her crimson eyes dancing, her tears drying instantly.

"Well if you three brats are ready," Kanshaka said in his low voice, glancing briefly at a tall watery-eyed pinkette still watching them seriously, "We can go now." The three bobbed their heads and they moved on from the leaf village, trying to ignore the feeling of eyes on their backs. At the vary far end of the road, where the gates to Konoha were barely even see able, two of the four turned back again, eyes widening at the sight of several bodies still standing there, as if patiently awaiting their return.

_I'll come back_, Karin swore, a single tear escaping her eyes as she turned away, swallowing a sob while she was at it, _I'll come back to the hidden leaf—regardless of the coast._

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Their sister had just disappeared on the horizon when the group standing at the gates of the village filtered away, leaving only two pink haired sisters watching for a moment longer.

"I won't be able to stay with you for long," she turned to look up at her older sister, eyes dried and face blank, "Are you ready?"

"Yes,"

The both disappeared in a show of ice and water

Those they left behind shook their heads in amusement, fond smiles on their faces

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"Is everyone still with us?" a smooth deep voice asked, a tall man turned to look at the rest of the men following him, dark eyes keenly sweeping through the soft bobbing of his men. "We're missing one," he sighed, eyes locking in on the back of the line, narrowed in agitation and annoyance. _Great, now we'll need to—_

"Hello," He spun around on his heal, Black eyes locking in on the man just a few paces away from himself, a wooden umbrella held over head, showing nothing but the man's viscous smirk and short Shamrock green hair. "I'm looking for the representatives of the Wakamoto Family, are you them?"

He and his men slid into defensive stances, hands readying themselves on to the swords at their hips, eyes sharp and ready on the young man standing before them.

"Oh good," the man's smirk seemed to grow, the umbrella tilting slightly show just a little bit more of the man's face but not enough to give them any details, "I was afraid I missed you."

He through the umbrella...

Needles rained from the sky...

The men screamed in pain

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

She sat beside the bed, keen green eyes locked in on her elder sister's face, watching it for any movement. Sighing she gently brushed her chakra against her sister's, eyes closing as the feeling of summer wind surrounded her, welcoming her in its warmth. She let her own chakra fall lose with it, letting twin and dance and spin with the wind, not sure how to describe what she was feeling as she lost herself to the gentile rhythm of her sister's chakra signature. She tried to pull back from the gentile rhythm, feeling the gentile pull of the wind instead, as if it wasn't done playing, but she pulled back anyways, retreating back into her body so she get grounded again. Taking in a deep slow breath, she tried again, mingling with the gentile rhythm for a moment before she pulled back again. When the smooth wind pulled back at her, trying to get her to play again, she relented and moved back with it before freezing and pulling back.

She did this repeatedly until she was able to coax the signature down her sister's arm, then down to her elbow. At this point, the wind started to resist her, not wanting to move without its master's consent but she dived back into its warmth, spinning and dancing with the gentile breeze before she pulled back again, retreating from the joint. The warm wind followed her, as if curious about where she was going, she paused at the base of her sister's wrist, her eyes closed in concentration but her chakra moving gently against her sister's, gently coaxing it further until it engulfed her hand. Fighting a smile, she took another deep breath, and concentrated entirely on spinning with the warm wind, gently coaxing it to the surface so it could mix with her own.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

She stretched in her seat, rubbing at her sore shoulders before she worked a little on her neck. A day into the business and already her office was filled with countless paper work, enough to make a sane person go _insane_ just to escape the mountains of paper work. She was half-tempted to jump out the window now and look for a good old fashioned bar but sadly a few Jonin and her councilors were arriving soon and she had to await their arrival before she did anything else.

_What's taking them so long?_ Tsunade thought, racking her eyes over her office, noting how the last of her paper work was being walked out of her office by a chunin guard. Just as the young man moved to the right, he paused and seemed to speak softly with someone, he then passed his mountain of paper work off onto someone else and re-entered her office, big grin in place. Behind him walked in the proctors of the chunin exam, a few Jonin instructors, her councilors, and a few other highly regarded chunin all entered her office.

"What is this about?" Tsunade asked, "I knew you all wanted to talk with me but none of you said a word about what you want to talk about."

"It's the contestants of the last chunin exam," Homura started smoothly, "We've decided not to allow any of the contestants to pass the round."

"...You do realize that I don't give a damn about you three's choices right?" Tsunade asked in complete boredom, unaffected by the glare given to her by Koharu. "I'll just go through the videos and decide for my self, I have that right to look and decide don't I? Or do I have to go into the hand book Grandfather made and check out the little simpleton rules he made?"

"You have that right," Homura agreed, "but in order to over through the council's decision you must also have the majority of the Jonin's approval."

"Shizune where's that rule book?" Tsunade asked, turning to look at her assistant

"Right here," Shizune smiled, "I started looking for it this morning when I heard about the topic of discussion."

"And you couldn't have told me about said topic?" Tsunade asked, taking the little black book, "I could've been well prepared for this if you told me."

"S-sorry my lady," Shizune chuckled sheepishly, "I didn't think that far ahead..."

"Lady Tsunade if you will, we Jonin have already prepared for this meeting," Ibiki spook up, stepping forward and drawing everyone's attention onto himself. Tsunade raised her eyes to stare at Ibiki, Kakashi, Anko and the clan head of every clan the village held within its walls; all with smirks or smiles, as if holding a secret they couldn't wait to share.

"Oh? What do you have?" Tsunade asked

"We've agreed that at least three of the genin qualify for the rank of chunin," Anko spook up, "However, the one contestant is our walking treaty with the hidden mist. Lord Hokage made it clear that she is to enter the village as a genin and placed onto a genin cell where she can take the chunin exam again as a leaf kunochi."

"So that puts Karin off the list," Tsunade sighed, "Who're the other two contestants?"

"Shikamaru Nara and Sakura Haruno," Ibiki answered, "both showed remarkable analytical, observation, and in Sakura-san's case, unusual skill."

"Whoa, wait up," Fubuki called, straitening from the wall she originally leaned against, "We're actually considering Imoto? I thought you two were joking!"

"You don't think Sakura should be a chunin?" Tsunade asked with a raised eyebrow

"I'm more worried about how her teammates are going to react," Fubuki replied, rubbing one hand against her forehead, "They're liable to say something and peeve her off."

"Well... I can't deny that," Kakashi said when Tsunade looked at him to conform or deny Fubuki's statement, "Those two... they can feel rather competitive."

"Just them?" Anko asked with a raised eyebrow, "I'm sorry, did you not see what little pinky did in the second round?"

"The only thing I noticed was that she likes bombs a little too much to be healthy," Genma commented with a smirk

"Shut it you, I wasn't talking to ya!" Anko hissed at him, glaring over her shoulder at the brunet

"...Can't I just see the video?" Tsunade asked, closing her eyes with a sigh

"There's something else as well Tsunade-sama," Shikaku said, stepping forward with a thick folder in hand, "You need to read this."

"More paper work?" Tsunade mumbled under her breath, ignoring how the chunin moved around the room, setting up the video to be watched, she flipped through the thick file quickly, double-checking only once. "They took on Orochimaru?" Tsunade asked, regarding Shikaku seriously, "And actually managed to escape him without serious injury?"

"Yes," Shikaku agreed, "Most of those wounded were wounded before their in counter with him. Teams nine and the mist team are the exception, both having been in full health when they crossed paths with him."

"By this file alone, I should promote Karin to chunin but Sensei's orders..." Tsunade sighed and closed the file, "Nothing to do but to follow his wishes I suppose. Anything else that I need to be aware of?"

"Yes," Shikaku nodded his head, "Sandaime-sama took one, Sakura Haruno, under his wing during the month long training session for the chunin exam. He spent two weeks with her before he pulled me in on the training, the both of us worked with Sakura-san through out the rest of the time."

"As I recall you telling us, 'she got next to no sleep'," Homura recited, "And that she apparently used solid clones to get her sleep while she trained with you both."

"Smart," Tsunade chuckled, "I don't suppose you have any video tapes of these training sessions, do you?"

"Sorry my lady," Shikaku sighed, "Lord Hokage wouldn't let me record anything either."

"No paper trail either huh? Sneaky coot" Tsunade sighed, slouching in her seat, "I suppose I'll just have to give her a spare before I decide weather or not to promote her."

"The tape is ready Lady Hokage," one of the chunin called, moving to show that they had set up a projector. Kakashi and Fubuki both moved to close the blinds of the office windows, blanketing the room in darkness, while others turned off the electric lights and everyone else settled around the room for a good view of the 'show'.

_5_

"Did anyone bring Popcorn?" Tsunade heard someone whisper

_Seriously?_ Tsunade thought, searching for the source of the light voice

_4_

"That's mine, get you own!" another hissed, Tsunade swore she saw something fly through the air

_3_

"Shhh! It's starting,"

"Don't make me freeze your a$$"

_2_

"Quiet!" Tsunade bellowed

_1_

"Finally," she sighed slumping into her seat, board amber locked onto her far wall where the projection was taking place.

The video started in the first portion of the test, Tsunade wanted to cry because she figured she'd end up watching the hour long test on a screen instead of just the good parts.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

By the end of the week, as promised, Takao was prepared to be Kabuto's seal replacement. It had been decided that the three boys who'd be weaving the seal replacement technique wouldn't have enough chakra and as such Orochimaru would be powering the seal. The black haired boy known as 'Rokuyon' would be stabilizing the chakra for possess, the brown haired boy known as 'Rokugo' would use himself as the bridge between Kabuto and Takao to transfer the seals and the oldest boy 'Saniichi' would be controlling the entire process with Orochimaru feeding him and Rokuyon his chakra.

As they had learned over the week, the foundation had a sister branch to it. Those who were apart of that branch were taken from their homes or clans with the hope of them becoming the perfect soldier, as such they weren't given names but numbers. The first number would be in reference to their generation, Saniichi was of the third generation of this minor branch while Rokuyon and Rokugo were of the sixth generation. The second number was in reference to their naming process and the third number was in reverence to their skill level.

For example, Saniichi had 'San' for the third generation, 'Ni' because he was the second to be named and 'Ichi' because he was the most skilled of his generation; put together and he was given 'Saniichi'. Rokuyon and Rokugo were booth too young to be given the test for their skill set, so they only had their generation number and their position in line when getting 'named'.

"Everyone ready?" Orochimaru asked as he looked out over the large room they'd be using for the seal transfer possess, he had tried to mimic the room he had been in for his seal transfer but he doubted he had gotten it correct.

"As I'll ever be," Kabuto grumbled while Takao bobbed his head a positive, both laying down on their stone beds with Rokugo kneeling between them. Just behind him kneeled Rokuyon and behind sat Saniichi, Orochimaru took his place behind the orange haired boy, moving to kneel and place his own hands against the boy's shoulders. In return, Saniichi placed on of his feet against Rokugo's back and his hands situated themselves into separate one handed seals to either side of himself, as if he expected for two other people to form the other half of the hand signs for him.

"Seal transfer activate," Saniichi whispered, suddenly the room was filled with crimson light, a beautiful seal scroll work appeared on the ground beneath them all, "Rokuyon, Rokugo, your turn."

"Right," both boys bobbed their heads expectantly, "Seal transfer—"

"—control... set!" Rokugo said coldly

"—transfer... begin!" Rokuyon said, his eyes rolling heaven-word when the seals on Kabuto's chest reacted, crawling towards him like half formed spiders of a nightmare.

It wasn't long before screams echoed through the hidden base

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

_I have to... have to get to the leaf_, hard black eyes looked up from the dirt. He was properly the only one in his entire team to have ducked for cover, slamming onto his stomach to protect the majority of his body from being heavily wounded. Despite his quick thinking, the senbon still hurt, lodging deeply into his body, preventing his muscles from moving too much and causing excruciating pain when the muscles around the senbon moved.

"is-is everyone alright?" he asked stupidly, knowing they were all hurt pretty bad, _For once that stupid boy's daydreaming habits saved his butt._

"Akihiro" his second in command commented dryly, "Roll call, who's alive?"

"Osamu"

"Daisuke"

"Kaito"

"Fumio"

"Junchi"

"Hachiro"

"Ichiro"

"Now we're just missing the brat," Akihiro commented dryly, "Can any of you move?"

"What do you think?" someone asked sarcastically

"Of course not," one of the men grumbled lowly

"Who doesn't have senbon in their stomach?" he asked softly, resisting the urge to rub at his brow

"There's you," Akihiro commented, "the rest of us are on our backs and sides." Akihiro turned an apologetic but amused face towards him, navy blue eyes dancing in the morning sunlight, "At least we're in fire nation. Their patrols should come across us at some point but to be safe, why don't you go on ahead?"

"Right," he bobbed his head and started to crawl forward in the dirt, trying desperately to ignore the fire licking at his limbs with each movement and breath he took

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"That was short," Tsunade sighed, leaning back in her chair, actually impressed that Ibiki had gone through the tapes and clipped out all the boring portions for her. He literally started the video off with team seven entering and started acting like the sarcastic, spoiled brats that they were and then ended the video with Sakura standing up and waving her arms around in a panic, trying to keep Naruto from speaking because of Ibiki's earlier threat.

"I figured you'd want to see the good parts only," Ibiki smirked, as if proud with himself

"Hay Ibiki, did you add the bus ride?" Anko asked curiously

"No," Ibiki answered with a slight frown, "Why?"

"Nothing," Anko sighed, placing a hand to her chest with a slight smile, _at least that was avoided_

"We added the part after the ride where you flip out on everyone," Genma chuckled from his seat, only to jump out of the way as a set of five senbon were launched towards him

"No fighting in my office!" Tsunade bellowed out

"But you through your chair at someone the other day," Shizune grumbled at Tsunade

"That's different, it's _my_ office," Tsunade retorted, unfazed by her apprentice's exasperated look

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

She was floating in an endless abyss of shifting reds; Mahogany, Garnet, Ruby, Crimson, they were all spinning and twirling around her; mixing and blending, splitting apart to form a new shade only to mix and split again as a new shade. Again and again, the shades of red spun and twirled around her, mixing and separating over and over like a broken record. She felt like she was floating in a pool of blood with thousands of mirrors surrounding her to reflect the mixing crimson liquid but not herself. She wanted to think, to speak, to move, to do _something_ to disrupt the deafening silence and mocking crimson swirls. Sadly, she couldn't. The silence reined mockingly, the red danced mockingly—everything was mocking her, reminding her of everything she had and everything she had lost.

"_Mama,_" she closed her eyes at the whimpered whisper, knowing—remembering—what was going to happen next. "_Mama_..." she opened her eyes anyways, tears already brimming the edges of her hazel eyes. She stared miserably at the image before her, the crimson and scarlet swirls fading to the back of her mind to show her the familiar little home she remembered having once long ago. A little girl with short filthy pink hair stood in a dirty little white over sized T-shirt, in her arms was her little brother, by far to small to be healthy for being two years old. The little six-year-old girl was standing in front of her mother's bed; her face twisted into concern and worry for her little brother but that wasn't what was so frightening to her at the current moment. She had just came from the dinning room window where she had seen a large crowd moving towards them; she knew the signs of a good and bad crowd, a good crowd was singing happily, a bad crowd was marching.

The crowd moving towards them was marching

"_Mama_," She called again, "_Mama strange men are approaching our house_."

"_Tayuya_," her mother called warningly

"_One of them has a horse and is carrying a sword_," Tayuya continued, ignoring the tone of voice her mother used, "_Mama they're coming here, we don't have much time_." At the word 'sword' her mother sat up, red-rimmed misty brown eyes wide, as if she realized just how important and man on a horse with a sword was.

"_Quickly Tayuya, under the bed_," her mother ordered, pushing her blankets aside and lifting the floor, "_No noise, girl._"

"_Yes mama_," Tayuya complied, sliding into the dark stone room below with expert ease, landing silently despite the cold stone and her bare feet. She looked back up at her mother and found her to be staring down at her with a strange expression, sighing she quickly through in a bag and a few of her blankets as if an after thought.

"_If you hear anything child run_," her mother ordered, pointing up the completely dark room, "_Stay close to the right side and keep moving, understand?_"

"_Yes Mama_" Tayuya nodded, "_Wait for strange noises, stay to the right..._" she repeated before pausing. "_Mama?_" Tayuya called carefully, making her mother pause in putting her floor back into place, "_What if I come across a water thing?_"

"_A source of water like a river or stream?_" her mother asked, as if her mind was still fogged over from that brown drink she likes so much, "_Follow the river sweaty, it heads south towards fire nation. You should be relatively safe there, they don't hate us as much as everyone else dose._"

It was one of those rare moments were her mother was some how magically sober, her brown eyes sharpening like daggers and her voice clearing up to sound like silk. Tayuya nodded and carefully put her little brother down on the blankets, rapping him up carefully while her mother returned her bed back to place, hiding their existence once more. Tayuya groped blindly for the back pack her mother had tossed in after her, feeling a strap she pulled the thing on, finding the little bit of stitching at the end of the strap and stroking it gently with her chakra like her mother had taught her. The bag immanently shifted and shrank, the heavy load lightening into a barely noticeable weight, it was something her mother knew how to do and had promised to teach her when she was older. Shifting slightly Tayuya then removed her bag, more then a little glad when it kept its shape and weight, and leaned over her weak little brother. Moving carefully, Tayuya shifted one of the blankets around him, keeping him wrapped up and warm, before she used the second blanket to tie him into place like she's seen her mother do when they went into town. Once her brother was securely in place, Tayuya pulled her back pack back on and moved towards the right side of the wall, crouching lowly and pulling out the now damp wash cloth for her brother. Carefully she pressed the wettest side against his lips, giving him as much of the water that the rag held, despite the complete darkness she was in, Tayuya imagined that her little brother opened his eyes to look at her while he drank from the rag slowly.

"_Everything will be okay little brother,_" Tayuya promised with a soft smile, knowing he couldn't see her but hoping that her smile was somehow heard, "_Mommy is a supper strong Kunochi, I remember when she was fighting ten men at one time—mommy came out on top._" Her mother was a kunochi, her mother had a 'bloodline' (Something she promised to explain to her later), her mother was strong—

"_Stay away from them!"_ that was her mother's voice, her head snapped up at the sound, strained with pain and worry—desperation. The tone had Tayuya tightening her hold on her brother while she clambered to her feet in fear, pressing her back against the cold stone wall as if it could protect her from the strange sounds over head.

"_Kill them!_" a deep voice snarled out, the floor over head shifting with the man's weight as his voice bellowed out like drums, "_Kill the last of the Himura's! Leave none behind!_"

"_Not without a fight!_" her mother screamed, she could hear fighting, like her mother was trying desperately to get back into her room where they were hiding

"_A bloodline user!_" another man shouted

"_Kill her!_" another ordered at the same time

"_TAYUYA RUN!_" Tayuya followed her mother's order without thought, her little feet moving quickly despite the added weight of her little brother, her hand running against the wall to make sure she stayed to the right.

Tayuya hick-upped, wanting to rub at her eyes that stung for the memory. Her mother never followed them that day, like she promised she would. Back then Tayuya believed that no one could beat her mother, her mother was strong, she could do things that she refused to show her because it was that dangerous. Her mother held a bloodline that she promised to teach her but never got the chance. When Tayuya had gotten to the river like she thought she would come across, a strange moment of foresight, Tayuya remembered what her mother had said about it. She quickly looked to her right where she would've gone had she not have asked that one question, seeing that at the far end, so far she could barely make it out, was a bright white light. The light was far true but it was also close enough to give Tayuya's eyes enough to see the edge of her little path that lined the underground river as well as a boat that was tied up the edge to her left. Smiling at the sight Tayuya hobbled over and carefully put her little brother in it before she climbed in and undid the knot holding the boat in place. Out of curiosity, Tayuya had turned back to look at the hall where she came out at, her eyes widening at the sight of her mother leaning heavily against the stone edge. Her black and red kimono was ripped and bloodied, her long auburn red hair had been given a hasty, uneven cut, some of it was smoking as if she got to close to a candle.

"_Good girl_," her mother whispered softly, little orange lights coming into being and floating around her whimsically, "_Good job... Tayuya_." It was rare that her mother gave her praise, always more concerned with debts, hunters, food, and her favorite drink but when she did stop to see what Tayuya was doing she would smile like she was now and whisper softly like that, as if she was sad but happy at the same time.

"_Mama!_" Tayuya shifted in the boat, her eyes widening further as a shadow from behind her mother rammed something long and thin through her chest but her mother's smile didn't faultier and she appeared to not have noticed the thing. One of the little orange orbs shifted and rounded on the shadow behind her, a bright flash or orange and crimson, a pained scream and the flaming being behind her mother burst forward to into the river but three of the other orbs rounded on the once shadow, flying into his body and forcing him further down the hall and away from the slow moving river.

"_Tayuya_," her mother called softly, her sad little smile still in place, "_Be safe my child—be safe_."

"_Mama!_" Tayuya screamed, a few more orange orbs flared into being around her mother, this time joined with crimson and gold orbs, "_Mama! Mama!_"

"_Be safe_," the woman whispered lovingly, her self made orbs floating out towards Tayuya, lining her little make shift boat as if to guard it, a few of the golden ones remained in the air, guiding her way with golden light.

"_Mama!_" the memory spiraled out into the mass of crimson abyss, as if the bloody abyss swallowed it up like a hungry monster

_No more,_ Tayuya thought pleadingly, feeling a familiar burning on the back of her neck, accompanied by the burning behind her eyes, _Please... no more..._

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"It's not like you to visit me Aunty," Tsubame smiled at her blonde haired counter part, sipping from her teacup elegantly, "What is on your mind?"

"Just checking in on you," Mebuki sighed, setting her own cup of tea down, "I heard... um, about uh..."

"Yagorigi?" Tsubame asked with a soft smile

"Yeah," Mebuki shifted, dropping her eyes, "And um... our newest member..."

"Oh! I hadn't realized you heard about him yet," Tsubame blushed brightly, "I know what you and Uncle tried to warn me about but... well... one thing kind of..."

"One thing kind of led to another?" Mebuki smiled at her knowingly, "yes dear, I know. Boys have away of making time stop and suddenly fast forward all at the same time."

"I thought that was our job?" Tsubame giggled, earning an amused laugh from Mebuki

"Oh my dear there is no question about relation to Kizashi!" Mebuki laughed heart fully, meaning it in a positive light.

"Hai, and though our only connection is through our twin grandparents, I'm very happy that you both have gone out of your way to take care of me." Tsubame smiled pleasantly at Mebuki, "Most people wouldn't do that for someone so estranged from their immanent family."

"Oh sweaty, after all this time you still haven't noticed?" Mebuki chuckled again, shaking her head in amusement "There is nothing normal about the Haruno family."

"Uncle is a fine example!" Tsubame giggled helplessly, dragging Mebuki into another laughing fit.

"A-any ways," Mebuki chuckled, trying to control of herself again, "Kizashi and I have been thinking..."

"Oh no, that can't be good," Tsubame gave Mebuki a mischievous smirk, "has uncle destroyed anything for actually using his brain yet?"

"He's not that bad!" Mebuki chuckled, her own face splitting into an understanding but amused smirk, "Anyways, we've been thinking that, well, maybe you should move in... with us I mean."

"Really?" Tsubame asked, blinking at her aunt, "are you sure about that? You both have done so much for me since my parents died... I couldn't possibly ask you for anything more..."

"Oh you're hardly asking," Mebuki reassured, "besides, raising a child is hard work. You'll need as much help as you can get, it's okay to relay on what family you have left."

"Well... I suppose it couldn't hurt too much," Tsubame said thoughtfully, "but not until I can't do things on my own Aunty, okay? I'm only a few weeks along; I still have time to stay here..."

"Sweetie," Mebuki sighed, reaching forward and clasping Tsubame's pale hand, "That'll come up sooner then you think. Most women start showing their pregnancy at three and four months, you might as well start packing now because you're already at a month."

"I understand Aunty," Tsubame sighed, "it's just that... so many people look at me and they know that I was engaged to Yagorigi and they... they know I'm pregnant but they don't seem to care... I-I don't want that to happen to you too..."

"People are treating you like it's your fault for what _he_ did?" Mebuki asked with a frown

"Not everyone," Tsubame was quick to reassure, "my neighbors are pretty good to me, knowing me for so long helps I suppose..."

"Tsubame-chan," Mebuki sighed, "you're moving in with us—don't argue, it's final." Tsubame smiled and sighed, letting one hand to ghost over her stomach as if to reassure herself about her own child's existence. Her child was made accidentally but with love, she and Yagorigi were supposed to be married at this point in time but it was taken before they could be officially wed; he was killed before he could even find out about their child. She might never forgive the men responsible for his death but she won't work herself up into a hateful tizzy over the matter. She has a child to rise and she refused to allow said child to experience anything negative, even if said child had yet to be born.

"Aunty," Tsubame called before the blonde could raise to her feet, "out of curiosity, do you even have the room for me and my child?" Mebuki sat back down, her nails tapping against her glass table top while she thought, long and hard on the question. Just as Tsubame sighed and was ready to reassure her aunt that her neighbors would be enough help for her, Mebuki suddenly straightened, fingers spreading out flat against the tabletop and her eyes glowing brightly with determination.

"We _will_ have the room for you," Mebuki replied in a tone of voice that said the discussion was over, Tsubame smiled and nodded, knowing that her Aunt was about to go bully her husband into building a new room for her to stay in.

_Are you watching us love?_ Tsubame thought while Mebuki started talking about some of her customers at the store she ran, _Will be just fine Yagorigi._

Everything will be just fine, there weren't any other possibilities

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

**What do you think? Did it flow okay?**

**Oh yeah, is there any songs I might have forgotten to label? I don't recall if I gave out the required acknowledgement to them...**

**Thoughts are helpful**

**Opinions are wonderful**

**Helpful criticism****is**** lovely! Just don't cripple me okay?**

**Please no cursing!**

**And don't forget to**** rate and**** review!**

**PS:**

**I just finished 47! :)**

**I spent the last three days fixing this chapter and the next one so now 48 is about half way done too :)**

**Oh yeah, My dad decided to be a real jerk so I won't be updating on Tuesdays anymore, sorry, it'll Wednesdays from now on, okay?**

**have a nice day!**

**Page 26**


	47. Chapter 47

**There is a reason**

Chapter 47: the land of Tea

Koomahana

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Three days, that's how long it took to _safely_ transfer Kabuto's Seals over to Takao without killing either one. By the end of it the three boys fell over in exhaustion, all three of them having spent the most chakra for the procedure. Orochimaru could tell with a look that Rokuyon and Saniichi would be dead by the next morning but he couldn't make heads or tails of Rokugo, out all three of them his breathing was the calmest.

"T-Takao," Kabuto coughed, looking over at his teammate worriedly, "Ta-Takao... you-you a-alive?"

"Uh-huh," Takao whispered back breathlessly, eyes closed as he continued to breath heavily "a-although... I-I d-don't n-know..."

"Fight," Kabuto grunted, trying to push himself up only to fall back down, hitting his head on the smooth stone ground beneath him, "F-fight... T-Ta... Ta... kao~..." Orochimaru sighed and shook his head, rising to his full height and marching forward to observe the two medics laying on the hard cold stone floor. Rokuyon had thrust himself back word when he was done with the seal transfer, forcing himself to lay on top of Rokugo like a human drape, and thrusting Kabuto's and Takao's hands closer together, to the point that they were nearly touching now as both passed out from the stress of the three day long seal transfer.

_No wonder no one could fight after my transfer_, Orochimaru thought, staring at the mess of bodies surrounding his feet, _Even I'm tiered out and I didn't even do much but supply chakra._ The processes would need tinkering with, of course, but perhaps... perhaps someday he could fix or, even better, perfect this 'theory' called seal transfer.

_I'll have to thank Danzo before I kill him_, Orochimaru thought as he moved to grab both medics by the back of their shirts, lifting them from the cold ground and moving to exit the room. _He did give me a new toy to focus on for a time..._ he paused at the entranceway, keen yellow eyes turning over his shoulder to look at the still breathing black haired boy who was still somehow breathing. _And by the looks of things... he gave me a son..._ Orochimaru couldn't decide to frown or smirk at the thought of having a child, but he shrugged and left the room anyways, no longer caring about the curious black haired boy. Besides, he only had theory of his relation to the boy (the main reason he grabbed him, his use and connection to the seal transfer was an added bonus), he needed Kabuto to perform at test to see if the boy really was his son.

If the test came back positive, he will make sure Danzo regretted ever crossing him

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"Lady Tsunade!" everyone jumped and flinched as someone burst into the office, the door slamming against the wall about the same time an echoing loud explosion shook the speakers and a blinding white flash flared across the room.

"Pause! Someone hit pause!" Tsunade ordered, trying to blink the stars out of her eyes, "Who the hell just interrupted us?"

"I'm sorry my lady," the chunin runner coughed, quickly pressing the pause button on the projector, smirking in amusement at the whining and chunin rubbing at their eyes in pain. "We have a problem," the young man said, turning to address Tsunade who sat at the back of her office behind her desk, seeming unconcerned that her office had been turned into a movie theater. "One of our patrols just returned, some messengers from the Land of Tea were attacked."

"Any critical?" Tsunade asked, rising to her feet and rubbing at her sore eyes

"Thankfully no," The runner answered, "They'll all heal with time but their message was critical for you."

"It is?" Tsunade asked with a frown, "Wait, where are they from again?"

"The Land of Tea," the messenger added, "Their master is a man named Jiro Wakamoto."

"Jiro-san? Why did he send men instead of a messenger bird?" Tsunade asked curiously, "there are plenty where he's at."

"I don't know my lady," the messenger answered with a careless shrug, "Perhaps you'd like to speak with them yourself?"

"Might as well," Tsunade sighed, moving towards the door only to pause in the entrance to glare over her shoulder at everyone still seated, "None of you get to continue watching that video—if you do you'd better be gone by the time I get back."

Everyone waited until they couldn't hear her footsteps before they all shared a look

"...Can I press play now?" Genma asked curiously

"Only if you say that I wasn't here," Shizune replied with a grin and twinkling eyes

Everyone settled back into place as the 'movie' was put back on play

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

She was floating in an endless abyss of shifting reds; Mahogany, Garnet, Ruby, Crimson, they were all spinning and twirling around her; mixing and blending, splitting apart to form a new shade only to mix and split again as a new shade. Again and again, the shades of red spun and twirled around her, mixing and separating over and over like a broken record. She felt like she was floating in a pool of blood with thousands of mirrors surrounding her to reflect the mixing crimson liquid but not herself. She wanted to think, to speak, to move, to do _something_ to disrupt the deafening silence and mocking crimson swirls. Sadly, she couldn't. The silence reined mockingly, the red danced mockingly—everything was mocking her, reminding her of everything she had and everything she had lost.

Why did this seem so familiar? Has she already thought of this? Has she already gone through it? How much has past? Was it day or night? Would more nigh—

"..." Her head jerked slightly at the sound, so far and faint like a voice shouted over the screaming of a storm. "..." She wanted to turn and search out the source of the sound but it seemed to do little good, her body wouldn't move, the four shades of red continued to mix and separate lazily around her as if they didn't acknowledge anything other then their course of mixing and separating.

"..._a_..." there, that was a sound, she could hear it through her cotton stuffed ears, if she opened her eyes she could—open her eyes? They were already open, why would she need to open them if they're already open?

"..._a_..." ah, so it was a voice, defiantly a voice, why did it sound so familiar?

"..._u...a!_" no not a voice, a shout, that was a shout. Who was shouting?

"..._a... uya!_" what? Uya? What's an uya? Was it a food or a drink? She was getting hungry...

"_Ta...ya!_" strange, that voice/shout just broke, like the person shouting hick-upped or— "_Tayuya!_" oh, that's what they were saying, they weren't shouting 'a' or 'uya', they were shouting 'Tayuya'... who's Tayuya?

"_Sissy!_" the voice made her eyes widen and she forcefully turned at the broken sounding sob, "_Sissy! Sissy!_" Far behind her stood a tiny two-three year old little boy in a too-big black T-shirt, dirty hands rubbing at his tear stained eyes, short auburn red hair was matted against his well tanned skin. The little boy was crying hysterically, rubbing at his eyes as if they hurt, his too small hands moving like joints in a sail mass, up and down, up and down.

"_Sissy_," the little boy sobbed, "_I'm scared sissy, I'm scared!_" her memory whispered back, the words on the tip of her tong, urging her—begging her to comfort the crying boy. "_Sissy_," he sobbed, "_Sissy, sissy_..."

"_S~_" the sound was thick and hard as if she was choking on the simple sound, "_S~, Sa~, Sa~_"

"_Sissy_," the boy sobbed, crouching down into a ball, hands still balled together and rubbing at his eyes, his tinny body shaking, "_Sissy... sissy save me, save me. I'm scared, save me sissy, save me_."

"_Sat_..." she was almost there, the name stuttering against her lips, like her first cup of Sake and how it refused to quite burning her throat. "_S~Sato~... Sato~...Satoshi~..._" finally the name had left her lips but it echoed hollowly in the space between them; the little boy continued crying, the red abyss continued spinning, she continued silently crying. "_Satoshi_," she whispered, feeling her tears finally breaking free and sliding down her face like broken glass, leaving behind burning trails against her cheeks, "_Satoshi... Satoshi..._"

"_Sissy_," he whispered, her little brother whispered, "_Sissy save me_." she had the thought that she couldn't, how could she save someone when she couldn't even save herself? She was a failure, she failed her mother, she failed her brother, she sure as hell failed her father—

"_Sissy_," a different voice whispered in the crimson swirling world. "_Sissy_," the voice was whisper soft, feminine, like smooth silk or the whisper of a distant wind... like a breeze on a summer beach. "_Sissy_," she raised her eyes, searching the thick swirling mass of scarlet blood for the source of the soft almost broken sounding voice.

"_Sissy I need you_," the voice whispered, "_Please sissy_..." the girl's voice trailed off as a sob broke free, it was then that Tayuya recognized the soft voice. How could she not? She spent that majority of her life with the owner of that voice; arguing, laughing, and playing with that young girl who now sounded like she was crying inside. She could visualize that girl now, sitting beside her and holding her hand tightly, silent tears rolling over her too pale cheeks, dark smudges under her bright eyes, her mouth trembling with a sob she refused to let lose.

"_Please_," her voice sounded broken now, she was no longer holding back her desperation—her fear. "_Please_," she begged, "_Please sissy, wake up, I need you_." Suddenly there was a brightness in the crimson abyss, like someone was trying to rip the swirl red away from her, like they were trying desperately to get to her despite it's spinning and twirling. She turned towards that bright white light, her eyes glued to that brightness that was pushing back the crimson abyss that was haunting her.

"_No!_" she felt someone jerk on her hand, pulling her back, "_My sissy! You're my sissy! Don't go!_" she stared wide eyed at the little boy latched onto her arm, fat tears rolling down his tanned cheeks, "_Don't go Sissy! You promised to protect me!_"

"_Tayuya_," a new voice whimpered, "_please, wake up_." she took a deep, slow breath; she knew where she belonged, where she had to go to move on from her past that haunted her dreams.

"_I can't stay_," she whispered, crouching low to the little boys height, raising one hand to brush back a lock of muddy red hair. "_Do you understand Satoshi? If I stay in this place I'll die, do you want me to die?_"

"_No_," he answered sullenly, his tears freezing in his eyes for a moment, "_but I don't want you to go with her. She took you away, it's her fault..._"

"_Satoshi_," Tayuya chuckled, tears threatening the edges of her eyes, "_I will always love you. You are my baby brother_."

"_Then why are you abandoning me?_" he asked, accusation in his thick voice

"_I'm not abandoning you_," Tayuya whispered, trying to smile as she whipped a tear away from his honey colored eyes. "_I could never abandon you Ototo, how could you even ask that?_"

"_Because you already did_," he accused again, "_for that girl you heard crying_."

The memory was like a flash bomb behind her eyes.

She remembered seeing that crying little girl in the forest, she tried to comfort her but then those men found them, she tried to run away with the girl, the girl got captured and she got away, she tried to find Satoshi again but when she got back to their resting spot the men had caught up to her.

"_You tried to save her and you left me alone to do it_," Satoshi said again, sniffing and glaring at her, "_You abandoned me and your going to abandon me again_."

"_I returned to the camp sight Ototo_," Tayuya whispered clasping his tiny hands in her much larger ones, "_I returned like I promised but you weren't there. I tried to search for you but those men found me and took me away before I could find you again. I thought that maybe an animal found you or maybe a hunter found you, I thought you had died, that's why I never went back to the land of rise patties. Did you know that's where we were? That's where mama took us, you wouldn't have remembered, you were barely even_—"

"_You're rambling!_" Satoshi shouted, pulling away from her in his sudden burst of anger, "_and you're lying!_" she watched in a mixture of amazement and horror as her little brother soon started to grow, aging quickly in the crimson swirled place, as if the bright light slowly reaching out to them was putting his age on fast forward. She watches in amazement as the years pass on him, his voice growing thicker and thicker with his held back tears, his eyes hardening in fury, his face twisting in anger. "_You left me! You left me in the forest by myself! You abandoned me!_" he was ten now, his once short auburn red hair was now reaching just past his shoulders, held back in a low ponytail. "_You left me to fend for my self! I ate what I could and stole what food I could find! I found myself in a village and fought my way around it! Finding what I could to eat so that I could survive so I could find you!_"

"_You grew strong_," Tayuya whispered, giving him a broken-watery smile, tears slipping past her guard, "_You grew strong like Mama knew you would_."

"_Don't change the subject!_" Satoshi shouted angrily; the crimson abyss was almost completely gone now, she could barely see it from the corner of her eye. "_Do you know how I survived? It wasn't thanks to you or to stealing either! A man was going through the village one day..._" his voice suddenly fell quiet, the emotions he was feeling were suddenly subdued and he spook softer instead of shouting at her. "_He saw me stealing food, running from the adults and hiding and fighting and... and... he took me in..._"

"_Who is this man?_" Tayuya asked with narrowed eyes, careful to keep her voice neutral so she wouldn't give away the bad feeling coiling in her stomach.

"_His name?_" Satoshi whispered softly, "_his name is Orochimaru_." He locked eyes with her, his amber orbs hard like steel and unwavering in their fury for her, "_Lord Orochimaru saved my life_."

"_NO!_" Tears burst from her eyes, her memories of the snake Sanin burst through her barrier and assaulted her with enough force to send her to her knees crying. She doubled over, her voice echoing around her like the sound of shattering glass, she berried her face in her trembling hands, her hair spilling around her like wet thread.

"_Tayuya_," that feminine voice whispered again, "_Tayuya wake up..._"

"_My brother_," Tayuya sobbed, "_Satoshi... my brother,"_ she looked up at him brokenly, _"What have you done?_"

The bright white flared blindingly and suddenly she was kneeling before her younger brother, she was laying in a hospital bed, staring dully up at the pasty white calling high overhead. Just staring at the obnoxiously white roof told Tayuya where she was, she was once again in the damned hospital.

She hates the hospital

With a heavy sigh, Tayuya turned to look at the thing hovering too close for comfort by her bed. Her eyes immanently landed on the large tray holding up a basket of fine smelling disserts that had her stomach rumbling loudly.

"Figures," a familiar voice chuckled; she looked beyond the basket of wonderful smelling treats to stare at her teammates and friends. "Put a basket full of yogurt and cherries in front of her and she always wake up," Shisui chuckled in amusement, beside him was a giggling Hana and between them sat a smirking Itachi, on Shisui's other side and closest to Tayuya's bed sat Fubuki, a relieved smile on her normally perfectly impassive face.

"You've been out for months," Fubuki said a voice that said she was restraining tears, only detectable to those who grew up with the little Hime-wanna-be, "three to be exact."

"Explains why I feel like crap," Tayuya retorted tiredly, "can I have my yogurt please?"

"Not until the doctor says so," Fubuki tried to smirk at her but there were tears swimming in her pale green eyes, Tayuya stared at Fubuki for a very long time before she bothered with responding to the cocky statement.

"...Shut up and give me hug," Fubuki launched herself at Tayuya, wrapping her good arm around Tayuya's shoulders and crying softly against her neck.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"So are you two—"

"Three,"

"Are you _three_—," She gave a pointed, disappointed look at her little interrupter, "—sure you're ready for a mission?"

"Yes Lady Hokage," two of the three children in front of her agreed politely

"Yeah Baa-chan why wouldn't we?"

"Damn it Naruto I told you not to call me that!" Tsunade bellowed snapping to her feet and throwing her paper weight at the grinning blond, who easily dodged the weapon that dented wall behind him. Sasuke had Jerked Sakura out of the way quickly, nearly falling to the red-carpeted floor with her sudden weight slamming into his side.

"Hay, hay where's Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto asked quickly, desperate to distract the blond before she decided to throw something else at him, "Shouldn't he be here?" Sasuke and Sakura sighed when Tsunade blinked dumbly before straightening her stance, removing her foot from her desk because she had meant to launch herself at the brash jinchūriki in front of her, they both separated a little; giving each other enough room to breath normally.

"Normally yes," Tsunade replied, sliding back down into her seat and ignoring the whispering beyond her office, the secretary looking at the hole in the wall curiously. "But after the attack on the chunin exams we need every Jonin we have out on missions brining in income and revenue for the village."

"So that means everyone is going on missions that they other wise normally wouldn't be given?" Sakura asked straightening out her skirt with her palms, her head tilting slightly to the side in curiosity

"Unfortunately," Tsunade agreed with a sigh, "You three will be going on your second C-rank mission, another escort."

"This one isn't from wave country is he?" Sasuke asked curiously, "The last one escort mission we got from Wave country lied to us and our 'C-rank' got turned into an 'A-rank'."

"I know the man who asked for this mission," Tsunade said as if to reassure the genin that everything would okay, "He wouldn't lie to me. Let me tell you the basics of your mission: every four years in the Land of Tea, a race takes place between the two largest clans there. The winner of the race becomes the village head in the terms of being in charge of prices and quality and the like. However, the race is long and hard, lasting over days at a time instead of just hours."

"Oh I get it," Sakura piped up in realization, "the runner needs someone to protect them during the race."

"Right," Tsunade nodded in agreement, "however that's not all. This could be labeled as a C-rank because you're leaving the village but I could also label it as a B-rank because of the possibility of you three being attacked whiled on this protection detail."

"Isn't that the point of having a protection detail?" Naruto asked, "To protect the client from being attacked?"

"True," Tsunade nodded at him, "however that's not all, I'm hesitant in giving you three this mission because it was a Jonin who attacked the messengers on their way here to the village."

"We've handled Jonin's before Lady Tsunade," Sakura frowned, "Have you not read our mission report for the wave mission we took eight months ago?"

"I did and congratulations on that," Tsunade smiled at them, "I'm impressed with your skills however it is also mentioned that each of you had help from a genin cell from the hidden mist. Plus you three didn't deal with Jonin's, your teacher did. You three dealt with the three Chunin's."

"Technically Lady Tsunade, Sakura did deal with a Jonin on that mission," Sasuke replied thoughtfully

"Technically, Sakura got her butt kicked by said nuke-nin Jonin," Tsunade replied tartly, Sakura shot Sasuke a glare for the reminder. "Now are you done giving me reasons why I should send a different team or—"

"Please let us take the mission!" Naruto shouted suddenly, startling his teammates, "I'm starting to get cabin fever! And if we stay much longer I know Sasuke-Teme and Sakura-chan are just going to get violent on me!"

_I don't have to get Cabin fever for that,_ Sakura thought with an exasperated look at Naruto

"Lady Tsunade, Who'll we be protecting?" Sasuke asked curiously

"That I don't know," Tsunade answered, punching Naruto out of her way so she could look at the younger Uchiha. "You'll be heading to the Land of Tea, speak to Jiro Wakamoto. Naruto, Sasuke, he was the same man you met with in the land of hot springs that we stopped in on the way back, remember?"

"Oh, right," Sasuke bobbed his head, "he didn't exactly stick around."

"To be fair Sasuke, You and Naruto were running around the village like headless chickens," Tsunade retorted calmly, "and for that matter, neither did we." Sakura glanced over at Sasuke, imagining a headless chicken that conveniently looked similar to Sasuke—the grin on her face had Sasuke glaring daggers at her. "Your mission will be to go to the Land of Tea, Find and Speak to Jiro Wakamoto, find out who you'll be protecting for the race and then" Tsunade paused to glare pointedly at the three young genin, "come back with this mission as a success or so help me—"

"I'll meet you guys at the gates!" Sakura shouted, diving straight out the window with Sasuke close behind

"One hour!" Sasuke shouted, close behind Sakura

"Wait up you guys!" Naruto shouted in a panic, not wanting to get hit _again_ by Tsunade

"Heh, easier then I thought," Tsunade smirked, watching the three genin run across the roofs in a panic to avoid her wrath, "Time to get back to the 'movie~'."

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"Who's our target?" a black haired teenager asked curiously, tilting his head to the side

"The red haired girl," Their temporary captain answered, "Her name is Karin Uzumaki. If we can take hold of her teammates too that's a great bonus but not a necessary one"

"Anything else?" the pale haired teen asked, leaning between his two teammates carelessly, "Where are we ambushing her? What are her skills? Her teammate's skills? What are—"

"Karin is skilled in the art of seals," the cloaked individual in front of them interrupted, "We'll have to take her out first if we want this to be successful. It's also difficult because she's a sensor type as well, with a long range and a photographic memory."

"Great, so don't meet her or we're all screwed," the black haired boy commented, "anything else?"

"She'll be leaving with her teammates to the land of fire the day after tomorrow," the cloaked male answered, "She was a walking treaty between Leaf and Mist but she no longer serves as that purpose. As for the spot where we'll be ambushing them... that's up in the air."

"What do you mean?" the white haired teen asked, straightening slightly in his slouch, "You just said she's going to the hidden leaf, don't we just have to knock her out along the way?"

"Yes but that's the problem," the cloaked male said patiently, "there are at least three points the Mist team protecting Karin could take." He pulled out a large map from his sleeve and rolled it out for all three of them to see clearly, "See fire and mist here? That's a lot of water and countless small islands for them to travel through; Karin would be on a boat for at least a day if not two depending on what route she takes."

"I see," the white haired boy sighed, moving to crouch in front of the map, his teammates adjust to flank him. "They could go here to the land of fields and make a B-line for fire country or they could go from Mist waters and straight into fire country, or they could go to the land of sea, which is closest to them and would most likely have them spending the least amount of time on the boat."

"My thoughts as well," the cloaked male agreed, "however because the three different routs the mist team could take, we can't challenge them on the ocean or near it." His pale finger moved towards fire nation and then stopped between the southern tip and the little black dot labeled as 'Konoha', "We, as the strongest team, will be stationed here."

"Within Fire country?" the black haired teen asked uneasily, "isn't that a little close to Konoha to be safe? What if their patrols spots us or if—"

"There's no need to worry about that," the man in front of him interrupted, "each team will be given a wire set to use, we will house the 'main' communication devise in which all transmissions will be going through."

"So that means we'll be prepared for which direction they'll be taking." The white haired teen bobbed his head, "or at least, mostly prepared. Is it possible for them to come in through these smaller countries?" he gestured to the much smaller countries in the land of rivers between the lands of fire and wind, one brow raised and head tilted curiously.

"It's a possibility but an unlikely one," the cloaked male replied, shifting back to regard the curious root he hadn't even thought of it being a possibility but with the point out he found that the mist team escorting their target could go to the very end of the land of seas where it turned into a portion of Fire countries domain. If the mist team took her there first, they would both be on fire country territory (which could be a problem) and Konoha could have a team waiting for the mist's arrival (a much bigger problem). If Konoha did send a team to wait there then he prayed that it wouldn't be any of the Haruno sisters (none of them would be able to survive their wrath, well maybe the younger one but her abilities are largely unknown) or anyone of the Uchiha (much less the Hyūga) clan, that could destroy their mission and make it a complete failure.

"Why is it an unlikely one?" the black haired teen asked curiously, "I would take it just to throw you off Kabuto."

"She's not you," the cloaked male replied calmly sitting back from the map to regard the slightly older male to his right, "She would want to return to Konoha as soon as possible, she wouldn't want to take any long ways or take any unnecessary precautions."

"You're assuming she'd be in the lead of the team," the white haired boy replied just as calmly, dark eyes sharp despite the candle light they were all seeing by, "She's just a genin. She'll be easy—"

"Do not underestimate that girl's abilities," Kabuto growled lowly, his black eyes flashing warningly. "For crying out loud she put Orochimaru-sama out for a few weeks. She's stronger then she looks—do _not_ underestimate her."

The three men regarded him seriously then, their eyes as sharp as kunai and faces looking like unpainted white masks

"...Right"

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"So... any ideas on the quickest way to Snakecoast village?" Sakura asked as they walked through the thick forest. It had been three days since they left the village and they weren't entirely sure if they were still going in the same direction. So far, they had traveled through the west-south section of the land of fire, and right now, they were in the middle of the land of Precipice, with luck they could get to the land of Tea by nightfall. Their aim was for the farthest end of the country, to the village on the shared border of lands of Games, Rivers and Tea, the village was called 'Snakecoast' and was the living courters of their employer.

"If we can get to a train station by tomorrow night, we might be able to make it to the village 'Snakecoast' a day early," Sasuke said thoughtfully, the only problem would be their need for rest, which would have to be that night if they wanted to get to the village shown on the public map they saw at the last village.

"Not even that," Sakura replied, "If we travel through the night we might make it to a station in Shiakan village by morning, if we can find a train to take us to Snakecoast we should be there by tomorrow afternoon, evening at the latest." Leave it to Sakura to notice something that he didn't, when did she even notice Shiakan village on that mess of a map anyways? He could only make out five villages on that thing...

"Okay, yea~, we're going by train," Naruto sighed, sounding anything but cheerful, "now do any of us have any money to charter a train ride?"

"Of course," Sakura and Sasuke replied as if he was an idiot, only to realize that he was one. Sakura and Sasuke both came from well-managed households so they got allowances and they saved their money from their last mission—Naruto appeared to not have done the later.

"...Did you spend all your money already?" Sakura asked with a frown, "I know you like your ramen and everything but..."

"Well no it's just that..." Naruto trailed off, blushing brightly, "I kind of... bought a-a few things..." Sakura stilled in her walking, her green eyes locking in on Naruto's bashful appearance as he tried to keep moving forward not looking at either one of his teammates. She shared a look with Sasuke and with a hop and skip she caught up to Naruto, placing a hand on his shoulder to still him in his walking.

"What kind of things that made you broke?" Sakura asked, "Wave was 35,000 Ryu, Naruto. There's no way you could've burnt up that much money so soon. The chunin exams were free and you practically live with me, so I know that ninety percent of your meals come from mom and your rent is weekly, you only pay when you spend more then three days at the apartment."

"Hay, it's my money!" Naruto whined, "I can spend it!"

"I never said you couldn't," Sakura frowned at him, "I'm just concerned that you might've gotten ripped off." _It's happened more then once..._

"I didn't!" Naruto whined again, "I just got a few things okay!"

"I get that but what is it and how much did you spend on it?" Sakura asked in concern

"I bought your presents okay!" Naruto shouted loudly, startling his teammates

"Naru—"

_Gurgle-grumble-gurgle_

Sakura blinked dumbly at Naruto, who's face flared a bright screaming crimson before he spun on his heal and made an obvious attempt to change the subject

"Oh look a tea shop! Let's take a break!" Naruto made a b-line straight for it, leaving his teammates behind to stare at his back with mixed emotions.

"That idiot," Sakura sighed; she turned slightly to look at Sasuke as she moved forward to join their hyperactive teammate, "I'll cover his boarding fee."

"I'll cover the Tea house," Sasuke agreed with a bob of his head, indirectly saying that he'll pay for Naruto's share of the food.

"Deal," Sakura chuckled racing forward to catch up with her excited teammate, "Naruto slow down! What're you going to do if you hit someone hah?" Sasuke shook his head and quickly followed his teammates into the small building. Raising his eyes briefly, Sasuke's attention was at first captured by the lone stranger sitting in the very back of the Teahouse. He didn't look much older then them but the older boy's teeth gritted harshly on the wooden senbon he was chewing on, did that mean he's off in his own world and got stuck on a bad thought or did he notice them and decide that he didn't like them?

"Sasuke?" Sakura asked, turning in her seat slightly to regard him curiously, "Did you want anything to eat?"

"Dumplings please," Sasuke replied, turning away from the stranger and taking a seat beside Sakura, not sure if he should've taken the end seat or not.

"Coming right up," the waitress smiled at them, moving to the back of the little open shop with a little hop to her step.

"Something wrong?" Sakura asked softly, shifting to pull her back pouch into her lap

"The boy in the back," Sasuke answered, watching Sakura pull out a small thing of cards. "Don't look," Sasuke hissed when Naruto shifted too look himself in curiosity. The older boy looked like he wanted to say something but the waitress moved out from the back and approached them with a smile.

"There you go sweeties," the waitress smiled, setting their orders out in front of them smoothly

"Thank you," Sasuke and Sakura said at the same time, Sasuke accepting the seven cards Sakura handed him. Naruto took this time to look over his shoulder at the older boy behind him, earning a glower from Sasuke and a kick from Sakura.

"I'll be right back with your cheek," she smiled and moved to leave again, she paused briefly in front of the young man at the back, blocking team seven's view before she moved on to the back again.

"Ch, you ninja seem to be all cushy and soft," the older boy mocked, moving to stand and approach them

"Nice one dube," Sasuke hissed, glancing down at his cards in curiosity, he stiffened slightly at the words staring up at him. The first card didn't say anything, just showed him the lay out a large rectangle filled with smaller rectangles and six little dots. As the two at very back of the rectangle started to move about and the one at the top right corner moved toward the three at the bottom left corner, Sasuke realized that the card was actually a map of their surroundings, even showing the locations of people.

"What's it to you what we do?!" Naruto asked loudly, twisting in his seat to glare up at the older boy, ignoring Sasuke's jab purposefully

"Keep your tempers in check," Sakura warned softly, handing Naruto his share and put the rest of the deck between them, "he's unknown." Sasuke glanced at her but understood what she was trying to say, they didn't know who this older boy was, for all they knew he could be a nuke-nin.

"Nothing of course," the boy smirked at them, showing that he had medium length black hair pulled back into a low ponytail, nicely tanned skin and almond shaped black eyes. "Just that it looks like a Ninja's life is cushy and smooth sailing, like you have nothing to worry about. It would explain why you're all so out of shape."

"Why you—"

"Hm? Oh hay there cutie, I didn't see you there." the older boy turned to address Sakura who was calmly finishing off her stick of Dango. He leaned down in front of Sakura to get a better look at her face, she didn't even react to his closeness, all of his upper body weight seemed to be held up by his right arm that he had propped on the table, placing his head in the same hand.

"Say what?!" Naruto roared, jumping to his feet, "Sakura-chan are you going to do anything about him or can I?!"

"I'm sorry," the older boy smirked, ignoring Naruto; Sakura's eyes opened slowly, looking at the older boy calmly; as if she was analyzing him. "I didn't mean you of course. You're by far too cute to be a kunochi. Why don't you quite and join me eh?" Sakura instantly stabbed her wooden stick into the older boy's bent arm, earning a yelp of pain from him, a smirk from Sasuke and stunned silence from Naruto. At least it was stunned silence from Naruto until he saw the older boy topple over and crash against the ground, clutching at his arm that now had a stick of wood sticking out of it.

"You meant every word you said," Sakura said calmly, reaching for her cup of tea, "As for me being too cute to be a kunochi?" She took a sip and glanced down at the boy in an almost curious manner, "A kunochi is trained to charm her enemy."

"Why you little," the older boy growled pulling himself up and yanking the stick of wood out of his arm, glaring at Sakura while he slowly pulled himself to his feet. The only reason he didn't continue his sentence or moved to attack Sakura, was because she had set her steaming hot cup of tea on the table but gripped it in a way that would give her plenty of room to throw it at him without getting a drop on her and her teammates were both poised to attack him should he even twitch wrong.

"Is there something you need from us?" Sakura asked staring down at her cup as if she was speaking too the cup

"No," the boy gritted out, turning on his heel and leaving them

"That was great Sakura-chan!" Naruto laughed loudly, as soon the boy was far enough away to not hear them (which was imposable for Naruto's loud voice). "His arm is going to be so sore!" Sasuke bobbed his head agreement as he ate his share of the dumplings; Sakura just smirked as she continued to drink her tea, eyes looking up when she felt the waitress approach them.

"Hello sweeties," the woman smiled at them, "here you go."

Sakura's eyes narrowed at the two slips of paper, "Two recites? What for?"

"Hmm? Oh you friend that just left, he said you'd cover him" the woman answered

"That dirty rat!" Naruto bellowed bursting to his feet and moving to follow only to pause and look both directions; Sasuke was already half raised to his feet, intent to follow the older boy himself.

"To the left," Sakura said calmly, collecting the cards and storing them in her back pouch. "Eighty feet and moving fast," Sasuke and Naruto tore off in the designated direction, knowing Sakura would catch up with them quickly herself. Sakura put her back pouch in place and slipped her backpack on in the same smooth motion, placing the appropriate amount of money on the table to cover both total amounts as she rose to her feet.

"Thank you ms for the meal," Sakura smiled at the waitress, "my friends and I will try to return as quickly as possible but just in case that we don't, here's the money we owe."

"Be safe young Mrs., and I'll hold your table for an hour then I'll clean up," The woman nodded her acceptance watching Sakura spin on her heal and dash off after her teammates at nearly twice the speed the boys had been running at.

_Idiots,_ Sakura thought as she ran, quickly moving into the trees and taking a direct root to the boy who just ripped them off. She pulsated her chakra to get the boy's attention and then doubled her efforts towards the older boy, her eyes narrowing when she felt his chakra suddenly dive straight down as if he fell off a cliff and went tumbling through a few trees. The second they felt her chakra shift direction, Naruto and Sasuke swerved to follow her lead, moving to catch up with her. Judging from her current speed and the direction both boys were going they'd be able to catch up with the older boy right about...

"Found ya!" Sakura smiled at Naruto's loud bellow, his voice echoing through the trees and possibly deafening the boy they were targeting.

"Quite," Sakura sighed jumping down from the trees and taking up the front position, cutting the older boy off before he could dive between both her teammates, "We don't want anyone else finding us."

"Huh, what'd ya mean Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked curiously

"She means that if we're going to beat him then we'll have to move quickly and gag his mouth," Sasuke replied with a roll of his eyes.

"I'm sorry!" the boy shouted suddenly slamming on his knees and bowing deeply to them, "I ran out of money and I couldn't pay my fee and then you guys came in and-and..." he trailed off, "I'm sorry," he added lamely. Sakura eyes remained locked on the boy's legs, ignoring the curious looks Sasuke and Naruto shared; she swore she could see buckles on his angles but his large cloak was in the way of her actually identifying if it was his pants or if it was something else.

"Sakura," Sasuke started slowly, "you paid this time. It was your money, you decide what to do." Sakura bobbed her head in understanding, barely processing Sasuke's words. Before she could make up her mind, something from over head fell from the trees and hit Naruto atop his head.

"Ow!" Naruto yelped, rubbing at his head painfully, "What the? What is this?" Naruto asked moving to pick up the thing that hit him in the head.

"Don't touch it!" the older boy shouted diving towards the little black item and practically covering it with his body; glaring up at Naruto though his bangs, eyes sharp like kunai. Sakura and Sasuke stiffened, backing away from the bowing boy to get a better defensive stance on him, wiry about his possible skills.

"Fine then," the older boy said moving on to the balls of his feet, fingers racking back to his ankle. "Ready," Sakura's eyes narrowed in on his hands as she heard the soft clicking, the older boy moving to stand tall and straight. "Set," his arms out stretching to either side of him, showing the thick gray cloth he held on his ankles just moments before.

"Hold it!" Sakura shouted chakra flowing into her limbs automatically, Naruto and Sasuke moved forward to apprehend him at the same time, fingers wide and reaching

"GO!" the boy shouted at the same time, letting go the weights in his hands. They scraped against the boy's hands, forcing them away from the older boy; the weights hit the ground kicking enough dust and dirt to cover his form completely. The older boy burst out of the gray-black cloud, arms crossed in front of himself protectively, ramming past Sakura with enough force to knock her into a tree and nearly knock the wind right out of her.

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto shouted, ignoring the stinging of his hands as he hurried to her side

"I'm fine," Sakura wheezed, pushing herself off the tree she had been slammed into, "Did you see where he went?"

"Straight past you," Sasuke said looking at the distance where a large cloud of dust was being kicked, "you think we can follow him?"

"No," Sakura grunted, letting Naruto pull her onto her feet, "Not at the speed he's moving." Sakura bobbed her head toward the two large weights the older boy left behind, "he was wearing those for a reason."

"You think he has some shinobi training?" Sasuke asked moving to lift the two pieces of gray clothed weights, only to realize just how heavy the one piece was, his eyes widening lightly, "Never mind, these things are heavy."

"Oh come on Sasuke-Teme," Naruto scoffed, "if he had shinobi training, wouldn't he have just decided to kick our butts instead of running away?"

"Not if he never finished his training," Sakura retorted, moving to lift one of the weights curiously, "That's properly why he ran from us. If he did have any shinobi training, I highly doubt he's anything more then a genin; most certainly not an experienced genin."

"You think he dropped out just after graduating?" Sasuke asked, watching Sakura put the her weight on her left leg curiously

"It's possible," Sakura replied, accepting the other weight that Sasuke handed over to her, "That or his teacher didn't stress much with him other then the absolute basics."

"So... he's basically an academy student?" Naruto asked watching Sakura tried to lift herself onto her feet, only to wince at the weight holding her legs down

"Holly hell," Sakura grouched, shifting her legs uneasily, "These weigh a ton. No wonder he's so fast."

"So we defiantly don't have a chance at catching up to him," Sasuke sighed, steadying Sakura, "Can you still feel him or is he out of your range?"

"He left my range a long time ago Sasuke," Sakura sighed, "Based on the trajectory he was using I'm guessing he's going to the land of games or maybe to the land of red beans... he could be headed toward the land of sun. At the speed he was moving, he could cross all three before nightfall. We have no clue where he's going. He could be heading striate for the land of wind or to the free states and be at either one before anyone bothered to follow him"

"Great, that means we don't know where he's going so we most likely can't follow him," Naruto sighed

"Don't be stupid," Sakura retorted, glaring at Naruto in agitation, "Did you think that me stabbing him was just to get him away from me?" Naruto recalled how fast Sakura was in stabbing the older boy when he was leaning on the table beside her, Sakura's glare intensified on her blond teammate. "I injected a small portion of my chakra into him with that wooden stick," Sakura growled lowly. "Innless he's extremely hyperaware of his own chakra system and body, which I highly doubt, he hasn't noticed that small portion of my chakra in him."

"Great," Naruto said with a blank face, "What dose that mean?" Sakura through a kick at Naruto, the weight attached to her leg flew straight off and smashed into his face, forcing him to land on his backside against the harsh and uneven ground of the forest floor.

"It means I can track him," Sakura hissed, lifting her other leg and removing the weight attached to it. She held up the weight in her hand threateningly to Naruto, watching his blue eyes widen worriedly and his face pale drastically, "It means that when I find him I can beat him with his own weights!"

_He's doomed_, the boys thought watching Sakura snatch the weight she kicked at Naruto and move back into the treetops, nearly tripping when the weights slowed her movements. Her eyes gleamed when she noticed the challenge they gave her and Sakura quickly put them back on to her legs and then secured them with a few strips of cloth she pulled from her back pouch.

_Really doomed,_ they followed Sakura back to the little Teahouse and finished their food and drinks before they moved on to the next village.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Tsunade couldn't help but to glare at the three smug elders sitting before her, her brow ticked twice, the three Jonin behind her shifted nervously, the room's temperature feel five degrees.

"Well Tsunade-Hime, have you made your decision?" Homura asked curiously

"Yes," Tsunade agreed stiffly, "I take it you won't give a damn about it though."

"Still worth hearing," Danzo replied, almost as if he expected to win an argument

"Shikamaru Nara has made the rank of Chunin," Tsunade said easily, she didn't bother telling the three elders that she had already given said boy his required jacket.

"And?" Homura asked, lifting one eyebrow curiously

"Sakura Haruno..." Tsunade took a deep breath, she really wanted the girl to become a chunin but she had the vague feeling that they wouldn't go for it. The elders were nit-picky and never seemed to care much for the Haruno sisters; she had read the file her teacher had left behind for her. He had to go to another village to promote the girls to chunin and had to get almost the entire Jonin population to recommend the girls for their Jonin status. The council, especially Danzo, fought him every step of the way for the girl's career and she doubted that they knew just how much trouble Hiruzen had gone through for them.

"I would promote Sakura Haruno to chunin in a heart beat," Tsunade said, closing her eyes and letting out a heavy sigh, "however I don't have the entire Jonin population standing behind her for her promotion. So she and her team are remaining genin until the next chunin exam in hidden mist, four months from now."

"You belief the hidden mist will promote her?" Danzo asked with a raised eyebrow

"I don't _think_ they will, I _know_ they will," Tsunade smirked at the old man, her amber eyes glowing mockingly at him. "Sensei told me everything about the little reincarnate; don't think I'm so stupid."

"And you speak so freely about what she is?" Homura asked with a frown, "Are you not afraid of spies? Hiruzen died trying to protect her and you're just throwing that information around like it's common knowledge."

"Everyone in this room already knows who the little pinkette is," Tsunade replied, waving a careless hand at the Jonin behind her, Ibiki, Anko, Kakashi, Shikaku, Jiraiya, Fubuki, Mebuki and Kizashi, Mikoto and Fugaku, Shikan, Shisui, and Asuma. "Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Sandaime and my sensei, never kept anything from our highest ranking and most important members of our shinobi system."

"Regardless," Koharu sighed, closing his eyes as if he wanted to be anywhere but here, "it is meant to be a village secret for a reason."

"Like Naruto Uzumaki?" Mebuki asked, her cold voice stilling the room and stilling the council members

"Because everyone knows how well _that_ secret turned out," Kizashi agreed just as coldly, his arms crossed over his broad chest and his blue eyes were in an unusual looking glare at the council members.

"We could not predict Mizuki's hatred anymore then we could predict someone else's," Homura sighed, "though... your point has been made."

"It is because of Mizuki that we must keep such knowledge confined to those of us here in the room," Koharu nodded his agreement to his teammate's words. "We do not know what others would do with such knowledge..."

"Should we really be so concerned with the reincarnate's secret anymore?" Shisui asked curiously, "I mean... it's not like the Yondaime Mizukage is around to care anymore..."

"But his successor is his student," Jiraiya replied calmly, "She just might care enough to try something... but..."

"I highly doubt it," Fubuki replied, "I know Mai, she may have loved her teacher like a daughter loves her father, but she would never dare to break a treaty that's all but a life line for her village."

"You are sure of this?" Homura asked with narrowed eyes

"Yes I am," Fubuki nodded, leaning against the seal and rubbing at her sore arm thoughtfully, a slight frown twisting her features, "Besides... I think... I think she already knows..."

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

She looked around herself carefully, taking in the familiar faces of her teammates in the thick mist surrounding them, tears threatened her crimson eyes and her mouth trembled with the need to sob uncontrollably as she had done the previous day.

"Is everyone ready?" she asked softly, her voice barely hearable in the thick gray fog

"Whenever you are," the white haired genin to her right said softly, wrapping one arm around her shoulders in a lose hug.

"Let's go," she said softly, a faint smile on her lips

They moved just as slow and graceful as the white mist surrounding them, disappearing within its embrace as if they were ghosts

…

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><p>…<p>

"Master Jiro, the shinobi team from Konohagakure has arrived," he turned at the voice, smiling calmly at the middle-aged man kneeling beside his open door to the garden.

"Please bring them in," Jiro ordered kindly, "I would like to meet those Tsunade-Hime sent to me."

"Yes sir," the man lifted his feet and moved away, leaving his master to his own thoughts.

_They're about day and half early,_ Jiro thought, _they must have gone to the land of fangs or land of precipice and caught a train. That would've shortened their travel time nearly in half._

"Mast Jiro, the shinobi from Konohagakure are here," he turned once more at the soft voice of one of his men, smiling at the three shadows on his shoji door. They seemed a little small but he really shouldn't be that surprised, shinobi trained their young since they could walk or talk. After all, it was well known that the older the shinobi the more dangerous they are.

_That was fast,_ "Please bring them in," Jiro smiled again, turning in his seat to address the three shinobi who would be aiding him in his quest. His servant nodded and scooted a side, pushing the door a little further open for their guests. The first one in was a young black haired boy, dressed in long black slacks, a long sleeved black turtle neck, with a lose navy vest that had a bunch of pockets and heavy looking hood; at the top of his shoulders and what appeared to be in the middle of his back was what looked like a red and white fan. The next one in was a wild haired blond with bright azure eyes, three scratches marring each of his cheeks and dressed in a similar out fit as his dark haired teammate but in black and orange instead of black and navy. The last member had caught Jiro's attention the most being the brightest in her team. The young girl was at least thirteen like her two teammates but she had bubble gum pink hair, emerald green eyes and dressed in a pretty crimson kimono dress that ended mid-thigh, revealing a pair of black shorts and graceful bell shaped sleeves ending just shy of her wrist.

Once all three children were standing at attention in front of him, backs straight and heads held high, Jiro noticed that all three of them had some kind of integrate and graceful stitching on their sleeves. On the dark haired boy's sleeves were navy blue flames and what looked like streaks of white and silver branches dancing up his arms; making it appear as if lightning had struck the ground and sparked a blue fire. The yellow haired boy's sleeves had orange and gold leaves dancing up his arms, looking like a whirlwind of fall leafs. The girl's sleeves were the most integrate, being covered in the white and silver vines and flowers as he had noticed earlier but on the backdrop of her crimson sleeves, the vines and flowers gave off the impression of blood on snow; like someone had let a body bleed out in snow and when the blood tried to sweep away it made little divots and path ways in the snow.

Beautiful but frightening

Jiro prayed that the three children's out fits weren't foreshadowing their skills; otherwise, he might be in a whole lot of trouble

"Hello Leaf shinobi," Jiro greeted them evenly, smiling at them despite the unease settling in his stomach. "I assume Tsunade-Hime has told you my request?"

"Just the basics," the girl answered with a pretty smile, "however it would be rude for us to continue speaking without introducing our selves." Jiro laughed heart fully, glade that they not only had manners but also heart

"Alright, alright," he laughed, the children in front of him relaxing a little, "My name is Jiro Wakamoto, the contractor for the mission."

"I am Sasuke Uchiha," the dark haired one smirked at him, as if proud of this fact. Suddenly the blond smirked and moved forward to bow before him in a way that said he didn't have much experience with giving serious bowing, much less conversation.

"Hello lord Jiro, I hail from the land of fire from the village hidden in the leaves," both of the boy's teammates sighed, the pink haired one raising a hand to rub at her temple. "I like ramen and training and I am known as—"

"The knuckle head," Sasuke interjected in boredom

"—as the knuckle head," the blonde continued, it took him a few seconds to realize just what he said before he snapped around and growled at his teammate. "Arg! Teme!" Jiro and the girl couldn't hold back their laughter, Jiro's sounding louder and more cheerful while the girl's sounded in a mixture of embarrassment and amusement.

"My name is Sakura Haruno and the blonde is Naruto Uzumaki," the girl said, placing a hand on her chest and smiling at Jiro calmly, "Please forgive my teammates. I'll try to keep them in line but they can be a little rowdy at times."

"Oh I'm not that worried about it," Jiro chuckled, "I like rowdy children! Reminds me of my nephews"

"Eh?" Naruto turned to look curiously at him, head tilted to the side, "Don't you have any children your self Jiro-san?"

"My wife was expecting years ago," Jiro said with a shrug, "but she and the child didn't make it."

"My apologies," Sakura sighed, "We shouldn't have brought it up." Jiro shrugged but nodded at her all the same, noting how she hadn't put all the blame on Naruto and had evenly placed it on all three of them, as if they had encouraged the blonde to ask.

"No need to apologize," Jiro replied with a calm face, ignoring the little stab of pain in his chest, "Now that our names are out of the way, perhaps we can continue with the reason you are here?" the three shared a look, Naruto backing up to stand beside his teammate's

"Please give us the details," Sasuke requested kindly, moving to sit on his knees in the traditional style; which told Jiro that he must have come from a long and 'noble' clan of the shinobi world. Naruto sat with his legs crossed in front of him, which told Jiro that he had most likely grew up close to if not on the streets. Sakura sat with her knees together and her feet pointed towards the door, her hands held together in her lap with her back nearly perfectly strait. This told him that Sakura grew up in a stable if not strict household, with someone there to teach her to keep her knees together—she properly had the most normal child hood out of the three of them. With both boys, having or most likely growing up in the two ends of social norms, the rich and the poor, with only her as the middle class. Jiro wondered if it was normal for a hidden village to put such opposites together to form a team, to him it appeared as if the three children held nothing in common except their village and possibly the school they were trained in.

"Well every four years there is a festival here in the land of spindrift," Jiro started, "centuries ago there was a horrible storm that was wrecking such havoc on our nation that no one could leave their homes in fear of being drowned. Trying to appease the gods, a young man took two small spheres that we call 'dragon orbs' and went to the two shrines on Nagi Island—the storm stopped instantly and the next three years were relatively peaceful. As the years past and travels went from the land of Spindrifts to Nagi Island it became a game, then a race and it stayed a race for many decades."

"Then what changed?" Naruto asked, interrupted Jiro curiously

"Shhh, Naruto," Sakura reprimanded softly

"It's alright, I don't mind," Jiro replied reassuringly. "Years ago a local clan started to battle for control of our village here, we of the Wakamoto clan rebelled against them; not liking or believing in their brutal and heartless way of ruling the village. About four years ago, there was a horrible fight between our clans and there were many casualties, even on the civilian's side of things. The Daimyo of our religion finally had enough of our fighting for the village and turned our race into a way to control the village for four years time."

"So basically, who ever wins the race rules the village for four years, until the next race needs to take place again." Sakura said with a frown, "I'm not sure if that's ingenious or moronic."

"A bit of both," Sasuke replied thoughtfully, "ingenious because the fighting between their clans have stopped but moronic because it's the village and the people who have to suffer the consequences of the winner."

"Exactly," Jiro nodded seriously, "Four years ago the Furuya clan hired a ninja to protect their runner... as well as to take care of ours."

"I see," Sakura sighed, her eyes sharpening on Jiro with a level of clearness that almost had him shifting uncomfortably. "That's why you went to lady Tsunade for help. Whoever your runner is you don't want to burry them."

"You're unusually perceptive," Jiro commented, he had only ever seen that level of blankness on a Jonin's face, particularly those who lived through the last war that shinobi had. "You're right Haruno-san. I went to Tsunade-Hime for help because I knew she'd be able to send someone capable of protecting my runner without stooping to the Furuya's ninja's level."

"Thank you for telling us the details and history behind the race," Sasuke replied calmly, "but we've already agreed to take the mission. We can't back out now since it starts the day after tomorrow and we're already here."

"In other words sir, thank you for warning us about our mission's trouble ahead of time," Sakura said, preventing Naruto from saying anything to Sasuke.

"Okay, okay, so we got that out of the way!" Naruto huffed, shifting with nervous energy in his seat, "So? Who're we protecting?"

"Thank you," Jiro smiled at them, he honestly wouldn't have blamed them if they decided to return to their village instead of helping him but that didn't mean he wasn't grateful for their acceptance of the mission anyways. "As for the one you'll be protecting," Jiro turned to his paper wall and smiled at the sunlight shinning on the paper wall, "Idate!"

A kneeling shadow appeared instantly in front of the paper screen, "yes my lord?"

Jiro ignored how all three genin stiffened and how Sakura turned sharply towards the paper wall, looking as if she just might launch herself at it.

"Come in please," Jiro ordered, turning to watch all three children's reaction.

"You!" Naruto shouted jumping to his feet and pointing exaggeratedly at the black haired boy; Sakura had already rose two familiar looking gray weights and promptly threw them at Idate, not carrying about the startled shout from the older boy.

"What the hell?!" Idate asked moving back onto his feet to glare at the three genin sitting with Jiro

"Idate," Jiro said levelly, "What did you do?"

"Nothing!" Idate replied quickly

"You stole from us!" Naruto shouted in anger

"He made us pay for his food and drink without asking us to do so," Sakura corrected evenly, still sitting 'demurely' in her spot.

"Idate," Jiro said in a disappointed sounding voice

"I'm sorry," Idate said with a sullen look, "how much do I owe you?"

"The boys already covered for you," Sakura replied, "You basically ordered the same thing Naruto did. So Sasuke gave me the same amount of money he would've spent on Naruto."

"Basically, Sakura paid for all three of our meals," Sasuke replied as calmly as he could, "I merely repaid my debt to her."

"Whoa, wait dose that mean I owe Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked, looking over at both of his teammates

"No, you owe Sasuke," Sakura replied, "Don't worry too much about it Naruto. We both have become accustomed to buying you things."

"But that still leaves Idate owing you money," Jiro replied, "how much did you spend on him?"

Sakura waved her hand dismissively, "Throwing those weights in his face was payment enough."

Naruto turned to get a better look at Idate's red stained face and proceeded to fall to his knees laughing, finding the older boy's face very amusing

"...Did you just insinuate that you paid me to throw something in my face?" Idate asked with a level look at the pinkette

"That's one way of looking at it," Sakura smirked at him, unfazed by the resulting glare sent her way

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

She glared right back at the busty blonde standing at the end of her bed, appearing to be unaffected by the agitated glare said older woman was giving her. She felt her brow spasm as if it was electrocuted, her muscles bunched and flexed beneath the restrictive leather binds coating her entire body, making her appear to be a leather worm with a hairy head.

"If I have to come back in here one more time," Tsunade growled lowly, "I will paralyze you myself. Is that understood young lady?"

"I wanna train," Tayuya hissed at her, "Let me out so I can be less of a headache for you and more a migraine for someone else."

"I would be more then happy to let you go," Tsunade said, crossing her arms beneath her bust, "but that migraine you'd give to that 'someone' would end being a migraine _for me_, because they'd immanently bug me until you were found and returned to the hospital."

"So what you're saying..." Tayuya's body spasmed in the restrictive leather, "Is that I'm bound to keep you sane?!"

"Yes," Tsunade retorted, then as if in after thought: "Plus your chakra is unhealthily small."

"I wanna train!" Tayuya snapped, "The sooner I get out of here the sooner I can train! The sooner I can train the sooner I'll be taking missions! The sooner I start taking missions, the sooner—"

"The sooner you end up in a casket," Tsunade interrupted, stilling the thrashing pinkette. "Face it Tayuya Haruno, You're not leaving this village, much less this hospital, until we know _exactly_ what is wrong with you. Your chakra reserve still haven't recovered from that song you played and they're no way near the same amount as your genin self. Hell, most civilians have larger chakra amounts then you do at this moment."

"What're you trying to say?" Tayuya asked evenly, her eyes narrowing at Tsunade, "are you saying I'm too weak—"

"Don't be stupid," Tsunade interrupted her again, "I'm saying that your body needs rest, it needs to recover from the extensive damage you put it through. For crying out loud Tayuya, you nearly died four times before I got here and three times _after_ I got here. In total that's seven times you've nearly died since that damned song you played."

"...when can I leave the hospital?" Tayuya asked, her glare lessoning in understanding, knowing that Tsunade wasn't making it personal but was actually trying to keep her alive, as her job demanded of her.

"When your reserves grow to at least an average amount," Tsunade sighed, "I'll let you out of the hospital after your reserves have grown or at least settled on a certain amount."

"Do you know when that'll be?" Tayuya asked curiously, her heartbeat increasing fractionally

"That'll depend on how fast your chakra reserve grows," Tsunade shrugged, "Hibiki Hyūga says that your reserves are growing about a forth of a percent every day. Based on those measurements you'll be able to leave the hospital in a few years time, depending weather or not they gain strength to grow more in a day or if they suddenly level out."

"...what do you mean, 'a few years time'?" Tayuya asked, her eyes narrowing slightly

"I mean that at the steady rate your chakra is currently growing at, you'll have enough strength to leave the hospital in five or six years." Tsunade answered dully, her face automatically slipping into her bland mask that she often used to deliver bad news to patients. "If your chakra's growth slows or levels out... you'll properly never leave..."

Tayuya didn't want to think about what that mean, she didn't want to think about how long she'd stay in the hospital, she didn't want to think her chakra never growing again—she just didn't want to think.

"...what dose that mean?" Tayuya asked softly, her body still and her eye searching Tsunade's face, hoping, praying that what she was hinting at was actually something different all together.

"...It means your shinobi career is over," Tsunade answered. "Either you'll spend the rest of your life in the hospital or you'll retire with the inability to control your chakra."

…

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><p>…<p>

**Thoughts are helpful**

**Opinions are wonderful**

**Helpful criticism****is**** lovely! Just don't cripple me okay?**

**Please no cursing!**

**And don't forget to**** rate and**** review!**

**Oh yeah! Here're the Votes!**

**Girl—boy vote number (#)—boy #—boy #—boy # (just a name means they've been voted for once)**

**(For OPBBY, I might do a spoof or something in the war arc, if I actually manage to get there without going insane)**

**Sakura— Gaara 11 (with OPBBY—Over Protective Big Brother Yagura—4) —Haku 2—Itachi 5—Sasuke**

**Fubuki— Haku 3—Shisui 5**

**Tayuya— Itachi 4—Neji—Shikamaru—Kiba 2**

**Karin— Suigetsu 7—Gaara—Sasuke**

**Hinata— Naruto 6—Kiba 2**

**Ino— Sai 5—Kiba—Chōji 2**

**Tenten— Neji—Kankuro 4—Sasuke 2**

**Temari— Shikamaru 6—Itachi**

**Mei— Zabuza 2 (who else could be with Mei?)**

**Should it just be final now?**

**Oh yeah, I'd love some fan art please **

**Page 28**


	48. Chapter 48

**There is a reason**

Chapter 48: the land of Tea's race

Koomahana

**Fubuki was 10 when she met Sakura & 11 when she was taken to the leaf village**

**Tayuya was 8 when she met Sakura & 9 when she was taken to the leaf village**

**Sakura was 3 when she was taken and returned to the leaf village**

**Yagura was 20 when he first met Sakura and 21 when he returned to his body.**

**Yagura is 17 years older then Sakura, ten years older then Fubuki and 12 years older then Tayuya**

**Fubuki is 7 years older than Sakura and 2 years older then Tayuya**

**Tayuya is 5 years older than Sakura**

**Fubuki was a genin at 12, Chunin at 14 and Jonin at 16**

**Tayuya was a genin at 12, Chunin at 13 ½ and Jonin at 16**

**They are now:**

**Yagura is now 29 years old—Mizukage—deceased**

**Fubuki is now 19 years old—Jonin for three years (Same age as Shisui—Anbu—and Shikan—Jonin)**

**Tayuya is now 17 years old—Jonin for one year (Same age as Itachi—Anbu—and Hana—Jonin and Kimimaro—Chunin)**

**Sakura is now 12 years old—Genin (Same as Naruto, Sasuke, Karin, Suigetsu and Haku)**

**Okay so I'm going to be doing something really confusing in this chapter, I typically have thoughts italicized and the shared thoughts are underlined. Well multiple people will be sharing thoughts and since I'm not going to bother with naming them, I'm just going to color code them, okay?**

**I hope that makes sense**

**Kitsune—fox (Naruto)**

**Taka—hawk (Sasuke)**

**Suinen—water flame (Idate)**

**Onibana—demon flower (Sakura)**

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

"_speaking over a radio_"

_Shared thoughts_

…

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><p>…<p>

Sakura stretched her shoulder as she and her team walked with Idate through the little village called 'Snakecoast' on the edge of land of Spindrift. It was a small farming village and fairly charming, the people peaceful and kind. However...

"Please, stop!" a man shouted in a panic "I don't have anything else!"

"I said no!" a woman shouted, holding tightly onto her child, her back turned to the man trying to take said child

"Sasuke, Naruto," Sakura said evenly, turning to examine a little boutique with cute little figurines. "These prices are insane," Sakura sighed, ignoring the loud ruckus her teammates were making and the panic shout of the shopkeeper beside her, trying to keep the boys from getting hurt. Hearing one of her boys shout, Sakura turned to examine Naruto first. Naruto was busy arguing with a grown man, both hands caught up with the older man's wrists, trying to get him to understand what he was saying and his purpose for being there. Turning her eyes, Sakura examined Sasuke.

She blinked for a moment at the sight of her still teammate and the wobbly looking smirks of the two Furuya clan's men, their one friend on the ground.

"That'll teach you to mess with us," the one commented

"Yeah," the other slurred, stooping with his friend to lift their knocked out comrade, "You'd better have learned your lesson." Sasuke watched the three men for a moment before he cracked his knuckles threateningly, the two men still standing stiffened then ran as if the hounds of hell were on their heals.

"Nice job Sasuke," Sakura smiled at him, turning to look back at Naruto who now had the man and woman's undivided attention.

"You weren't even watching," Sasuke frowned at her

"The figurines are cute," Sakura replied, pointing over a the little boutique she was examining a moment ago

"You and the damned Sanin," Sasuke sighed, "I swear Sakura, that's an unhealthy obsession."

"It's hardly an obsession," Sakura commented lazily, "I was just looking at the prices." Rolling his eyes, Sasuke discreetly examined the prices while Sakura moved to help Naruto with the 'couple'. Sakura heard Sasuke curse under his breath as he saw the priceless then, some grumbling as he looked at everything else in the little shop.

"You guys are weird," Idate commented, watching Naruto and Sakura speak with the 'couple', calming them both down and even getting the little kid to giggle which earned a smile from the mother.

"Should've seen us when we were younger," Sasuke retorted, "Naruto was hell-of-a lot worse and Sakura was a wise a**."

"A wise a**?" Idate asked dumbly, he's heard of a 'smart a**' but not a 'wise a**'

"Yeah," Sasuke smirked as Naruto and Sakura shared a laugh, turning away from the couple and moving back towards them. "It was like she had two souls, the wise old woman and the shy young girl, she was constantly switching between the two." _Like she couldn't decide who to be..._

_That didn't make sense_, Idate thought with a depressed sigh, _But I think I understand... how dose that work?_

"Idate-san," Sakura called, moving to a stop in front of him, "Do you know much about this race?"

"Of course I do," Idate replied as if insulted, "everyone in the village dose." Team 7 shared an unsure look, as if they were suddenly reading each other's minds. "What?" Idate asked, "What is it now?"

"Our purpose is to protect you," Sasuke said, "With our unknown enemy knowing more about this race then we do..."

"This mission just got a whole lot harder," Naruto sighed, "Do we send a message back to the village for back up?"

"You're thinking about that _now_?" Idate asked exasperated

"We'll need to know everything you know," Sakura replied instead, shaking her head at Naruto with a thoughtful expression, "Everything from the course, the time, the weather—everything you can think of."

"Huh? But—"

"It's so we can plan ahead," Sasuke interrupted, "We'll need to with the possibility of a Jonin on this mission."

"Aw man! Not another Jonin!" Naruto whined, "We couldn't handle a chunin last time!"

"Quiet Naruto," Sakura hissed, glancing over her shoulder, "You're drawing attention."

"But—"

"We need to get back to Wakamoto estate," Sakura interrupted, "_Now_." Idate couldn't question her, she wasn't even looking at him, Naruto and Sasuke swept forward and grabbed both of his arms, hauling him away from Sakura faster then he could process what they were doing. Spinning on her foot and kicking up a lot of dust, Sakura swept through the crowed around her with the aid of the wind she kicked up from her quick spin. She immanently sent senbon in the hidden contraption in her sleeves, the little weapons slamming into several of Furuya's men's toes. Sakura jumped high in the air and through two kunai to either side of herself, one was rigged and she was quick to retreat when she saw that the team following them blocked her weapons and quickly jumped away as well. Sakura frowned slightly as she fell back to the earth, landing onto a power line and sliding to a halt on top of it, crouched low like a cat ready to pounce.

"You're smart," a tall man commented, appearing before her, both of them ignored the startled screaming and shouting from below, the civilians watching them in aw and horror.

"You're dirt," Sakura replied calmly, still crouching lowly, looking as if she wasn't comfortable with standing fifty feet in the air while on a thin electric wire.

"Now that's just rude," the man commented, Sakura didn't move from her place, her eyes locked onto his gray and black water suite and the umbrella he held to hid his face from her—well everything but his smirk. "Didn't the leaf teach you any manners?"

"One way to find out," Sakura retorted, eyes flickering behind her, feeling the dip in the wire as one of the other genin landed on the wire, black eyes fixated on her in a fierce glare.

"Well I'm disappointed Haruno-san," the man commented; Sakura's attention was instantly on him, eyes narrowed and face passive. "You showed better manners in the chunin exam, I thought you'd follow your big sister Fubuki but it looks like you favor Tayuya."

"...For you to speak so familiarly of my sisters," Sakura started slowly, mind working as she slowly moved to stand at her full height, "Tells me that you know them on a personal level..."

"Hmm, you could say that," the man's smirk seemed to grow, as if mocking her

"You wouldn't happen to be a leaf nuke-nin, by any chance?" Sakura asked, relaxing on the wire, crossing her arms and putting all her weight on her back leg, "'cause that'd explain _so_ much." It was a long shot and she highly doubted—the man's smirk turned into a frown. Sakura's eyes narrowed on the older man's lips, internally cussing up a storm that'd make Tayuya proud. The last thing her team needed was a Jonin of the hidden leaf working against them, was common knowledge that leaf Jonin weren't to be sniffed at. Each were unique and talented in their own field of expertise, so far this man hasn't shown her any level of skill that any genin worth his salt couldn't do.

"Heh," the man's lips tilted into another smile, this one looking a little forced, "You're as smart as your sisters."

"Have you ever seen a vengeful Tayuya?" Sakura asked curiously, ignoring how the man tilted his umbrella up just enough to let her see his nearly black-green eyes, "I have, I learned from that experience too."

"And just what did you learn?" the man asked, his eyes narrowing at her into a glare

"Never show your hand," Sakura smirked, puffing out of existence. "It spells disaster," the man's eyes widened at the soft whisper in his ear, he saw nothing but his world was starting to spin out of control, forcing him to slam his hands together.

"Kai!" the whispering from below ended abruptly, all three of his students were standing in front of him, he was standing in an alleyway instead of on top of a wire...

"Heh," he smirked, crossing his arms and turning to look around the corner of the building in amusement, dark green eyes glowing in amusement. _She's nothing like her sisters, no favoritism at all_

"Sensei?" he looked down at his students, raising a curious eyebrow at their concern looks

"What is it?" he asked gruffly, his smirk falling

"Did you know that girl?" the one with bound eyes asked curiously

"I know her sisters," He replied calmly, turning to look back out at the street crawling with people, "They're dangerous."

"Like you?" the one with one eye asked, tilting his head to the side

"I wouldn't be on their level if I trained non-stop for a hundred years," he replied, "Their skill? That's not trainable, that's all kinds of genetics coming out to play."

"Dose that make her a threat?" his last student asked seriously, two dark eyes regarding him calmly

"Honestly? I have no clue," He answered truthfully, "the Haruno clan is like a box of chocolates," his smirk returned and he chuckled the last part out as if he couldn't help himself, "You never know what you're going to get."

…

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><p>…<p>

"We're safe," Sasuke grunted sliding to a stop a dozen or so feet away from the gates leading to Wakamoto's estate, "he just cancelled my genjutsu."

"I just got my clone's memories," Sakura agreed bobbing her head and letting Sasuke move to pull one of her arms over his shoulder, "You were right Naruto."

"I was?" the blond asked curiously as they moved back into a dead sprint

"Yeah, they have a Jonin with them," Sakura yawned, "an ex-leaf member too."

"How do you know?" Idate asked skeptically

"I asked and he has a tell," Sakura answered calmly, not insulted by his tone of voice. "We'd better double our efforts when we get back to the estate. The room we'll be in needs to be booby-trapped too, the last thing we need is him or one of his genin to try and listen in on us."

"Oi, what about master Jiro's men?" Idate asked with a frown, "Wouldn't they get hurt by those traps of yours?"

"No," Sakura replied, "I'll leave that all up to Naruto and Sasuke. In the mean time I need to rest and you need to inform Jiro-san and his men not to go near the room we'll be using."

"The last thing we need is to end up hurting one of his men because we thought he was an enemy," Sasuke replied, adjusting his hold on Sakura.

"So when are we going to be doing this?" Idate asked with a sigh

"As soon as we get back," Sakura answered, "the more time we spend planning the more plans we'll be able to come up with in case of emergencies."

"I have a question," Idate asked suddenly, looking over at Sakura and Sasuke pointedly, "How long have you three been shinobi?"

"Hmm, I'd say about five, six months" Naruto answered with a thoughtful expression, his face pinching together like a clay mold that fell off it's pedestal.

"You're a little off Naruto," Sasuke drawled, "as usual your math sucks and your memory is even worse"

"Hay!"

"About six and half months," Sakura sighed in exasperation, trying to prevent a fight from breaking out

"I was actually leaning towards eight but I suppose you have an excuse," Sasuke rolled his eyes. "We'll be Genin for eight months on the dot tomorrow."

"That means we'd be genin for a full year when we get back to the village!" Naruto shouted excitedly, eyes shinning brightly. Sakura and Sasuke shared a look before sighing together, as if they knew he was wrong but weren't up to correcting him.

_I'm doomed,_ Idate thought, fighting the urge to cry as he ran back to the estate, _I'm gonna end up dyeing with clueless brats!_

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"You serious?" she asked, brow twitching at the group standing in front of her, "Again? Haven't we done this enough for one day?"

"We don't have time to discuss this," the white haired boy beside her replied just as calmly, face not even twitching at the complaint, "You know what you have to do, Karin."

"I know, I know," Karin sighed, rubbing at her brow in a mixture of agitation and the need to sleep, "but seriously, we've sent ahead three other teams, all of whom carrying my look-a-like. Do we really need to send one more?"

"It doesn't hurt to be careful," Haku advised, trying to smile reassuringly at her

"I get that Haku but why you?" Karin asked with a huff, crossing her arms, "I get that you look a like a girl and even went so far as to dye your hair for this, but you can't seriously think that it'll work."

"Not without you painting a seal on me," Haku agreed easily, "Come on Karin, we'll get you to safety but you have to belief in us. The other three teams were Jonin class and they specialize in attack not infiltration and they only _look_ like you. None of them actually know how to_ act_ like you—I do."

"To an extent," Karin replied with an unbelieving look at her once brunet teammate, "Fine I'll put a seal on you but don't get grossed out and what ever you do, _don't_ fight it. It's complicated and agitating and uncomfortable in every meaning of the word."

"Just out of curiosity, is this going to be painful?" Haku asked as he turned to enter the cave with Karin; they had stopped on the small island before separating again for the night, in the morning they'd both head in different directions.

"Properly," Karin answered with a shrug, "Its all theory, I'm just making this one up on the fly."

_That sounds comforting_, Haku felt a led ball settle in the pit of his stomach

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

She paused mid step, sharp eyes taking in the too still surroundings of the land of fields. She had been to this land many times before and never had she come to it in complete silence, it had always been lively with a bugs and birds and other noisy creatures.

"Wait," She called to her teammate's, flipping long crimson hair over her shoulder, crimson eyes sharpening in on a clump of grass, "Something isn't—LOOK OUT!" Her call was too late; the sky rained impossibly sharp weapons and screams echoed in the air. She and a few others tried to retreat but a serge of water from behind pushed their boat in land, stranding them to their attackers

"Hime run!" She watched as her teammate blocked an attack with a snarl, "Get to Konoha!"

"Right!" She didn't want to leave them but she knew her job, "I'll get help!"

Her teammate's covered her, bulldozing a path strait into fire country, few followed to keep her safe

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

They growled as they heard the screams, sprinting into action and racing forward, eager to help their friends

Only they couldn't, that wasn't their mission

Sliding to a halt, they all stared long and hard at the suddenly silent shoreline, gritting their teeth the team moved and raced through the southern tip of fire country, knowing their mission and not willing to fail their new Kage

They will never fail their Kage again

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

They were the last team, the last distraction for the walking treaty. They were to come in from the other end of the land of seas, the portion controlled by fire country. They were met with a single Anbu, strange but not unheard of, they moved further into fire country, gritting their teeth at the screaming from land of Field's shore line, being but a scant thousand miles, the sounds carried far. They moved silently, gritting their teeth with the need—the want to protect their own, but they can't leave their mission objective.

After all, none of them actually knew if the red haired girl traveling with them was the real one or not, the only ones who knew was the red head and the well trained kunochi taking her place.

In case they had the walking treaty, they had to continue their mission objective

They had to get her to Konoha and pray not to get caught

"Watch out!"

A thousand kunai rained from above

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"I don't like this," Karin sighed, painting her bloody seals onto Haku's back and chest, running her bloody fingers down his arms and legs, running it through his long hair and over his girly face, careful of his eyes. "What if something happens?"

"Don't get scared on me _now_," Haku replied, ignoring the fine trembling his organs were doing, as if they could vibrate out of him if they did it long enough, "You need to be strong or you won't get home."

"I know," Karin said softly, stepping back to examine her work, trying hard not to blush at her best friend standing in nothing but his black boxers. "It's just that... what if it doesn't work? What if I can't undo it? What if—"

"What if Suigetsu suddenly stopped talking? What if Kimimaro suddenly smiled?" Haku shot back, Karin shivered at the thought, "we don't know if we don't try."

"Okay," Karin took a few more steps back, regarding Haku carefully, worriedly, "Are you sure with this? What if I can't remove the seals? What if it's permanent?"

"Eh," Haku shrugged carelessly, ignoring the worried black pit in his stomach, "Zabuza-sensei claimed I was a girl in a past life, might as well try it out and see how it goes."

"Haku," Karin said in a reprimanding tone

Haku just smiled back at her, "it'll be okay. Positive something is better then negative nothing,"

Karin tried to smile at the familiar saying, she really did try but tears threatened her sight

"Uzu style: mirror image," She took a deep breath, her blood on Haku's pale skin glowing hauntingly, "perfect twin jutsu... activate"

The cave filled with a blinding light and filled with a deafening humming

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

_I hope this works_, she thought pulling the red ribbon tight in her hair, smiling as the bells on the ends jingled cheerfully back to her. She deftly pulled her long blue-gray sleeves back with a white rob in practiced ease, smiling in thanks when her aunt quickly tied the knot for her and slipped on a hood of bells in the back for her.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" her aunt asked handing her a heavy tray of left over food from their dinner

"Yes," she smiled at the older woman, trying her best to ignore her own nerves, "They were concerned with hurting an alley so I figured if I wear bells they'd be able to hear me clearly and investigate before they try to attack."

"I hope you're right," the old woman replied walking with her until they got to the end of the hall where their guests would be staying until the beginning of the race, which started at dawn the next morning.

"I'll be fine," She smiled again, adjusted her hold on the heavy tray and moved with practiced ease down the hall, more then glade when the bells in her hair and the ones on her back rang cheerfully down the hall, alerting their guests to her presences. She knew they had been in there basically since they arrived, which had been six in the morning, where they had then gone for the morning run to the village with Idate only to return twenty minutes later and had immanently shut all four of themselves into said room. To her knowledge, none of them had left since they arrived, Jiro-sama had explained to them that the shinobi had set up several traps to protect against the enemy shinobi and that the genin didn't want to hurt any of them so he had requested for them to stay away from the room the gusts were using.

_Okay_, she paused half way down the hall, adjusting her hold again on the large platter, looking down at her feet just to make sure she wouldn't trip—that would be embarrassing. _Lets not get riddled with knifes and needles eh? Deep breaths, deep breaths..._

"Shinobi-sans, my name is Akane Koizumi and I'll be your server while you remain here," she took a deep breath and listened to the darkened hall carefully, the soft sounds she had heard earlier had stilled, giving the dark hall an almost haunting feel. At the very far end of the hall she could make out a little bit of candle light coming from an even smaller crack in the door, as if someone had opened it just enough to hear sound in the hall.

"Akane?" a familiar boyish voice down the hall called, perking her attention instantly "What are you doing here?"

"I came to give you four dinner," Akane answered, adjusting her hold again, her arms getting tiered from the weight she was carrying, "I know you've all been here since—"

_Slam_

Akane jumped slightly at the sound of the hall wall slamming open, letting in the bright moonlight to light up the hall and blind her in the same move. Before she could think of getting the platter straightened again, another pair of arms was lifting the tray out of her hold carefully.

"Don't move," a feminine voice ordered; Akane stilled her body automatically, her eyes rounding and locking in on the kunochi standing in front of her. The pretty pink haired girl smiled slightly at her, Akane couldn't decide if the moonlight made the younger girl look like a ghost or like an angle. Smoothly, like a trickling stream, the kunochi carefully removed the tray from her hands and stepped away from her, ducking to the side to reveal her dark haired teammate.

"She's a servant," the dark haired boy said, crimson eyes returning to his previous Onex black, "No techniques were used on her."

"Got it," the girl bobbed her head slightly, moving further away, "Get her out of there."

"Don't move," the boy ordered stepping forward purposefully and wrapping his arms around Akane's waist. Before the brunet could ask her question, she felt the wind get knocked out of her. The world tilted dangerously, the wind whipped at her face and throat threatening to yank out a scream, her feet were dangling in the air uselessly, her fingers were clutching at the black sleeves of the boy but a the same time they were clasping at air.

As sudden as the feeling came, it stopped

"Akane?" she coughed hoarsely, feeling a pair of arms wrap around her shoulders as if holding her up from the ground she was suddenly sitting on. "Are you alright?" she looked up at the familiar boyish voice, glade to find herself staring into worried chocolate orbs.

"I-Idate-san," Akane said softly, "Wh-what happened?" she looked around herself, only to see that she wasn't in the hall, she was sitting in the courtyard that the hall sat beside.

"Sorry for frightening you," the pink haired girl said, drawing Akane's attention to her, "You nearly stepped on a vary dangerous trap. What were you thinking coming down that hallway? Didn't you get the memo to leave our room be?"

"We-well yes, but..." Akane trailed off in a tone of worry, a glance up at Idate told her to continue, "You haven't eaten all day... I-I was worried..."

"The only thing that saved you from getting hurt were those bells you're wearing," the black haired boy commented, pulling himself onto his feet and pressing one hand to his head, as if he had a headache. "You're lucky we heard them, otherwise you'd be minced meat."

"Hay Teme calm down," Naruto grumbled at him with a frown on his face, "It's not like you posted a warning or anything."

"I shouldn't have to dube," Sasuke bit back with a glare, "its conmen sense to avoid a Shinobi's dwelling incase of traps!"

"It is?" Akane asked in confusion

"Apparently not," the girl sighed, placing one hand on her hip. "Listen here Koizumi-san," the girl leaned towards Akane with a tone of voice that warned of a lecture, "From now on, if you want to do something for us, like bringing food or drinks or info or whatever, come to our room through the garden. Knock on the screen three times, say your name and open the screen. One of us will be standing on the other side waiting for you to hand over or tell us what ever is on your mind—understand?"

"Yes Kunochi-san," Akane bobbed her head in understanding

"And don't forget your bells," The blonde one grinned cheekily at her, "that's a great bonus for us too!"

"I won't forget them," Akane smiled, "Would you three like it if I informed the other staff members to do the same? This way you needn't worry about an enemy Vs a civilian."

"That's very perceptive of you Koizumi-san," the girl smiled at her, "yes that would be nice as well, please do so."

"I-I will," Akane smiled, pulling herself to her feet with Idate's help, "Now then, would you mind if I carried that?"

"Carry what?" Sakura asked dumbly, only to look down at the heavy tray in her arms, "Oh! This? No that's okay, I've got it, thank you anyways."

"It's no problem," Akane smiled at her, "I thought eating just before the race would be okay for you, will you four really be ready for it?"

"We should be," the girl said thoughtfully, "Wait, what do you mean 'just before'? Just when is the race starting?"

"At dawn," Akane answered, as if it was obvious, "In five hours... didn't you know?"

"We do now," the black haired boy said with a pointed look at a sheepish looking Idate

"Thank you Koizumi-san," the girl sighed, rising to rub at her temple with a heavy sigh, "If that's all, you can leave now."

"Oh yes, okay," Akane moved to walk away, only to pause mid step and blanch at her surroundings, eyes moving to carefully inspect her path back to the house.

"Oh" Akane turned at the giggle, blinking curiously at the chuckling pinkette. "My apologies Koizumi-san," the girl chuckled at her, amusement dancing in her emerald eyes, "You're free to walk through the garden, there aren't any traps here, you're safe."

"Ah, I see, Thank you!" Akane giggled to herself, moving to jog away from the shinobi protecting her friend

_I hope tomorrow will be a good day,_ Akane thought as she stepped up onto the porch and turned to look back at the leaf ninja with a smile, _They will need it most of all._

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

The next day

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

They all straightened at the sound of footsteps emanating from the blackened cave, they turned and watched as two perfectly identical red haired girls stepped out and regarded them coolly. They wore the same uniform but in different colors: a zip up shirt with bell sleeves that ended at her wrists, a skirt that was split up either side of their thighs, revealing black spandex shorts and a kunai pouch and matching Onex boots with little heals made to do some damage should they land in someone's thigh. The red head on the left had a dark green top and a black skirt while the right one had a dark purple top and a black skirt, both girls' top and skirts were out line in bright golden leaves.

"Ladies," the oldest Jonin smiled at the twins, "Please pick your team and we'll get going." The sisters glanced at each other from behind their glasses rimmed crimson eyes and nodded, both moving in different directions without a second look at each other.

_Don't forget to keep the seal charged but not active,_ a soft feminine voice whispered in the back one red head's mind, without the knowledge of everyone else as the two teams burst into dead sprints heading in different directions.

_I won't_, Haku thought back, already getting the hang of the communication seal

"Something wrong?" Haku twitched at the low voice of one of the chunin accompanying him

"Nothing, why?" he asked back, Karin's soft voice echoing out his mouth like some kind mocking reminder

"You're smiling," the chunin replied

"And that's cause for concern?" the thought was brief and he hadn't meant to say it out loud but it's not like he could take it back. The chunin snorted and moved to catch up with his teammate's, it was agreed that Karin was supposed to with this team because the enemy would assume she'd follow her normal teammate's but they switched at the last moment. Having Karin's sensing ability was a little strange but he was quickly getting used to it, the second they stepped out of the cave he knew there was something wrong with this team and Karin couldn't deny it either. So they had switched at the last moment, the communication seal had been placed just before they left so they had been able to communicate and adjust their plan accordingly.

_How're things on your end?_ Karin asked silently

_We're moving,_ Haku replied, his mind sounding like his own voice instead of hers (that would've been a little too much for him).

_Towards Fire?_

_I don't know,_ Haku confessed, observing his surroundings carefully, _I can't tell from my current place meant..._

_If they attack you—_

_I know, I'll try not to use my ice style_

_No... I think you might be able to use my chains_, Haku was quiet as he thought about that possibility, it'd be really cool but it looked like it did a lot of damage to Nira.

_Isn't that dangerous?_ Haku asked as he focused on observing his new teammate's

_Yes and no__,_ Karin agreed, _yes because they won't hold back on you, no because you'll be able to summon me and I can fight with you._

_What about the team you're with?_ Haku thought, _Kimimaro and Suigetsu would go nuts if you suddenly disappeared_

_Don't worry, I already put the same seal on them that I placed on you,_ Karin reassured

_If that's the case, if they are traitors why don't you just summon me?_ Haku asked

_...because I didn't think that fare ahead__,_ Karin sighed, _I guess it's a good thing I used a two way summoning seal on you, hah?_

_I sure hope so,_ Haku thought as he stiffened, his new sensing ability warning him that there were several strong signatures a head of him, _Because I think I'm in trouble_

_What kind of trouble?_

_Either they're traitors like we thought or we're unknowingly going head first into the enemy army_

Haku could feel Karin's chakra flinch at his though, already know that she could practically see and feel everything he saw and felt.

_I'm summoning you__,_ Karin said, _They've had their chance_

_But then they'll know which way to go for you_, Haku tried to reason, "Oi, I thought we were going to fire nation?"

"We are," the Jonin replied calmly, "this is the most direct route"

_The hell it is, who's leading you?_

_Some chunin that feels hell creepy_

_Weird brunet guy?_

_Uh-huh_

_I'm summoning you, don't argue_

_No, not yet_

_Why?_

_Because they know the exact path you'll take to Konoha, if you're going to summon me now then they'll only gather up their army and head straight for you._

_Great so we're going to get obliterated no matter what we do_

_Not necessarily_

_What are you planning?_

_I can take out a few on my own... it won't be easy and I'll need you to summon me before I get seriously hurt but..._

_That's to dangerous!_

_But it'll cut our enemies number down some, they'll think twice before charging us again_

_I don't like it_

_You don't have to like it,_ Haku thought, taking a deep breath and jumping out of the trees, following his teammate's example, _with your power and mine combined I'll be able to put one hell of a dent in their forces_

_I'm seeing what you're seeing,_ her voice sounded small and afraid in the back of his mind, _no one can handle an army by themselves..._

_I can at least try..._ Haku's eyes narrowed as the creepy chunin in front of him suddenly shifted into a strange two-headed creature and killed the Jonin leading them. _We've been betrayed..._

Karin was right, her bloodline activated and he could feel the golden chains bursting into life around him

_Our course is changing, we're moving through river country before moving into sand_

He could see the chains slamming down onto the ground, keeping him suspended in the air, observing the army before him

_You're taking the extreme long range rout hah?_

There were still a few of the previous team's survivors, they swarmed him instantly, protecting him from sound shinobi attacking them

_I'll summon you soon_

There was no way he could protect all ten of the survivors, including the three-transformed kunochi's, Karin's memory of a teleportation seal echoed in the back of his mind

_Good thing they don't know about that little suggestion_

He gathered all of them up into a golden chain and slammed a hand down on the surface, sending his allies straight to his teammate's.

_Stay safe..._

He heard laughter from his enemies but they didn't see the chains beneath the earth, forming a giant seal that would completely destroy their current feeling of triumph

_I'll see you in the leaf_

He disappeared from sight and his enemies screamed as his hidden seal activated and ended their life...

_oh no..._

At least, that was what was supposed to happen...

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

She stood tall and straight in the crowd, eyes sharp as she regarded the large crowd surrounding her and her team. They had discussed multiple plans the previous day, the pros and cons of each rout taken, the amount of time taken for each rout and the possibility of a storm coming—which was common this time of year. She stood at her place beside Idate, watching each person nearby with wrapped attention, her face smoothed of emotion; her out fit hadn't been changed but her hair had been pulled back into a thick braid and then pulled further into a bun, covered in beads dangling from lethal senbon. Her arms were crossed in front of her, her hands hidden inside her sleeves; her headband that she once wore atop her head was barely hidden out of view, stationed just inside her thick belt that kept her dress closed.

"Um, Kunochi-san," she turned to the common name given to her by the villagers, her eyes locking in on a worried looking Jiro immanently, "Is there something wrong? You look... kind of pensive? Worried?"

"Ah," she let her face soften into a friendly smile, "nothing to worry about Wakamoto-san. I was just observing my surroundings."

"I see, did you find anything that'll be a danger to you?" he asked, head tilting to the side curiously. Sakura smirked and glanced over her shoulder at the Furuya clans men, eyes looking in on the grow man with the three teens standing at attention directly behind him.

_No matter the disguise, a keen eye can always pick out the shinobi in a crowd of civilians,_ Sakura recited her academy teacher's daily saying. "Nothing I can't take out." She could see the three genin stiffen at her words, making her smirk widen in amusement. She once had to disguise herself to hid from _both_ of her sisters at one point or another, not only had they memorized her chakra signature (forcing her to learn how to suppress it the hard way), they had also been training for their Jonin tests respectfully. One of the requirements of a Jonin was to spot a shinobi disguised as a civilian. So they did what every other 'genius' dose: use their younger academy attending sibling as a practice dummy.

Short version? Sakura learned how to hide in plain sight very well

Even shorter version? Sakura's sisters don't play nice

"I see," Jiro said, sounding like he couldn't decide weather or not that was a good thing

"Relax Wakamoto-san," Sakura turned her full attention onto him, smiling reassuringly at him, "We of team seven, can handle anything thrown our way."

"For your sake I hope you're right," Jiro sighed, "where are your teammates?"

"Hmm," Sakura turned her full attention onto the older man, her face slipping into her well-practiced smile that would usually put her enemy off-guard. "They're picking out the shinobi enemy as we speak," Sakura answered, her smile growing at the nervous twitching of the four-chakra signatures behind her. "I'm kidding Jiro-san," Sakura giggled, seeing the older man's face twit into a worried frown, "Naruto ate too much too fast last night so now he's feeling a little sick, Sasuke stayed behind to make sure he can catch up."

"Is it really so wise for you to be split up like this?" Jiro asked

"I may not look like it sir, but both of my older sisters are Jonin and they've never held back in their obsession with training me," Sakura replied calmly. "There is no need to worry about what I can and cannot do, I'll be able to protect Idate-san just fine until my teammate's can catch up."

"Just how are they supposed to find you?" Jiro asked, "What if they don't get here before the race starts?"

"Oh they won't be meeting me here," Sakura answered, tilting her head to the side innocently, "but to satisfy your curiosity, we each hold a tracking devise." Sakura held up her wrist to show the plain thin silver band with three little charms that she was talking about, "Each of these charms is filled with our chakra signatures; each of us has a slightly different looking charm as the charm representing ourselves wouldn't be needed on our own bracelet. Get it?"

"I think so," Jiro sighed

"Ne~ Sakura-san do you want me to slow down so you can keep up?" Idate asked with a cocky smirk

"Are you wearing your weights?" Sakura asked evenly

"Of course,"

"Then get ready," Sakura smirked back at Idate, "because you're not removing them and if you do I'll put you six feet under and if you fail in your task of coming in first I'll defiantly put you six feet under."

"Yes ma'am," Idate looked petrified

"Runners get ready!" a neutral judge called, his voice echoing in the still morning air

"Idate," Jiro and Sakura said at the same time

"I know," Idate was already moving forward, "Sakura course B."

"Right," Sakura disappeared from sight, reappearing over the large Tori gate that led to the boats that would be used for the first portion of the race.

"Jiro-sama," Idate turned in his spot and smiled at his master, "I won't let you down!"

"Ready!" Idate crouched, not even glancing at the man to his right, who harped coldly at him

"GO!"

Idate and his competitor ran so fast dust was kicked up in their wake, Idate smirked and the moment he got half way to the boats from the gate, he took a hard left turn and seemed to run even faster then before. His competitor figured he was running away from the race and so kept up his run to his own boat, the shinobi his uncle had hired were quick to separate, the Jonin landing behind him easily.

"Those of the Snakecoast village hear me!" Sakura's voice bellowed in the morning air, making everyone stiffen and turn, staring in transfixed awe of the pink haired girl standing above the gate as if she were some kind of queen. "The fire of the hidden leaf stands tall and endless!" as if to make a point the wind blew, stirring up her hair and robes, making her appear to be a woman made from fire herself, "once a fire is born, the darkness retreats in fear! Do not forget! We of the country of fire will shatter the darkness plequeing you!"

In a burst of fire and embers Sakura Haruno disappeared in a fantastic show of her country's name

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

As it turns out, using Karin's bloodline with his own was a really bad idea

_Haku..._

_Heh, turns out you're stronger then me_

_Don't go..._

_It's too late_

_No, you promised!_

_I'm sorry..._

His world turned black and the team remaining laughed shrilly at their success—Karin wasted no time in summoning Haku, pissing off the remaining team

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"Kitsune, Taka can you hear me?" Sakura asked, pressing one hand against her throat were her hidden mike sat, disguised as a choker with a pretty blue pendent. They had gone over the options of code names, Sasuke was hell bent on being named Taka (hawk), Naruto ended up being Kitsune (much to Sasuke's amusement and Naruto's disappointment), Idate had been nick-named Suinen (Water flame) and Sakura had be named—

"_Loud and clear Onibana,_" Sasuke's voice sounded in her ear

"_Your speech was awesome Nee-chan,_" Naruto's voice sounded next, full of excitement and joy, "_can you teach me how to disappear like you? That was awesome!_"

"Not now Kitsune," Sakura replied, "Where are you?"

"_Taka is at check point A,_" Sasuke replied, sounding as if he was suppressing laughter

"Taka..." Sakura said lowly, her brow ticking wildly "I will _enjoy_ killing you."

"_What? You don't like your name?_" Idate's voice sounded next, "_you named me water flame for crying out loud, I call it Karma_."

"Suinen, Karma was me smashing your face with your own weights," Sakura hissed

"_Oh come on Nee-chan_," Naruto's voice shifted and Sakura found herself turning to look at Naruto as he appeared at her side, running beside her with a mischievous smirk in place, "Demon flower fits you pretty good!"

"DIE!"

"Kyaa!"

…

"This is going to be a long mission," Sasuke sighed over the line, it sounded as if Idate had agreed with him but the young Sharingan wielder could only make out the words 'my', 'painful' and 'death'.

"Young man are your friends nearby?" he turned at the soft sound of the old boatman that would supply Idate with his ride over the ocean to his destination on the island where he needed to be. As if in answer to the old man's question, there was a loud noise in the distance and suddenly there was something dark flying towards them

"You might want to move," Sasuke drawled, dropping his eyes to the road and searching for the dark blur that should've been rushing towards them, "Three steps back just to be safe." The old man ran back to his house's door, flinching when the dark screaming blur landed into a skidding halt, carving out a five-foot divot in the earth.

"_What did Onibana do to Kitsune?_" Idate asked over the wavelength

"_Not now you three stooges!_" Sakura's voice hissed over the radio, "_Taka summon me!_"

"You in some kind of trouble?" Sasuke asked, ignoring the bantering between the old man and Naruto, "I thought you could handle it?"

"_Three genjutsu users who happen to work together PERFECTLY is hardly something to sniff at!_" Sakura replied, "_I'm caught in a double layered genjutsu and I'm too damn lazy to break it. Just summon me so we can get moving already._"

"What about Suinen?" Sasuke asked, "He with you?" the silence on the other end of the line did not reassure him

"_Suinen_," Sakura's voice was low and dark, "_I told you to keep up with Kitsune!_"

"_How do you expect me to keep up with a commit?!_" Idate asked in return, his voice full of agitation

"_Stop moving Suinen!_" Sakura ordered, ignoring the jab, "_I'll get to you but you mustn't move!_"

"_I can break this genjutsu on my own!_" Idate snapped

"_What part of 'double layer Genjutsu' do you not understand?!_" Sakura asked, making Sasuke and Naruto flinch at the volume of her voice, "_you can dispel the first layer but if you don't dispel the second you'll end up with your own death!_"

"_So what's stopping me from dispelling them both?!_" Idate asked, forcing Naruto and Sasuke to remove their earpieces to save their own hearing

"_Because it's a double layer Genjutsu you idiot!_" Sakura bellowed back, "_Double layer Genjutsu's specialize in giving out a false exit that leads you to another genjutsu that'll actually lead you to your own death! Get it now?! If you don't know what you're doing you'll only end up dead!_"

"Suinen," Sasuke called into his mike softly, "Stop arguing and do as she says. If you don't you won't have to worry about the shinobi the Furuya clan hired because it'll be Sakura who's going to kill you."

"_Fine_," Idate's voice sounded sullen, "_When are you going to catch up?_"

"_Give me a moment to kill the little brat who just tried to turn me into a pin cushion_," Sakura growled back

"Sakura forget them," Sasuke ordered, only to curse as he realized his mistake, "Get to Idate—I mean—_damn it!_ Just forget about them!"

"_Fine_," Sakura pouted at him, "_It'll take me three minutes to reach him_." Sasuke sighed in relief, Sakura rarely decided to listen to his orders, always finding something to nullify the order or pointing something vital out to him.

"So," Sasuke turned to look at the little old man standing just behind a sulking Naruto, who was rubbing painfully at his new-looking red bump, "When are your friends going to get here?"

"As soon Sakura catches up with Idate, we'll summon them both here," Sasuke replied, "it'll force the team pursuing them to retreat to their Jonin instructor, considering they won't be able to follow our tracks here."

"Then take my boat there," the old man replied, pointing to a surprisingly small boat just a few feet behind Sasuke. "She's small but she's fast. Her bottom is rounded so that water moves around her instead of coming to a dead stop, plus her sails are the biggest, with the storm raging south the winds will circle back here and push you even faster to Nagi Island."

"Got it, Naruto!" Sasuke ordered turning to move towards the indicated boat with Naruto close behind

"_Taka Summon Idate now!_" Sasuke was already pulling his scroll out from his back pocket and opening it before he bothered to question the order

"Where are you?" Sasuke asked as he applied chakra to the large integrate human summoning seal in front of him

"_A little busy with the pesky brats!_" Sakura retorted, a huge burst of white smoke puffed into existence in front of Sasuke, "_do you have him?!_"

"Got him!" Sasuke replied, catching Idate before he fell head first on a rock, "Where are you?"

"_Get everything ready for our departure!_" Sakura replied, "_I'll delay them long enough, you just get your butts to sea!_"

"But Sa—"

"_Now!_" Naruto was on his feet and moving to push the boat into deeper waters, Sasuke was already rolling the scroll up and Idate had gotten his sense of balance back just in time to flinch at the volume of the order. Somewhere in the mixture of distance and the close range to Sakura's mike, the boys heard a loud explosion.

"Sakura the boat's ready!" Sasuke shouted as he started to walk into the water, pulling Idate with him

"_Are you sailing yet?!_"

"Give us a moment!" Sasuke replied, letting Idate jump up before he followed close behind with Naruto brining up the rear, "We're moving now!"

"_Kitsune summon me!_" Naruto moved to the center of the boat and pulled out his own scroll; opening it he laid it out flat before him then slammed his chakra coated hands against the seal. A huge burst of white gray smoke filled the deck of the small boat, the boys held their breath, not sure if they got their teammate or an unexpected surprise

"About damn time," a hug gust of wind hit them, pushing them forward with enough force to make them stumble and push the gray smoke away like it was a silk covering.

"Sakura!" Naruto shouted with a smile

"Cheese you guys," Sakura put a hand on her hip and regarded her teammates with a smirk, "Talk about a close call!"

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

The people Haku had sent their way weren't all allies, some of them were the enemy disguised or a traitor that turned some time before. The three red haired kunochi's had fought long and hard, protecting each other and running together, no longer knowing who was an ally and who was an enemy. Trusting only in the seal that thrummed against their belly and crawled on the back of their necks, hidden beneath their long waves of crimson hair and barely visible over the wide color of their identical uniforms. They knew Suigetsu and Kimimaro were both allies but they abandoned anyone else who wore the mist headband, they could only trust the seals inscribed on their bodies and the whispered encouragements in the back of their minds.

They tried desperately to protect each other, to protect their red haired ally but not everything could work in their favor

The sound army targeted them like hungry wolves to a meat wagon, knocking out and binding each one of them like it was a children's game

They were betrayed by friends

They were attacked by monsters

They tried to fight

They tried to protect each other

They failed their mission

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

**Okay so there were three fully-grown kunochi's who disguised themselves to look like Karin; the only difference on them is the color of their clothing**

**The first kunochi you read about was dressed in red (the one who landed in the land of fields and knew something wasn't right because of the lack of animal noise)**

**The second was in blue**

**The third was in yellow**

**Haku was dressed in green**

**The original Karin is going to be dressed in purple, that's how I'm going to keep them addressed in the next chapter**

**Is that confusing?**

**Thoughts are helpful**

**Opinions are wonderful**

**Helpful criticism****is**** lovely! Just don't cripple me okay?**

**Please no cursing!**

**And don't forget to**** rate and**** review!**

**PS:**

**I'd love some fan art **

**Page 25**


	49. Chapter 49

**There is a reason**

Chapter 49: To fight and survive

Koomahana

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Sakura stood at the front of the boat, one hand on the rail and one on the front point, watching the sky carefully and eyeing the large earthen mass approaching them like a child eagerly returning home. Behind her stood Idate, tall and wiry, Naruto stood beside the mass watching both sides of the ship carefully and Sasuke was at the back of the boat, steering it towards land. Behind him, hung and tied to the back arch of the ship was one of the genjutsu casting brats that tried to turn Sakura into a pincushion. As far as any of them knew, his teammate's turned back for their sensei's aid but they could've also gone straight for that little old man and taken one of his boats to catch up with them. That could be both good and bad, good because they could get to the island first (within five minutes) and bad because if the genin doubled back to their sensei they'd have on peeved ex-leaf Jonin to deal with. They could barely stand sparing their teacher for five minutes; they'd never make it with an unknown Jonin nuke-nin targeting their client. Even in simulation tests with Kakashi, nine out of ten times they lost—and he never once took them seriously.

"Sakura-chan," Naruto called softly, "do you feel that?" Sakura's eyes narrowed, she turned to look at Naruto in confusion, she hadn't been sensing but she supposed it was properly a good idea...

"It's just your imagination," Idate dismissed the blond quickly, not seeing Sakura form a hand sign

"No, it's not," Sasuke agreed with his own frown, his dark eyes racking over the ship in complete confusion, "Something isn't right..."

Sakura's eyes widened in realization, "KAI!" Sakura's chakra exploded around them like bon-fire bursting into existence, surrounding and stabbing at the four boys on the ship like pins and needles. Sasuke had mildly gotten used to Sakura's chakra suddenly bursting out of her body and slamming into him like a bull. Naruto never did didn't quite feel the punch like he did but the blond always stumbled slightly, like a large gust of wind suddenly hit him. Idate flat out collapsed, unused to the feeling of chakra physically disrupting his chakra flow and removing the foreign chakra that had formed the genjutsu over him.

"Damn it," Sasuke hissed, abandoning the ore he was using and deflecting the arrows aimed for him. Behind them was another boat, housing the other two teammate's to the boy Sakura had captured just an hour before. "So they did come for him..." Sasuke said thoughtfully, ignoring how Sakura and Naruto conversed softly with each other, trying to get Idate to know and understand his place in their newest plan.

"Heh... l-loo~s-sers..." the boy wheezed, tilting his completely covered face half heartedly towards Sasuke, "y-You'll d-die n-now..."

"Not before you do," Sasuke shot back, "and here we thought you'd appreciate Sakura's medicine."

"Eh~" the boy tried to shrug but it was difficult with his hands tied over his head, "t-time a-and p-place..."

Sasuke snorted and rolled his eyes "So what're your friends going to do?"

"Y-You ex-expect me t-to tell you?" he asked, his voice filled with sarcasm but also genuine curiosity

"Of course not," Sasuke sighed, backing away slowly, "Sakura, Naruto"

"Watch and see," Sakura said stepping forward to take her place at Sasuke's side, "If they attack we'll make sure they'll regret it."

"Right," Sasuke bobbed his head, "you know what they're first attack will be?"

"They're genjutsu users," Sakura sighed, "They specialize in clone illusions and distraction. They have absolutely no skill in hand to hand."

"You want us to get in close to genjutsu users?" Idate asked doubtfully

"One hit and they're down," Sakura replied, "They're physical abilities are worse then most five year olds, it's sad really. They have no stamina what so ever."

"In other word they'd black out from a punch," Naruto grinned cheekily at Idate, "Even if it came from you!"

"Don't worry too much about their teammate," Sakura's voice interrupted Idate before he could respond, his dark eyes turned to examine his guards carefully. "I doubt he'll be able to fight much after that hit I gave him. Just focus on Idate for now."

"Right," Sasuke bobbed his head and pulled out a kunai knife, Sharingan eyes blazing to life when suddenly the clones Sakura spook of started to appear around them.

"Naruto! Idate! Stand back to back!" Sakura ordered moving toward the two boys, green eyes sharp on the clones around her

"To hell with that!" Naruto bellowed jumping forward and attacking two clones at once, only to phase through one and get soaked by another. "Damn it! Sasuke!"

"I know! It's a mix of illusion and water clones!" Sasuke shouted, disrupting several water clones with the same swing of his chakra charged kunai blade, "Be careful! The real one is around here some where!"

"He'll go for his teammate first!" Sakura shouted, releasing the clone illusion technique even a she slammed a foot into a water clone and through a kunai through another two clones. "Then Idate!"

"Right!" both boys shouted

_Where are you?_ Sakura thought, keen eyes moving like hinges in her sockets, noting every illusion and water clone with a glance, _where are you hiding?_ Her hands slipped easily into the leather pouch half-hidden her belt on her back, fingers smoothly wrapping around the familiar handles of her special kunai blades she created in the chunin exams. _Where are you?_ She knew from her fight that the one with two eyes had increasable aim but still lacked in hand-to-hand, her problem was finding the clone with two eyes because that was the clone that was real; the other two really weren't much to be concerned for. Sakura only stopped in her observation and concentration when she noticed something falling from the clear blue sky overhead.

"What the... what is this?" Idate voiced everyone's question as something like black rain started to fall over their ship. Ignoring her still fighting teammates, Sakura hurried over to the edge and looked carefully at the water, her eyes narrowing when she saw that the black rain seemed to be centered on their boat.

"Sakura," Sasuke called drawing her attention back to him, "is this oil?"

"Yeah," Sakura nodded moving back to him, her eyes locking in on the boat closing in on them fast, "no fire ninjutsu but..."

"That may not be necessary hah?" Sasuke asked, glancing at end of the boat where captive should've still been held, "They could send a lit arrow."

"Right," Sakura bobbed her head, glancing over her shoulder at Idate. "Did they get blind eyes?"

"Looks like it," Naruto piped up, "I can see someone in the water! Doesn't look like he's doing too good of a job swimming..."

"That's properly him," Sakura replied making her way back to Idate, hands clenched tightly around her kunai knifes. "Time to finish playing, target their—Idate!" Sakura burst forward automatically, diving between Idate and the horde of kunai knifes aimed for him. She blocked most, doing her job in protecting him, but one of the knifes she cut in half was actually two knifes linked together; while one took most of the hit the other continued flying straight, passed Sakura's special kunai, which forced Sakura to block its path with her own body.

"Damn it," Sakura hissed, ripping out the knife and chucking it back at the wilder, smirking when the boy in question shouted in pain when his own knife slammed into his shoulder in a near perfect replication of her own wound.

"Sakura!" Naruto shouted in a panic, she turned just in time to see smoke cloud her vision making her stumble back into Idate.

_When did they light the fire?_ Sakura thought, searching through the haze of fire and smoke for her teammate's, hoping they knew to return to her now that they had a type of smoke screen covering them.

"A-are you alright, Idate?" Sakura asked, one eye closed as she looked up at her charge

"I'm fine!" Idate snapped childishly, panic cracking his voice, "I didn't ask you to do that!"

"You don't have too," Sakura tried to smile at him, letting Sasuke step between them so he could tend to her wound carefully, "Jiro-san asked us to." Idate flinched back, as if he had been slapped, eyes widening as Sasuke examined her wound before he applied a quick wrap.

"We-we need to go," Sakura panted, wincing when Sasuke tightened the cloth on her arm, "We can use the smoke to our advantage."

"We get that but can you swim?" Sasuke asked, gesturing to Naruto to take Idate over the edge of the boat

"I'll be fine," Sakura replied, glancing at the back of the boat where she can make out the rain team standing together, fussing over their wounded teammate, "now while they're not looking." Sakura ordered as she brushed her chakra coated fingers over a flower on her sleeve, summoning her violin easily.

"But—"

"Now!" Sakura ordered sharply, her bow moving over the strings gracefully, producing a smooth elegant song.

"Butterfly," Sasuke gasped, his eyes wide

"Butterfly?" Idate questioned only to gasp as Sasuke literally kicked him off the boat and then hurried after him with Naruto close behind.

_I will protect them_, Sakura thought, ignoring the creaking and cracking of the ship beneath her feet, threatening to tip over and fall into small sea they were sailing in. _I will protect them_, the flames shifted together then apart, giving her a perfect view of the rain team on the ship.

_Protect?_ A whisper soft voice in the back of her mind repeated

_I will protect them!_ Sakura thought, sweat poring down the side of her face from the heat of the flames as she played her once favorite song.

_Who?_ The flames shifted again giving her instrument of chance at clearer sound, ringing loudly over the flame's roar and crackle

_My team!_ The rain team turned to look at her, their eyes wide in horror and fear

_Who?_ The flames twisted away from her, as if she were water, ready to end their life

_My mission!_

_Who?_ The flames suddenly gained strength, leaping together and yet apart, forming what the over active imagination would call bodies

_My village!_ The flaming bodies shifted and danced on the edge of the burning boat, eyeing their next target like hungry wolves

_...Who are you protecting?_ A flame leaped, not making it completely but sending its small finger onto the edge of the boat while the rest of it smashed into the cold water.

_My family!_ The other flames seemed to be only encouraged by the sacrifice of their friend, each moving to the back bow and then to the rope that bound the two boats together, each climbing their way onto the other ship. The team screamed out in terror, one jumping forward and cutting the rope connecting them but it seemed to do little to discourage the flaming beings. They all jumped and sailed and flew through the air, slamming against the wooden ship and alighting it with renewed vigor and newfound excitement.

"We have to get out of here!" the one eyed teammate shouted, his voice cracking in panic, "Gansho!" his two-eyed teammate didn't respond, his own dark eyes were locked onto that distant boat, watching it burn with a pretty pinkette carelessly playing her violin, much like she did on the bus to the second round of the chunin exam.

"Gansho!" he didn't move as his teammate grabbed his arm, trying to shake him out of his stopper, "Gansho what're you looking at?!" the boy turned and looked, his own dark eye locking in on the pinkette playing her violin like some kind of haunting lullaby.

"Kenzo," Gansho whispered softly, "Do you see it?" he didn't wait to see if his teammate knew what he was talking about, he ignored the sudden heat surrounding them, ignored how their ship was creaking and groaning and falling apart like a giant was crushing it between it's fingers. "Do you see what's happening to her?" Even from the distance he was at, he could see that the flames were moving to Sakura's violin; as if she was controlling them with her song. However, that wasn't what he was talking about, the flames were leaving her ship but it was still burning continuously. The smoke that was being produced by these flames seemed to surround Sakura in a protective embrace, smothering the fire before it could get too close and yet, not even the smoke dared to get so close to Sakura.

"Gansho now isn't the time to get hypnotized by a witch!" Kenzo shouted, jerking on his teammate, carrying the other half-heartedly over his shoulder, "It's time to abandon ship!" Gansho didn't fight his teammate, he let the other boy yank him off the burning boat and into the icy cold water below, out of the fire's reach.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

She watched they dragged each of them together, tossing them atop each other like trash, laughing at the childish glares they received from the five identical red haired girls. Their teammate's were killed, sparing only the red haired girls, Kimimaro and Suigetsu, the rest were killed—even the traitors.

"What do you want with us?!" the red haired girl in the bright red kimono asked with a furious glare at the seemingly commanding mutant thing standing nearby

"Gee red, I'd love to answer you," the teen mocked back, a smirk on his distorted red face, "but you really don't need to know. Chances are you're going to die."

"Ch," each red-eyed girl glared furiously at him, "Let us go!"

"So not going to happen," he smirked at them, letting his curse mark retreat from his skin, showing that he had gray hair and pale skin.

_Hold on girls I've got a plan_, they all wanted to look at each other but the chance was too much of a risk, if their charge got discovered doing what ever it was she was doing then there was a chance they'd never be able to succeed. _Listen closely but don't show any sign that you're distracted_

_Easier sad then done,_ the girl in blue thought, eyes scanning the army surrounding them, _what about your teammate's?_

_We'll tend to them soon enough, now focus on what I'm saying_

_Right_ they sounded together, ignoring the sigh that followed, none of them really knew just who was who, only that the true Karin Uzumaki was amongst them and they had to protect each other because they didn't know who she was

_What I'm working on now is the same seal I used on Haku_

_The redhead passed out over there?_ The one in yellow asked with a glance at their only knocked out clone

_That's him_

_What the hell did you do?_ The clone in red asked, still glaring at the white haired teen standing just paces away from her

_An advanced seal that I properly shouldn't use_

_And you're going to use it on us?_ The one in yellow shifted to examine the clone in green

_Yes,_

_Why?_

_Because then you'll have the same ability as me and you'll have access to my bloodline_

_So we'll be able to fight like you?_ the blue clone asked, shifting on her back uncomfortably, having received a broken rib in her fight

_Yes, you'll also be able to do most of the seals I know... well, at least I think you'll be able to, Haku could._

_You better do it before they start trying to figure out which of us is the real one,_ the red clone advised, her glare intensifying as the white haired teen shifted to watch a cloaked individual approach them

_Haku said it felt like he was being smothered in alcohol,_ That was the only warning they had before there was a huge seal surrounding them, both protecting them and devouring their bodies at the same time.

They could hear screaming but they didn't know where it was coming from

Being smothered in alcohol would've felt better then this horrible feeling of being ripped apart and put back together again

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

_This isn't good_, Sasuke thought, coughing as he reached the surface of the sea he had jumped into. He turned in the water, searching for the two boys he should've been with, Naruto popped up a few paces from him, gasping for air and Idate... Sasuke glowered and turned in the water, facing the landmass they were supposed to go to, Idate was already swimming for shore; it looked like he'd be there in a few short seconds.

"Alright," Sasuke coughed, catching Naruto's attention, "Idate is swimming for shore, he should be relatively safe there."

"What about Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked, eyes locked onto the smoldering ship of fire and smoke, "hay... isn't that?"

"Yeah," Sasuke coughed, spitting water out of his mouth, did he ever mention how much he hated the ocean? "It's butterfly... she's finally perfected it."

"Do you know when this one is going to end?" Naruto asked, the first time he witnessed 'butterfly' it was Sakura's present to the Hyūga clan for housing her birthday party when she turned eight, the hole compound was filled with bright light and warmth, as if showing everyone Sakura's joy for the day.

"Soon," Sasuke replied, trying to climb on to his feet over the water, "get ready, when she comes we'll need to run."

"Right," Naruto coughed, quickly following Sasuke's example, only to pause in confusion when Sakura's violin was suddenly cut of with a loud roar.

"What the—"

"RUN!" Sakura screamed, bursting out of the flaming ship like a commit, Naruto and Sasuke blinked dumbly at her as she moved towards them, "Run you idiots!" the flaming ship behind her shifted and moved, the fire growing like a huge creature coming to life; it looked at team seven, lunged at them and then howled in pain as it hit the water's surface, bursting instantly into smoke and steam. Below the water's surface, team seven struggled in the hold of several water clones from the rain team, the two eyed boy and the one eyed boy made sure to drag them under just before flaming creature could hit them; now the two boys were fighting to drown the team that saved their teammate in the chunin exam.

"What a joke," the two-eyed boy chuckled, "We're under the water's surface nimrod! Down here water clones rule!" Sakura and Sasuke watched as Naruto created several more shadow clones, some remaining to fight with the water clones and others swimming to the sea bottom and stand in a circle.

_Wh-what is he doing?_ Sakura thought, her nails scraping against the very real arm locked around her neck while the two-eyed boy's other arm held her right arm against her back, threatening to pop it out of its socket.

"Thank you for saving my life in the chunin exam," Gansho whispered in Sakura's ear, "however our missions have clashed and I can no longer turn a blind eye to your strength. It'd be best if you died now before you can grow any stronger."

_Damn!_ Sakura thought, beginning to struggle for breath, her left hand had actually managed to draw blood from the boy's arm that was latched around her neck. Just as Sakura thought she was going to pass out underwater, she felt something in the water change. Struggling in Gansho's hold, Sakura grunted as suddenly an underwater tornado came to life, destroying the water clones and all but ripping Gansho away from her.

_Bastard!_ Sakura thought, moving and slamming a chakra charged kick into Gansho's stomach, sending him out of the tornado and into a rock formation; forcing his teammate to retreat, grabbing Gansho as he did so. _Good job Naruto!_ Sakura thought, looking down at the bottom of the sea floor where several of Naruto's clones still stood, each holding some kind blue rotating ball. Nodding at a nearby Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke began to move towards the surface of the tornado, aiming for the outside while they were at it so they wouldn't get sucked back down. Unfortunately, Sakura's shoulder wound was still pouring blood and had weakened her considerably.

Unable to keep up, Sakura's wound got the better of her and she began to sink to the bottom of the sea

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

She wasn't sure how to describe what she was feeling; she wasn't cold but she wasn't warm, she wasn't floating but she wasn't sinking either, her sense of direction seemed to be none existent and she couldn't feel or see any light (because some light produced warmth). It was almost like being numb but she knew she wasn't because she could still feel her fingers and toes, she had feeling but at the same time she didn't. She opened her eyes, realizing that they were closed, and stared dully at her surroundings. The first thing she saw was that it appeared she was floating in some kind black liquid, thin and light like water but just black, a pure almost haunting shade of black. She couldn't even tell if she was laying or standing, did it really matter? She was 'floating' in this pure black water with no weight or pressure of any kind on her body.

_Where... what... is this?_ She tried to move her hand, tried to move anything but she was simply too tiered.

"..." she perked at the strange noise in the darkness, directly in front of her was a familiar looking boy running towards a floating and dying little girl. The little girl was about seven and dressed in a pretty white yukata with little red circles around the edges, her semi-long light pink hair floated around her head like all hair dose in water. She looked closer at the little floating seven-year-old girl and she could make out the thin red line of a sword wound spilling blood from the girl's chest area. Already knowing that the wound was most likely a heart shot, meaning the child was already dead, she turned to the running boy and examined him closely. He was about fifteen years old with lime green hair that streaked behind his head like a wildcat tail; his black robes didn't appear to be hindering his movements as he ran full tilt for the pretty little dead girl.

"_Imoto!_" the young man screamed, his voice suddenly loud and echoing in the light but black waters of where ever they are "_Imoto! Don't go! Don't go!_" he was getting closer to the girl and his voice sounded familiar, why couldn't she remember him?

"_Don't go! You have to fight!_" she watched as the little girl seemed to respond to his voice, did she really know him? Wait... pink hair? That was a Haruno trait... she turned her full attention onto the little girl again, examining the girl's face carefully.

_No..._ she thought as the finally clasped the little girl's hand and jerked her into a tight hug, _no... No! This isn't right!_

"_But it is_," she turned at the soft voice, her eyes widening at the familiar looking crimson haired girl standing beside her, "_Don't you remember? When you were seven you got kidnapped and technically you did die_," The young man was rocking back and forth, whispering in the little girl's ear, begging her to fight for her life. "_Do you remember?_" her red haired, hazel eyed self asked softly, "_Do you remember this happening?_"

"_Yes_," she whispered back softly

"_No mountain high enough, no valley low enough, no ocean wide enough can keep me from you_" the little girl smiled and burst into light, leaving the teen there to scream and panic to himself because he thought he lost her forever.

"_He broke his promise_," she whispered softly, new tears dripping down her cheeks

"_He couldn't exactly tell death 'no'_," her red haired twin chuckled, watching the boy sniffle and turn to look at them in an almost curious manner. "_He did try Sakura, he did fight for you_."

"_He left me_," Sakura whispered, new tears rolling down her cheeks

"_Death called him home_," the girl replied, waving carelessly at the boy who got to his feet and rushed towards them, "_don't forget your manners_."

"_Imoto!_"

"_Nii-tan_," Sakura sniffed, "_Why?_" she asked, suddenly feeling broken, "_Why did you leave me?_"

"_I don't understand!_" Yagura shouted, "_What's going on?!_"

"_You died!_" Sakura shouted suddenly furious, "_Why'd you have to die?! Why'd you have to leave me?!_"

"_Imoto you're fading!_" Yagura shouted, "_What's going on?!_"

"_Through time and space, your last moment has been read and recited_," the red haired girl whispered, stilling both siblings, forcing them into a sudden paralysis. "_Say your last words quickly, before time is reset_."

"_Imoto you have to fight!_" Yagura shouted in a panic, "_No matter what happens you have to live, do you hear me?!_"

"_Then you have to make it to my chunin exams_," Sakura shot back, "_You were supposed to be there, you where supposed to meet me!_"

"_Hurry, time is about to restart_," the red head said

"_I don't care what happens to me but you have to live, do you understand?_" Yagura asked, "_Imoto! Fight! Wake up and fight!_"

"_Why?_" Sakura asked, "_Not everything has to be revolved around violence ya know_."

"_I'm not talking about violence_," Yagura growled at her, "_I'm talking about a different kind of fight! Not all fighting relies of physical strength, some of it is in the mental realm or the emotional realm, either way it all involves fighting in some kind of way. A fight isn't always physical! It can be the simple desire to fight with your words or actions, to fight for someone's recognition or fight for someone's attention, they're all forms of fighting that aren't on a physical stand point_."

"_So... you want me to fight?_" Sakura asked slowly, "_Fight what?_"

"_Fight the water in your lungs!_" Yagura snapped as if his patience was growing thin, "_Fight for your life! Fight for the right to live!_"

…

"_Wake up and fight!_" her eyes snapped open and she found herself at the bottom of the sea she and her team had been crossing, around her stood Naruto's clones who were quick to burst out of existence, leaving the torrent of spinning water to Sakura. She could see from her distance that Naruto and Sasuke had both paused in their swimming both turning to look down at her in horror with only Naruto close enough to have a chance at saving her but even he wouldn't be able to get to her in time.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

In another time and place, in another world, a certain Yondaime Mizukage woke up with a start. His eyes wide and his heart beating to fast, his memories were strong and clear, the demon sealed within him was nearly singing in joy for the bound he shared with the reincarnate had strengthened. Recalling what that older version of his sister had shouted at him, he quickly readied himself for the exams in his own village. Once he had studied the remaining participants thoroughly, he set arrangements to visit the other hidden villages during their chunin exams. It would take two years before Yagura would step into Konoha for the exams, he would see his 'sister' in the crowd greeting his arrival for the exams but he wouldn't make contact with her for another three days.

In this other world, Hiruzen Sarutobi—the Sandaime Hokage—would've arranged for Yagura—the Yondaime Mizukage—to meet with the Haruno family and as such, allowing the younger man to meet with his 'little sister'.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Back to our current world

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

They had managed to take the five clones to the hidden base in sound; they were able to keep the two white haired boys asleep for the entire way as well. Back at the base they had tried to separate the five girls, gave them an interrogation and then compared notes, but they all gave the same answers. No matter what they did the five identical girls gave the same answers and responses, forcing him to do a DNA test, hoping to figure it out that way.

But not even that was helpful

He cursed as he got the results back from the five red haired girls, all of them were a genetic match to the girl he was looking for and yet none of them was the same girl. They weren't shadow clones, they would've dispersed a long time ago, and they weren't any other kind of clone either. They had tried everything they could, short of killing them, and still the illusions didn't fall—not even the DNA test was helpful.

"Heh-heh, wha~'s wrong... four-eyes?" He turned to look at the pile of identical red haired girls, the one dressed in a red dress was smirking at him, blood dribbling from her cut and swollen lips, "na~ wha you wanted?"

"...Just what was that seal?" He asked, turning in his seat to look at the pile of red heads, talking about that huge seal that had done something to them when he had arrived at the meet point.

"None ya' business!" The four girls chimed together, broken and out of tune, but their voices were still filled with mockery

"If you don't tell me what I want, you're all going to die," he replied calmly, pushing his dark hood back and scratching at his head in irritation

"Kabuto," one of the girls snarled, he looked up but didn't catch who it was first, all of them were glaring with the same amount of hatred at him.

"Eh~ that was a mighty close call for you Karin," Kabuto smirked at the group, "You slipped up."

"You think I give a damn?" the one in red asked, peaking his interest because none of them had dared to speak in first person before. "We are loyal to the end—we won't give you what you want!"

"Nor will I!"

"I won't either!"

"Me either!"

"N-nor~ I-I" everyone turned at the soft stutter, gasping and chuckling as the red haired clone in green smiled weakly at them

"You're awake!" the girls cheered, struggling to move towards the green clone, "you're alive!"

_Damn them_, Kabuto thought with a glare at the pile of identical girls, _just when I was getting a clue as to who was who... now I'll never know_

"Kabuto," he turned at the soft voice, looking at the tall brown haired boy leaning in the doorway to his office, a curious tilt to his head.

"Takao! You shouldn't be up yet," Kabuto scolded, jumping to his feet and moving to his teammate with an agitated frown

"Can't you just use the boys to figure out which one is the real Karin?" Takao asked just as Kabuto reached him, "they'd do anything for her... so maybe she'd do anything for them?" He stared at Takao for a moment in surprise, already leading the brown haired teen to the nearest chair

"I... I suppose you have a point..." Kabuto sighed, pulling back from Takao as he sat down with a relieved sigh. "It's worth a try..." Kabuto looked back at the five girls in an almost curious manner. If they were going to use the boys against the girls, they would need a convincing act to trick the original girl into believing that they were in danger.

"Will you be okay here?" Kabuto asked, turning back to his friend

"I can watch them until you get back," Takao smiled up at him, "come now Kabuto, I'm not that weak."

Kabuto studied Takao for a moment before he nodded and turned away, "Alright then... be careful they like to talk in riddles."

"Got it," Takao's smile didn't fall even as Kabuto closed the door behind him and nodded at the three teens leaning against the wall across the doorway.

"Don't let them touch him," Kabuto ordered as he turned and walked away.

"Yeah... right," Kabuto ignored the lazy agreement, content to walk through the dark halls of the base by himself, lost in his own thoughts.

_He's dyeing_, Kabuto thought, remembering the paler tint to Takao's typically dark hair. After living with the two seals for so many weeks, the strain was finally starting to show on his teammate's body. Takao's midnight brown hair had turned into a lighter brown and the unnoticeable lines beneath his eyes had increased into dark smudges that turned his childish-eyes into near perfect black eyes. In a few months time, Takao would look more blonde then brunet and in a few years he'd have white hair... if he lived that long. Orochimaru was only allowing Takao to live because he had a strong bond with Kabuto, that was the only reason he hadn't out right killed the completely useless boy.

_I have to master this new jutsu and find the right Karin,_ Kabuto thought, his hands clenching at his sides as he walked through the darkness, _If I can master this memory replacement jutsu I can get her to remove those seals..._

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"_Sakura-chan, watch me closely okay?"_

"_What are you doing?"_

"_I'm gonna show you how to move water to your will," and just like she said, Fubuki placed her glowing palms onto the little pool's surface and pulled out a large bubble of water. "Getting water to follow your hand is actually pretty easy," Fubuki smiled, separating her hands and letting the water split in half, "it's getting the water to form shapes that's hard."_

"_Really?" Sakura asked, watching her sister move the two bubbles of water into a stare and pillar, "but you make it look easy!"_

"_Because for me it is easy," Fubuki smiled, "I've always loved playing with water."_

"_Are you going to teach me how to do that?" Sakura asked, watching her sister morph the two bodies of water into one body again, letting it take on a slightly humanoid look._

"_I'm gonna try," Fubuki smiled, "now you try." Fubuki said crouching and putting her bubbles of water back into the small pool their back yard housed. Sakura crawled forward on her hands and knees and stuck her hands into the pool, concentrating on gathering the water into her palms before she dared to pull them out._

_Sakura carefully pulled her hands back..._

"_ah! You almost got it Imoto!"_

_The little bit of a water bubble in her hands burst and splashed back into the small pool_

"_Nee-chan you distracted me!" Sakura whined_

"_Well I hope you don't think your enemies are going to be quiet," Fubuki chuckled, "you still want to go to the shinobi academy right?"_

"_Uh-huh," Sakura bobbed her head and stuck her hands back into the pool, trying to get that little bubble of water back_

"_Well that means you're going to be facing lots of people who want to hurt you," Fubuki explained, watching Sakura struggle to get a hold on the water between her hands. "And none of them are going to be quiet about it, so you have to learn to focus on your task and keep them in mind at the same time." Sakura carefully pulled a smaller glob of water out of the pool, sweat building on her brow as she held it between her hands carefully, "in other words, multitasking is the key to a shinobi."_

_The bubble burst and Sakura groaned, making Fubuki chuckle as she pulled Sakura into her lap_

"_Watch me Imoto," Fubuki carefully pulled a glob of water from the small pool and held it close while Sakura examined it with her own chakra, watching how Fubuki's didn't just hold on to the outside of the bubble but also coated the inside._

…

"_The easiest step is getting the water to follow your chakra,"_ Sakura could hear her younger self declare in amazement

_The easiest step_, Sakura thought, flooding her legs with her chakra, letting it coat them and shift around them protectively, _is getting the water to follow your chakra..._

"_That's right," _Fubuki chuckled in her memories_, "Do you know what the second step is?"_

_The second step_, Naruto moved to swim down to her but he couldn't possibly make it to her before she drowned, _the second step... imagination..._ she felt the water buckle and move, resisting her chakra but she couldn't allow that. Her teammates were in trouble and she needed to get them out of the water before they all drowned.

_Imagination_, Sakura thought, her chakra forcing the water into moving the way she wanted it to, nearly encasing her legs in ice because of her natural chakra element. _Imagination... I need it to form around my legs... I need to swim and the best way is..._ she focused less of forcing the water to do what she wanted and more on encouraging to do what she wanted, the water around happily agreed. Swirling around her head and forming a protective air bubble, while spinning around her legs and giving her something that looked like a fish tail.

_Imagination_, Sakura thought, taking in a deep breath of fresh air, the air bubble shrinking in the process. _The second step is the imagination for a shape_, Sakura felt her arms push against the rock she was laying on, felt herself kneel on the sticky, slimy rock.

_The third step?_ Her sister asked in the back of her mind, encouraging her to think for herself instead of doing what she was told

_The third step..._ Sakura kicked off the sea floor, launching herself towards her teammate's, her water and ice tail moved in blinding speeds; pushing her fast through the sea, nearly barreling into Naruto, giving her barely enough time to hook an arm around him before moving on to Sasuke, repeating the processes. _The third step..._ the surface was moving towards them too quickly to give them any time to adjust, _the third step...formation..._ she could feel some of her chakra move to her back, loosening it's hold on the large tail pushing them to the surface but not easing up on the speed.

_Formation..._ at the speed she was going at, her tail would useless, she'd need wings... could she mimic Fubuki's famed water-ice wings? _Imagination..._ she could imagine herself with a pair of wings, she remembered what Fubuki's drawing as she tried to figure out how to create a pair of wings, outlining a faint image of wings sprouting from one of Sakura's own photo's, only to realize what she did and start crying because she thought she ruined it. She remembered that angle's wings were stationed on the shoulder's, sprouting from the shoulder blades like an extension of the spine. She remembered the picture Fubuki doodled on without realizing that it was Sakura's image, she remembered how she made the wings sweep out gracefully, nearly hiding her entire body in their great mass.

_Formation..._ she could feel her chakra leave her legs and take form over her back just as her head broke the surface of the water, she took a deep breath and tightened her hold on the two boys in her arms. _The fourth step..._ Sakura slowly let out her breath, letting her chakra fill the water surrounding her back and the water that dared to follow, she imagined what it would feel like flapping a pair of large wings, she imagined what it would be like to fly, she imagined what it was like to be a bird...

The first step is getting the water to follow your chakra

The second step is imagination for the technique you want to perform

The third step is forming the water into that technique

The fourth step...

Sakura opened her eyes and smiled, she could hear Naruto screaming and clutching to her body. she couldn't hear Sasuke as much as she could feel his crushing hold on her waist, his legs wrapping around her thighs like a monkey hanging on for dear life.

_The fourth step..._ Fubuki whispered in the back of her mind

"What the hell?!" Naruto screamed in pure panic

_Performing the technique..._

"We're flying!" Sasuke shouted, burying his face into Sakura's stomach as his voice broke into a high-pitched screech, "Put us down damn it! We aren't made for flying!"

"We need to get to Idate," Sakura whispered, concentrating on flapping her wings, trying to multitask like Fubuki taught her, "We need to fly to reach him in time." that silenced the boys, instantly they were turning in her hold to look at the land mass they were moving too fast towards. The boys shared a petrified look and gulped, turning the terrified eyes back onto land mass, searching for their charge.

"I...I... c-can't" Sakura gasped

"S-Sakura-chan?" Naruto and Sasuke asked at the same time, turning terrified eyes onto their sweating teammate

"C-can't..."

"At least get to shallow water!" Sasuke shouted in panic, Sakura could only pant in answer, being unable to respond. Instead, her chakra flared and the water she was using to fly swarmed around them, making them look like some kind of bullet flying through the air with a spinning tail that looked a lot like a spring.

"Th-there it is!" Naruto gasped, staring teary eyed at the shore they needed to reach

"There HE is!" Sasuke shouted, crimson eyes glued to the two distant figures. One was the tall, green haired man they had met in town, standing above a young man who was curled up on the ground in pain.

"Idate!" the two distant figures dived out of the way of the bullet as it crash-landed into the large gray rocks, carving out a sharp impact crater deep enough to leave a scare for years after it's formation. In the middle of the crash, Naruto and Sasuke had been lodged out of Sakura's tight hold, forced to roll to a stop as Sakura continued barreling through the hard cold rock.

"Naruto! Are you okay?!" Idate asked as he clambered onto his feet and ran towards the nearest team member; sliding to a stop beside the blonde and helping him up as he coughed hoarsely.

"Ow~" Naruto wheezed, holding his ribs with one arm, "I-I'm fine..." Naruto coughed looking up in search for his teammates. "Where..." Naruto coughed again, letting Idate pull him to his feet. Not far from them was Sasuke, who was coughing harshly as he struggled to sit up from where he landed in the crater.

"N-Naruto," Sasuke coughed, pushing himself up, crimson eyes locking in on him before looking for their third teammate. "S...Sa-Sakura-a..."

"Hold on, you both are hurt!" Idate shouted, helping Naruto to stumble over to Sasuke, "Neither one of you should be moving!"

"Bu... but Sakura..." Naruto coughed, letting Sasuke grab his arm and pull himself up to his own feet

"Oh I'd listen to Idate boys," Naruto and Sasuke stiffened at the mocking voice, eyes flickering up to lock in on the tall green haired man standing at the end of the crater. "He has his smart moments after all," the man's umbrella was gone, showing that he had midnight green eyes, a sharp noise and a sharper jaw, tanned skin and a uniform that looked kind of like a wet suite. Sakura looked like a wet noodle, dangling from her long soaking pink strands tangled in the man's right hand, eyes closed and breathing shallow.

"Sakura!" Naruto and Sasuke shouted together, suddenly gaining strength to stand straight

"aha-aha-aha~" the strange man pulled harshly on Sakura's hair, yanking her further up to lean against his leg where he leaned slightly over to hold a kunai knife to her throat. "I wouldn't be moving if I were you."

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Kabuto stared out at the five clones standing on wobbly legs, glaring at him full force through their matching crimson hair. He had gotten all five of them to change rooms without much of a fuss, now they were all in a new room with several of Orochimaru's other experiments. Behind him on a table laid Kimimaro Kaguya, beside him was a tank of water where Suigetsu floated with a furious expression on his half formed face.

"Now since you five wont tell me who's who, I'd like you both to meet two of Orochimaru's most loyal members," Kabuto said with a smirk, waving both hands at the two white haired teens.

"You're a liar!" Suigetsu shouted at him from his tank, "We're not loyal to that monster! We'll never be loyal to him!"

"That's what you think," Kabuto smirked back at him, "but what you don't know is that Orochimaru-sama has been teaching me a new technique that lets me adjust one's loyalty or memory to whom ever I want them to lean towards."

"In other words," the Karin in red hissed furiously, "You can make someone loyal to a village suddenly loyal to you or that monster!"

"Very good," Kabuto chuckled, "you catch on fast."

"It'll never work," the Karin in yellow growled, peaking Kabuto's interest because that girl hardly spoke at all since her capture. "You can't just make someone suddenly forget a lifetime of bonds and throw all those connections onto someone else!"

"You're right I can't" Kabuto sighed, the five red heads shared identical confused looks, "What I can do is adjust memories. Make the individual belief that the person who saved their life was actually lord Orochimaru or who the person they fell in love with was related to him some how."

_In other words, instead of Yagura saving him from the Kaguya clan, it was Orochimaru!_ Everyone knew that Kimimaro was loyal to Yagura before he was loyal to the village, his whole life revolved around the green haired man until he died. When Kimimaro found out that he failed in protecting Yagura, he nearly killed himself. That is until someone slipped him a note in Yagura's handwriting, saying that he needed to be loyal to village now. If those two experiences were taken away, if Yagura was replaced with Orochimaru...

"I don't believe you," the clone in green hissed lowly, crimson eyes dark with hatred

"Then let me show you," Kabuto smirked, reaching one hand out to place onto Kimimaro's forehead. They were all quite for a moment, watching his glowing hand wirily, after what felt like forever but was really five minutes, Kimimaro opened his eyes. His first reaction was to cut through the binds holding him down, bones piercing through his wrists and shredding the leather straps like wet paper.

"Ha! What'd I tell ya?!" Suigetsu cackled, "You're a liar!"

"Kabuto," Kimimaro said as he sat up, staring levelly at the gray haired teen standing unconcerned beside him, "Where is lord Orochimaru?"

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Something wasn't right, she could feel it in the air around her. Something was off, everything was too dark, too wet, too heavy. Something didn't feel right.

_You need to remember this Sakura_, Fubuki whispered in her mind the day of her kidnapping, _you need to remember what to do._

Sight, smell, touch, taste, hearing... she had to check them every time she woke up, double-check her surroundings without moving or seeing. Her sisters often did the kidnap scenario with her, abducting her in the night just to agitate the other or to do a training exercise with their teammates. It was this experience that she learned to relax, that she had plenty of time to panic after it was all over.

_What do you feel?_ Something hard and cold like rock beneath her legs and hands; something soft and warm was pressed against her back and something hot and liquidly was running down the back of her neck. She could feel something pelting her exposed arms and legs like rain or needles. She could feel the warmth of that something on her back; it bent awkwardly like a joint, maybe someone's leg? But then, what was that hot liquid on her neck? Was she hurt? She didn't feel pain... but then she could be in shock...

_What do you smell?_ Salt, something like salt and copper...something sweet... sugar? Perfume? No... It was something sugary but not overly sweet... what was it that she was smelling? She knew it but she couldn't put a name to it... strange, she was usually good at this game.

_Focus,_ her sister scolded in the back of her mind, _what do you smell? What do you taste?_

She could smell salt, copper and sweet perfume

She could taste... she could taste something warm in her mouth. Sweet like honey... no it was bitter like-like... like blood. Her blood had always tasted strange to her, she first noticed it when she got a bloody nose and did the normal 'pinch nose and tilt head back' cure to get ride of it; the action made her notice that her blood had an actual taste to it. Kind of like cherries but with a strange twist, like cherries and alcohol or something of the like. Honestly she's never had alcohol and her sisters were always watching her like a hawk when it was around so she never got a chance to sneak a taste.

_What do you hear?_ She listened closely, moving limply while the person (she knew she was being held up now) shook her head as if to make a cruel point about her vulnerability. She could hear something crash against the rock she was sitting on, feel the icy mist splash against her. It told her that she was on a beach, one with a solid rock that met the large water source abruptly and without warning. The ice and needles she was feeling and the loud roaring of wind said she was at the beginnings of a storm of some kind but that wasn't the only thing she could hear. She could hear voices... one, two... three... three voices—she felt the person holding her move and then heard the sound of tinfoil, like someone decided to crunch sheets of tin foil up like paper and then threw it into a fire pit. Was that someone's laughter? Was the person holding her up laughing?

They needed help, like, desperately

_Okay, what else do you hear?_ She thought, keeping her breath steady and even. She felt the person holding her move and then there was the feeling of something cold and sharp pressed against her throat, she actually felt it break the skin and felt the warmth of her blood rush to the new exit.

_Threat!_ Her mind shrieked, a hundred seines screaming and a dozen red lights flashing furiously.

_Stay still!_ The voice of her sister screamed back at her, _if you wake and are threatened, alerting your captor is the worst thing to do! Remain calm!_ Her breathing resumed (when did she stop?), her body relaxed, her hearing sharpened, her memories surfaced.

_That's right_, she thought, toes twitching slightly in the cold, _I remember..._ she had been forced to do a poor-man's version of her sister's wings to fly to shore, then she was forced to transform those wings and create a safety bubble for her boys, hoping to protect them from the majority of the crash. When they did crash, she had tried to aim for Idate, smirking when he dived out of the way and then panicked as the boys were ripped out of her hands and her world turning black when she finished skidding, the water having been ripped away from her.

_Okay, you remember what happened and you know what's most likely going on_, Sakura thought, _you're wounded and can't see. The warmth on your neck is most likely blood, you need to take care of that first. _But how? She healed through her hands not just with her chakra, she needed to touch her wound—no wait, she healed with chakra, _her_ chakra, and that circulated through every inch of her body. She could heal her wound but not without possibly alerting her capture... she needed to do it subtly, without flaring her chakra like the way she was taught to build it. The secret to healing with chakra was neutralizing her chakra frequency and gathering it to her hands before she started the procedure... she could subtly suppress her chakra signature, gather it around her wound, neutralize her chakra and then heal her wound. Okay, she got the first step in order, what was the next one she was going to do?

...She'll worry about that after her wounds heal

_Alright... let's see if this works_, she didn't know if she could suppress her chakra in the condition she was in but she'd have to try if she wanted to survive.

…

"Damn it, you can't just expect us to hand Idate over!" Naruto shouted loudly, standing protectively in front of Idate over, knowing that Sasuke had his hands full with keeping the older boy at bay. The green haired man was named Ao and he knew Idate because they were both shinobi of the leaf, Ao was a chunin who had tricked Idate into stealing a few things to become a chunin because he failed the original test. After stealing the artifacts, Ao had said that Idate could only become a chunin if he joined the rain village and that if he remained with the hidden leaf they would kill him for stealing the precious artifacts. At least, that was the bear bones of their story, apparently Ao planned to kill him when they got to the village hidden in the rain. It was that reason that Sasuke held Idate back for so long, if Ao was willing to trick the boy and then kill him after getting what he wanted from him, then what's stopping him from doing it again?

"Damn you," Sasuke hissed furiously, his hands tightening on Idate's arms while he glared over his shoulder at Ao, Sharingan eyes blazing.

"Ah~ dose the little Uchiha have a soft spot for pinky?" Ao asked mockingly, not noticing that Sasuke's eyes had widened fractionally, zeroing in on his unconscious teammate. None of them maybe that great at sensing chakra but Sasuke's Sharingan gave chakra a color, he could see Sakura's chakra lightly coloring the small cut on her throat, healing the ignorable wound. Then her soft teal chakra shifted, dyeing out of the wound and moving to coat her hair elegantly like sapphire threads, going round and round like a hidden snake.

"Naruto," Sasuke called, releasing Idate with a harsh shove, jerking his blond teammate back and behind himself. "Guard Idate," Sasuke ordered, "I got Ao."

"Wha—but!"

"Go Naruto," Sasuke ordered, glare intensifying on Ao, "get Idate to the shrine, we'll meet you there."

"Sasuke... Your Sharingan..." Naruto whispered softly, _it's fully formed..._

"Don't worry, Aniki has been working something special for me to use with them," Sasuke replied, not noticing the difference, "Get Idate out of here."

"Oh and do you think that I'll just let you go?" Ao asked with a raised eyebrow, "what do you think I'm gonna do to your teammate huh? You move a step out of place and I'll slit her throat." Sasuke smirked, knowing that Ao couldn't see what he could. Sakura's chakra had reacted to his threat; the portion she had wound around his arm towards his shoulder had thinned out drastically, focusing anew on her throat, coating it in a protective layer. He recalled from his childhood that Sakura had once learned how to harden her skin to protect her body from Neji's gentile fist style. It didn't typically last long but he new that it got more and more difficult for Neji to cut off her chakra network as the years passed and her chakra control grew. If she could protect herself against something as sharp as Neji's chakra gentile fist style then undoubtedly her technique would protect her against a simple kunai knife.

"Naruto, do you remember how we graduated?" Sasuke asked, lowering himself into a defensive stance, watching Sakura's chakra continue up Ao's arm and move towards the back of his neck.

"Yeah," Naruto bobbed his head, forming a hand sign, "confusion in the mix."

"Right," Sasuke charged and Naruto produced a dozen clones, covering Sasuke's movements at the same time

"NOW!"

Sakura's eyes popped open

Ao gasped

Sasuke's kunai flew

Naruto grabbed Idate

The dust cleared

Sakura and Sasuke stood side by side with Ao on his knees trembling—Naruto and Idate were gone

"Wha-what'd y-you..." Ao stuttered, his eyes moving to glare furiously at Sakura who stood tall and straight with her hand on her hip

"I was aiming at your muscles, hoping to remove your ability to stand," Sakura answered with a smirk, "to bad you moved at the last moment and made me miss. It must be a rain thing because I missed on your student in the exams too."

"Out of curiosity, what did you hit?" Sasuke asked, looking around himself at the clones who readied themselves to tie up Ao

"I think I hit his nervous system," Sakura answered turning to face her teammate, "if I hit his spinal cord he'd be dead. Considering he's still alive but unable to move... well" Sakura shrugged carelessly.

"So... what are we going to do with him?" one of the clones asked, watching his brother's tie Ao's fingers with his wrists, preventing him from wiggling or cutting his way out of the binds.

"Idate said he stole some things for him when he was a kid," Sasuke said, "Maybe he still has them?"

"Yeah but would he be carrying them?" Sakura asked, crossing her arms, "Plenty of shinobi have stolen items only to stash them later. If he stole them so he could enter the hidden rain village..."

"Then he most likely wouldn't have them with him," Sasuke frowned, "that means, the rain village has those missing artifacts."

"Can we still search him?" Naruto asked, "I mean we don't know how long that technique of yours will last. We might as well take everything he has so that he won't have any weapons on him when he comes after us again."

"That's a good point," Sakura sighed, "go a head and search him, gather what you can."

"Sakura and I will go on a head," Sasuke said moving closer to Sakura, "Catch up when you can."

"Right," the clones nodded and his teammate's disappeared in a blur around a group of large rocks

"Right then," Ao growled low in his chest, midnight green eyes sharpening like kunais on the fifteen smirking blondes surrounding him. "Let's get this started!" The clones grinned and all but toppled Ao over, nearly stripping him bear in their hast to remove his kunai holster and back pouch.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"Sorry Kimimaro-kun, lord Orochimaru has more important business to tend to at the moment," Kabuto answered

"Oh... I see..." Kimimaro sighed and stared down at his lap dejectedly

"No... No way..." Suigetsu stared at Kimimaro as he carelessly stretched his limbs and rubbed at his wrists, completely unconcerned for the medic Nin standing beside him. "Kimimaro?... no, that's not right... Kimimaro it's just an act right?!" the white haired teen turned slowly, staring up at Suigetsu with a dull expression, as if he didn't recognize the white haired boy floating beside him, "Kimimaro! Answer me damn it!"

"Kabuto... what is that?" Kimimaro asked, pointing at Suigetsu

"Hmm? Oh him," Kabuto smirked triumphantly at Suigetsu, "He's just another experiment."

"An experiment?" Kimimaro question, looking back up at Suigetsu with an almost knew expression, a ting of curiosity flickering in his jade eyes. "What is his importance to lord Orochimaru?"

"He can liquefy his entire body," Kabuto smiled at him, "he's about to become completely loyal to Orochimaru, wanna see?"

"Not more loyal then me I hope," Kimimaro frowned at him, "but... how is he going to become loyal to lord Orochimaru if he isn't already?"

"Watch and see," Kabuto smirked, pushing a few buttons on the tank, electrocuting Suigetsu until he passed out. With careful ministrations, Kabuto was able to empty the tank and then support Suigetsu against the glass side.

"Alright..." Kabuto smirked over his shoulder at the five redheads, "let's begin, shall we?"

Kabuto reached for Suigetsu's half formed head with a glowing palm

"NO! DON'T!"

_Got ya!_ Kabuto snapped around to stare at the identical red haired girls. The one in violet was sobbing uncontrollably and the one in green was kneeling on the ground with a shaking body

"No..." the purple Karin sobbed, "Don't... don't take him..."

"Don't touch them," the clone in green begged, "please... don't take him..."

"hmm, it looks like the two of you shouted at the same time," Kabuto observed, pulling himself out of the tank and sliding the glass door closed once more, letting the tank fill up with water again. "Green and purple huh?" Kabuto turned to examine the two crying girls with crimson eyes, "Sakkon!" Kabuto shouted, turning to look at the door where the gray haired boy stood, "you fought one of them right?"

"Yeah, what of it?" Sakkon asked, glaring at Kabuto for pulling him into the conversation

"What color was your clone wearing?" Kabuto asked waving his hand at the guards to take the other three away, they struggled with every step until the guards had enough and just threw them against the wall. "Easy, we want them alive," Kabuto ordered them with a look of annoyance, the guards grumbled but left the three kunochi's huddled together against the wall, sitting on the floor and looking like wet kittens.

"Hmm... green" Sakkon answered with a look of thought, as if he couldn't quite remember that little bit of info, "I think she was wearing green."

"Was it green or not?" Kabuto asked with a frown

"Dose it matter?" Sakkon asked

"_Immensely_," Kabuto hissed with his own glare aimed at the white haired boy, "You said your clone could manipulate water and used ice style, that's not Karin's ability but Haku's!"

"Yes I'm sure," Sakkon rolled his eyes, "I'm sure she was wearing green."

"Well then Haku, Karin," Kabuto smirked at the identical red heads, "Sorry to burst your bubble but you just failed your mission."

"We failed when we got caught," the Karin in red hissed, Kabuto ignored her as he grabbed the real Karin by her hair and yanked her to her feet, all but out right throwing her at Kimimaro.

"Kimimaro restrain her," Kabuto ordered, "I don't want her hands touching anything got that?" Kimimaro nodded and slammed his palms against the stone ground before Karin could right herself. She screamed as Kimimaro's bones burst from the ground and shoved her up to her knees, separating her hands and forcefully spreading her fingers. "Good," Kabuto nodded in appreciation at Kimimaro, "This'll do nicely."

"Don't touch her!" Haku-Karin screamed; Kimimaro immanently sent three bones at him, one went through each of his/her legs and then one through his forearms, pinning him in place.

"Don't touch me!" Karin screamed, trying to struggle in her bone cage, "Kimimaro stop him!"

"Why?" Kimimaro asked innocently, "you should follow lord Orochimaru."

"Haku! Suigetsu!" Karin shouted, beginning to panic, _someone-anyone! Stop him! Help me!_

"_Hime!_" the three disguised kunochi's shouted together, _we'll protect you!_

_How?_ Karin screamed as Kabuto put his glowing palm over her forehead, her eyes wide and tearing up as she felt his chakra all but force its way through her mind, threatening to adjust her memories.

_Hime! Hime follow my voice!_ The world was starting to go dark

_Hime! Hime!_ Sound was ebbing away

_Hime! Hime follow my voice! I'll protect you!_ Feeling was slipping into the deep darkness that was starting to blind her

_How?_ Karin thought, her world suddenly plunging into darkness, _how can you protect me when you can't protect yourself?_

_At least let me try_, the woman's voice begged, _I swore to protect you but you've been protecting us this whole time... A child shouldn't protect an elder._

_But—_

_Don't 'but' me young lady_

The world around her suddenly brightened and she found herself standing in a blinding white landscape, several pretty women were standing tall and proud in front of her. The eldest was at least 25 with long wavy brown hair as dark as night and skin as pale as moonlight, her crimson dress hugged her curvy body like a second skin—her name was Akane, the first she had met and the first to mimic her image. She was the one sent to the land of field's border edge shared with fire and mist. To Akane's right stood an averagely tall flame colored hair of orange and yellow haired woman dressed in the mist's chunin uniform with her own flare of long billowing yellow sleeves and a two-piece tan skirt with black leggings—her name was Yuri and she was sent to the fire nation's border shared with Mist's waters. Beside Yuri stood Aki, who was pretty average looking with her near Onex black hair, she was sent to the far side of land of sea, cutting through to the land of fire and making a strait b-line for Konoha. The last 'woman' standing closest to her was actually Haku, smiling just as serenely as the women who surrounded them.

_It's alright_, Akane smiled, _I don't mind..._

_None of us mind_, Aki corrected with a mischievous smirk

_Our orders are to protect you at what ever coast_, shy Yuri smiled, half hiding behind her midnight colored hair through habit and embarrassment. Having never really liked the way her blue eyes were so pale she could've passed for a Hyūga with orange hair.

_You're my teammate and one of my best friends,_ Haku smiled at Karin, _what did you expect me to do? Stand still and watch?_

_No_, Karin smiled sadly to him, _but if what you all are planning what I think you're planning—_

_We are_, Aki interrupted with a snicker, _he'll never guess to check us for you_

_But..._, Karin hesitated, not liking what she was thinking they were hinting at, _but... wouldn't that do more damage to all of you?_

_Maybe, maybe not_, Akane shrugged carelessly, _our orders are to protect you_

_So, we'll protect you_, Aki interrupted, _now hurry up and take our hands._ As if to make a point, the three women and one boy took hands with each other, leaving shy Yuri and serine Haku to hold their hands out to Karin expectantly.

_But—_

_No buts__,_ Haku sighed, _we know what we're doing_

_How can you possibly know?!_ Karin asked, feeling desperate and afraid, she could already sense Kabuto's chakra reaching for them, if they didn't do something then all of them would be caught in his damned jutsu.

_If we want to survive we'll have to team together!_ Haku shouted, suddenly feeling alarmed with the feeling of Kabuto's chakra trying to wash over him. _Let us take the brunt of the hit! Let us protect you!_

_How can you ask me to let you take my hit?!_ Karin shouted loudly, _I'm not going to hide behind you or anyone else!_

_You don't have a chance!_ Aki shouted, suddenly beginning to feel the panic swirling in Karin. However, before Karin could retort Akane burst forward and slammed into Karin, spinning on her heal and throwing the younger girl at the line of her teammates. Karin screamed out at Akane, realizing to late that she had taken the full hit of Kabuto's mental attack, her assigned guards all moved together as if they had rehearsed this happening a hundred times over. Their hands connected and their chakra's flared to life; surrounding them in a protective embrace of embers and sunlight, connecting them with strong steel threads and forcing them into a loud screaming fit of incoherent words. Karin felt herself arc in the circle of her guards, her eyes widening as Kabuto's chakra burst through the frail circle of chakra and wrapped around her in a strangling hold of sulfur and something that alarming felt like leaches.

_Karin!_ She felt her eyes move slowly, looking at the dark eyed boy reaching for her, _grab my hand!_

Her fingers brushed his at the same time she felt other hands latch on to her

_Survive! Survive!_

…

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><p>…<p>

**Torikki Jinx- I am not trying to kill off all your favorite characters, just give them unreasonable amount of stress...**

**The Keeper of Worlds-of course, haven't you noticed that Uzumaki's have the world's worst luck? I just ampflied it in this story :)**

**AMMis-thank you for your faithful reviews and constant support, it makes me feel like I haven't compleately blown this one up yet :)**

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><p><strong>Girl—boy vote number (#)—boy #—boy #—boy # (just a name means they've been voted for once)<strong>

**(For OPBBY, I might do a spoof or something in the war arc, if I actually manage to get there without going insane)**

**Sakura—Gaara 12 (with OPBBY—Over Protective Big Brother Yagura—4) —Haku 2—Itachi 6—Sasuke—**

**Fubuki—Haku 3—Shisui 7—**

**Tayuya—Itachi 5—Neji—Shikamaru—Kiba 2— **

**Karin—Suigetsu 8—Gaara—Sasuke—**

**Hinata—Naruto 9—Kiba 2—**

**Ino—Sai 6—Kiba—Chōji 2—**

**Tenten—Neji—Kankuro 4—Sasuke 2—**

**Temari—Shikamaru7—Itachi—**

**Mei—Zabuza 3—**

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><p><strong>Thoughts are helpful<strong>

**Opinions are wonderful**

**Flames are lovely! Just don't cripple me okay?**

**Please no cursing!**

**And don't forget to review!**

**Page 28**


	50. Chapter 50

**There is a reason**

Chapter 50: A price for everything

Koomahana

**Fubuki was 10 when she met Sakura & 11 when she was taken to the leaf village**

**Tayuya was 8 when she met Sakura & 9 when she was taken to the leaf village**

**Sakura was 3 when she was taken and returned to the leaf village**

**Yagura was 20 when he first met Sakura and 21 when he returned to his body.**

**Yagura is 17 years older then Sakura, ten years older then Fubuki and 12 years older then Tayuya**

**Fubuki is 7 years older than Sakura and 2 years older then Tayuya**

**Tayuya is 5 years older than Sakura**

**Fubuki was a genin at 12, Chunin at 14 and Jonin at 16**

**Tayuya was a genin at 12, Chunin at 13 ½ and Jonin at 16**

**They are now:**

**Yagura is now 29 years old—Mizukage—deceased**

**Fubuki is now 19 years old—Jonin for three years (Same age as Shisui—Anbu—and Shikan—Jonin)**

**Tayuya is now 17 years old—Jonin for one year (Same age as Itachi—Anbu—and Hana—Jonin and Kimimaro—Chunin)**

**Sakura is now 12 years old—Genin (Same as Naruto, Sasuke, Karin, Suigetsu and Haku)**

**Okay, so don't be mad at me but I realized that I didn't have Naruto's seal cracking like it did in the original mist mission. Then I realized that Naruto used it in his fight against Neji in the chunin exams and recalled that I hadn't done anything to rectify that... (I'm impressed that no one called me out on that mistake)**

**So in this chapter prepare for the water works because Naruto's seal cracks and the Kiyobi's chakra leaks out **

**Remember in the original chapter how the seal cracks because Naruto beliefs that Sasuke dies?**

**Well guess what...**

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

…

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><p>…<p>

It wasn't hard to catch up with Naruto and Idate. Even after catching up, Sasuke and Sakura continued running full tilt away from the edge of the island; running for everything they were worth towards Nagato shrine. After ten minutes, Naruto informed that Ao could move his body again and was hunting them down. After fifteen, Naruto informed them that his clones were tag teaming to get the items Ao had on his person the hell away from him. twenty minuets later and they could see the shrine, Naruto also informed that he had five clones left and they were closing in fast, so was Ao who was hell bent on killing them.

"Idate remove your weights!" Sakura ordered as she panted beside Sasuke, "Naruto go on a head! You're the fasts out of all of us!"

"Right!" Naruto shouted splitting from them smoothly to meet with Idate on the other side of the shrine where Idate would need him most

"But—"

"Now Idate!" Sakura and Sasuke shouted together at the same time, "Or do you wanna die?!"

Idate didn't hesitate again, his weights were dropped and he was gone in a cloud of dust

It wasn't long after that Naruto's clones caught up with them, only three remaining, and covered them from Ao's enraged attacks that half missed because he was emotional and half because they had training running from enraged Jonin's (they learned that there are some books—icha icha—they shouldn't touch). Ao was forced to back off when they reached temple grounds, not even a Jonin nuke-nin would dare to attack someone on holly ground. Sasuke and Sakura hurried to Jiro and his clansmen before Ao could think twice about his hesitation, one of Naruto clones disappeared to alert the real Naruto and Jiro quickly got the two genin into a room with a civilian medic.

"You think this is going to work?" Sasuke asked as he laid Sakura down in the offered bed, ignoring Akane as she hovered and tended to all of Sakura's scraps and bruises.

"It has to," Sakura coughed, wincing when Akane ran her fingers against a particularly sore spot on her ribs

"A cracked rib," Akane said softly, her lips twisting into a frown, "Maybe a clean break..."

"Naruto is Idate's only chance of winning now," Sakura replied to Sasuke, Akane put a chunk of ointment on a deep cut stationed on her upper left arm. "That hurts!" Sakura hissed with a glare at the pretty brunet beside her, "are you trying to paralyze my arm or something?"

"No," Akane chuckled, "this ointment is made to numb and sterilize one's wounds. It prevents any lasting damage that could eventually get worse with time."

"I see," Sakura sighed, wincing when Akane pressed a little too hard on her left forearm, catching the older girl's attention

"Hmm? Feels like minor bruising..." Akane mumbled, pressing a little harder on the tender area, earning a shrill yelped from the pinkette. "Or maybe a slight fracture," Akane corrected quickly, unable to hide her amused smile at the younger girl's misfortune.

"What do you want me to do?" Sasuke asked, sitting back and watching the two girls interact over the pinkette's wounds

"Move," Sakura hissed, lifting a defensive kunai. Sasuke quickly dived out of the way when someone on the other side slide the door open with a loud 'thwack'.

"Well, well, who do we have here?" Sakura glared at the revealed shinobi while Sasuke snorted and rolled his eyes, obviously finding the older male amusing

"What are you doing here, Shisui?" Sasuke asked, sitting back and plopping one arm across his leg, kunai forgotten in his dormant hand.

"Wha?! Is that how you create your cousin?!" Shisui asked, stepping back and lifting a hand up in 'I'm horrified' kind gesture that he was famous for (at least, amongst their generation he was).

"Sasuke, would you get mad if I threw this at him?" Sakura asked, lifting her own kunai and tilting her head to the side curiously

"Not really," Sasuke shrugged, earning a 'how could you?!' from his cousin, "but if you do he'll tell on you to your sister."

"I doubt Fu-nee would care," Sakura huffed, spinning her kunai on her pointer finger while she braced her arm on her right leg, leaving Akane to tend to her left arm.

"Don't say that about your sister," Shisui smirked at them, leaning against the door way with crossed arms, "We all know that she has a secret crush on me." Sasuke and Sakura looked at each other in disbelief, both having seen said elder pinkette kick Shisui around as if it was some kind of game (in her mind it was exactly that), while Shisui remained smirking in the door way.

"You don't seriously belief that do you?" Sakura asked slowly, one brow raised expectantly, "or did you happen to forget that threat Fu-nee made when she caught you peaking in the women's bath house?" Shisui looked horrified at Sakura, both hands instantly lowering to wrap protectively around his family jewels, tears sprung to the edges of his eyes, his bottom lip jutted out and quivered.

"I told her I was delivering a message," Shisui whined to them

"Didn't stop her from freezing you to a tree," Sasuke snickered

"Or when she got all the kunochi's in the bath house up in arms and proceeded to use him for target practice," Sakura giggled, sharing an amused smirk with Sasuke.

"You too really don't like me do you?" Shisui asked with a depressed expression and a dark cloud forming over his head, "Fine then, I'll just—" Shisui stopped, his eyes widening and his body stiffening

"Huh? What is it?" Sakura and Sasuke asked at the same time, both with their eyes locked in on their older 'brother' both having adopted the boy after hearing that he meant so much to Itachi.

"I was never here," Shisui said his voice hard and level with warning, before disappearing; leaving Sasuke and Sakura to share a look and a nod of agreement.

"Close the doors," Sakura ordered, rising to her feet and pushing Akane to a safer place further in the room, away from the door to outside. "Be as quite as possible," Sakura whispered to Akane, crouching low in front of her and letting the brunet continue her work on Sakura's left hand. Sasuke closed the doors and took a protective stance in the center of the room, in front of Sakura and Akane, misshapen kunai in both hands.

"Something isn't right," Sakura whispered, eyes closed as she listened closely to the sounds surrounding them. "Naruto's clones are gone... I can't feel them..."

"I guard, you ready the scrolls," Sasuke ordered, crimson eyes flaring to life

"Wait, you two aren't seriously thinking of fighting are you?" Akane asked, "That's dangerous, especially in your condition Haruno-san."

"The shinobi life is dangerous," Sakura replied calmly, pulling her hand free of Akane's and examining the tight bandages wrapped around her fingers. "It's an occupational hazard that we've long since gotten used to," Sakura flexed her fingers before digging in her back pouch, pulling out a small brown bag with a pretty white circle on it.

"Need any Sasuke?" Sakura asked as she opened the bag and took out a black pill, popping it in her mouth quickly and ignoring the horrid taste that instantly coated her mouth.

"Those are disgusting," Sasuke replied with a snort, "you ready?"

"I updated the scrolls last night before the run," Sakura replied, "I just have to make sure no one else gets their hands on them."

Sasuke nodded his head in agreement, "Do you feel anything?"

"Just civilians," Sakura answered, "Four are heading our way... none are familiar."

"A good shinobi can suppress their chakra to mimic that of a civilians," Sasuke recited absent mindedly, "Good thing that the advanced suppressing technique is Jonin level only."

"Heh, yeah and it just so happens that our siblings don't care much for protocol," Sakura smirked, both hands readying in the tiger hand sign. "Akane, you might want to hide, it's going to get a little hectic in here..."

"Y-yes ma'am!" Akane stuttered heading to the closet near by and ducking inside, _I sure hope this isn't going to end up being a death trap..._

…

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><p>…<p>

"Are you sure it's wise to leave them behind?" Idate asked as he ran on the dirt road the race was taking; his dragon orb was stationed in his back pouch, away from enemy eyes.

"Yeah I'm sure!" Naruto bellowed from above, his orange covered legs flashing like lightning in the green branches of the trees. "We still have the summoning scrolls!"

"I thought those things were one use only?!" Idate shouted as his speed increased, only to find Naruto matching his speed in the trees

"Not the ones Ne-chan made!" Naruto replied, "What's the point of carrying a scroll if it only contains one seal on it? The scrolls we both carry hold up to seven summoning seals on them. In other words, if one of us gets into deep trouble we can summon one of our allays to back us up!"

"Okay, I see how that works for you guys, but how the hell dose that help me?!" Idate asked as he pushed his arms back and lowered himself closer to the ground, gaining even more speed then he was running at previously. The wind whipped past him, threatening to blind him with the force of his simple running.

_And to think,_ Idate thought with a smirk, _I haven't added chakra yet..._

"Why do you think Sakura-chan cut you when she did?" Naruto asked as he landed on the ground and then followed him closely; out of the corner of his eye, Idate caught sight of several other bright orange flashes in the treetops. Relieve flooded the older boy that Naruto had been smart enough to create more clones to guard them from above, he doubted the boy was smart enough to send any ahead.

"Yeah what of it?" Idate asked when he realized that the blonde was waiting for an answer

"By drawing your blood she made it possible to add you to the summoning scrolls," Naruto replied, "all we hold are the copies of the summoning. Sasuke and I can't add anyone to the human summoning scroll, only Sakura and her family can, it's something Karin-chan taught them."

"Okay, I think I can understand," Idate panted, eyes narrowing as he watched the road begin to do a little more then blur beneath his feet. "But isn't it that kind of a bad idea? What if the person you're summoning is in the middle of a shower or something?"

"It doesn't work like that," Naruto chuckled, "I asked her the same thing and got a black eye for it. I'm betting that the human summoning doesn't last long and that it must be updated regularly." Idate nodded his head in understanding and pushed his body to move even faster, smirking when Naruto let out an affronted shout and added even more chakra to his legs to keep up.

_I see,_ Idate thought, smirking despite his blurring world, _I guess I should've gone into sealing like big brother suggested... there's a lot I could've learned..._

"Look! Up ahead!" Naruto shouted suddenly, "Is that a bridge?"

"Yeah," Idate grunted, beginning to feel irritated with the feel of his knees constantly slamming into his ribcage despite the advantage of less resistance with his current position of running. "It's this path that I need to get to Ishigi Island that holds the second and final temple for the run. If I can reach that temple before the Furuya's man then I win the race."

"Okay then," Naruto grunted, eyes narrowing as he tried to spot what it was ahead of them, "Is there supposed to be someone standing guard at it?"

"No," Idate answered with a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach, "could Ao gotten ahead of us some how?"

"No," Naruto answered, shaking his head, "I had some clones with my teammates. They're all gone and all of them relayed the information that Ao was still... there... damn! I should've gotten it sooner!"

"Got what?" Idate asked as he slowed, not wanting to get too close to Ao

"There was a moment where Ao wasn't chasing us after we stripped him of his gear," Naruto growled. "He must have created clones and sent one after us and another to find the things I stashed, while the original headed here. Damn it!"

"How much trouble are we in?"

"Too much," Naruto answered with narrowed eyes, _I didn't get to Sakura-chan in time... they don't know, they aren't prepared!_

"Naruto! Head up!" Idate shouted, giving the distracted blonde just enough time to dodge the thrown shiriken aimed towards his head.

"You're not the only who knows the clone jutsu!" Ao laughed with a smirk, his form splitting in tree

_This is bad_, Naruto thought, glancing at Idate worriedly, _I'll have to create an opening and force him through..._

"N-Naruto," Idate called worriedly, unease twisting his round face, "I—"

"Don't stop running," Naruto ordered, summoning his own horde of clones, "Whatever you do, don't stop running."

…

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><p>…<p>

"Heh, well wouldn't you know it," Sasuke gritted his teeth in annoyance, Sakura smoothly adjusted herself to crouch protectively in front of the closet, jade eyes narrow and sharp like knifes. "The pests are here too and here I thought it was only the blonde," Standing in the door way stood the three Rain-Nin they had encountered crossing the sea on the ship. All three dressed in their yellow wet suite uniform with masks still present and headbands sitting proudly on their foreheads.

"Where's the blond one?" blind eyes asked, tilting his head to the side, "I would've thought that he would have warned you by now..."

"Ah, maybe he's not here," one eye suggested, crossing his arms in irritation, "Which means their charge has already moved on..."

"Good thing that ours was here this morning, huh?" blind eyes asked, voice tilted in mockery, "They don't have a chance, not with his five hour head start."

"Obviously you don't know much about Idate," Sasuke smirked, his protective stance not lessoning, "you see we've been here for a few hours our self's." That caught the three boy's attention; they shared a look, as if wondering if the others had seen any of them before then. "About three hours to be précis," Sasuke was perhaps, taking a little too much fun at the Rain-Nin's expense, his eyes spun lazily and his smirk seemed to widen.

"Lets not forget that he's a retired Leaf-Nin," Sakura added cheerfully, eyes dancing in mockery and amusement, "We leaf are known for surprising our enemies after all."

"Haruno-san," two eyes called, drawing everyone's attention to himself, "Who taught you that song, the one you played on the ship?" Sasuke glanced back at Sakura, who seemed to ignore the silent question in his crimson gaze

"No one," Sakura answered, the silence in the room seemed to echo with her soft answer, "I made it myself."

"That fire ninjutsu you used with the song... you created it?" Two-eyes asked, head tilted to the side

"Nope," Sakura smirked, "Unfortunately for me, that song dose what ever the hell it wants to." _Let them think that it's unpredictable..._ unfortunately for Sakura, that described 'butterfly' pretty well. Every time she played it something else happened with her surroundings. The first time it had happened the lights around her seemed to brighten, laughter echoed in the air and for some reason or another, it made everyone feel as if they were on cloud nine; happy enough to die without regrets. The second time she played it, it was during the first concern she played in with Fubuki and Tayuya, they were on a mission and were taking cover as their civilian alliances of the famed 'Yuki' sisters. In that instance the music had been accompanied by Fubuki's special water and air style, heightened by Tayuya's genjutsu, and somehow it had made even in the radiance of some sort of hallucination of being apart of the song. It wasn't supposed to be like that but they ignored and continued on with the 'tour', after which it was made public knowledge that the famed 'Yuki Tsubame' wasn't going to let her sisters accompanying her on any more tours because it made too much of an impact on their school life. Her fans had been pissed at the revelation but understood that it had been a rare opportunity. One that they would have to wait a decade or two to see again. The third time had been on the ship, where the flames had reacted to her desire to protect her teammates and as a result, they attacked the ship threatening them.

"If you can't predict the use of it... why use it?" Two-eyes asked, tilting his head to the side curiously

"Because," Sakura smirked at him, "it makes you ask questions." Sasuke snickered at the answer, unable to hide his amusement. The Rain team blinked slowly before glancing at each other, as if they could read each other's thoughts. It looked like one eye and blind eyes were going to reach for their weapons when two-eyes spoke up again.

"It doesn't matter if they remain here or move on," two-eyes said suddenly, closing his eyes and turning away, "Ao-sensei has his gear and is cutting off his target at the island pass. Even if they run now, they'll never make it in time." his teammate's glanced back and forth between him and the leave Nin, as if they weren't sure to attack anyways or to let Sakura and Sasuke run with their new information.

"Damn," Sasuke whispered beneath his breath, giving Sakura an uneasy glance, "I thought Ao was here?"

"He might have sent clones after us," Sakura whispered back, "there are a dozen different types. Including earth, illusion, wood, shadow, and water. He could have used illusion or water, maybe earth, to chase us while he went on ahead."

"Let's not forget that he managed to find everything Naruto had stripped him of," Sasuke added, "only the dube knows what he has now."

"Sasuke... how observant do you think Naruto is?" Sakura asked with a slight frown, "Naruto never told us what he found on Ao..."

_Damn it, why couldn't he have told us?_ Sasuke thought, throwing an agitated look at the three genin in front of him. "Alright you three stooges, ge—" Sakura blinked dumbly as a cloud of smoke replaced Sasuke as her shield, even the rain nin were staring dumbly at the empty space between them and her. Suddenly Sakura gasped in realization and quickly grabbed two scrolls from her back pocket, slamming into place before her.

…

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><p>…<p>

Sasuke coughed as the smoke surrounding him tried to fill his lungs before dispersing completely.

"Sasuke!" automatically, he ducked his crimson eyes locking on the threat of what looked like a blade of golden lightning swung just inches shy of his head. Reflexively he kicked out at the person attacking him, sending a burst of chakra through the soul of his foot, and quickly retreated from the figure. As soon as he was far enough away, he searched his surroundings for anything familiar, silently noting that he was on a path that led to a bridge.

"Naruto," Sasuke called evenly as he caught sight of the bruised blonde just passes from himself, "What did I tell you about summoning and then retreating? That hurts!"

"Sorry Teme, I didn't have much of a choice," Naruto coughed, holding onto his side, "He kicked me hard enough to send me flying. I dropped the scroll too..."

"Idiot," Sasuke hissed, Sharingan eyes rounding onto his attacker and glaring furiously at the very amused looking Ao. Noting that the scroll in question was right beneath the older man's foot, muddied and fractured, looking like the man tried to light on fire before attempting to cut it up. It also appeared that Naruto had gotten his butt kicked by said smirking Jonin; he didn't see Idate right away, figuring that the older boy had hidden himself instead of fighting.

"Where's Idate?" Sasuke asked as he backed up to crouch beside Naruto, assessing the other boy's wounds with his Sharingan.

"I told him not to stop running," Naruto answered, gritting his teeth in annoyance, "I shouldn't have done that..." the blonde gestured with his chin towards the bridge, Sasuke looked and at first didn't see anything of significance. That is until he caught sight of someone wheezing just to the side of the forest by the bridge, just far enough away to stay in Ao's line of sight.

"What happened?" Sasuke asked with narrowed eyes

"I think that guy might have some kind of for-knowing-jutsu up his sleeve," Naruto grumbled struggling onto his feet, one arm wrapped securely around his rib cage. "Every attack I though his way is blocked, every diversion I made was countered and when I managed to get Idate past him, the guy revealed that weird sword in his hand and stabbed Idate with it."

"You're supposed to protect Idate, not put him at death's door," Sasuke growled, adjusting his hold on his half-formed special kunai. Though he had copied it during the chunin exam when he found Sakura teaching Hinata and Karin, his own teammate refused to teach it to him correctly; claiming that since he copied the beginning of it that he could figure out the rest on his own. However, the only thing he managed to do was fill the very edges of his kunai blades with his chakra, extending the blades an extra inch or two. His weren't gracefully curved like Hinata's or half-swords like Sakura's or even harder then steal like Karin's; his appeared to be completely normal kunai, despite the chakra he added to lengthen the blades.

"It's not like I meant for him to get hit," Naruto growled at him, "I thought I had him covered but Ao seems to be able to throw my own trick back at me."

"Shadow clones?" Sasuke asked with a frown

"No, their illusionary," Naruto corrected, "but he can switch places with them like Sakura-chan could during the prelims."

"So I should be okay," Sasuke grumbled under his breath, Sharingan eyes gleaming, "I'll distract him, you grab Idate and get him to a safer distance, then summon Sakura."

"That's going to be harder then you think," Naruto replied, forming a familiar hand sign

"Doesn't matter, it has to be done," Sasuke shot back, charging forward and summoning his chakra to coat his kunai blades. _If only I could charge them with Chidori..._

…

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><p>…<p>

"Summoning!" one eye hissed in realization, Sakura smirked and opened the two scrolls, "their blonde teammate must have summoned him away."

"That means they've reached Ao-sensei already," blind-eyes hissed, grabbing a kunai from his pocket and regarding Sakura with gritted teeth. "She has one too, we can't let all tree of them re-gather together." Sakura growled under her breath and activated the seals on the scrolls just in time to protect herself from a dozen kunai and shiriken that were thrown at her from the two boys.

"What the hell?" one-eye asked with a low hiss, "A shield? Barrier?" before Sakura stood a round, glimmering shield comprised of a dozen hexagonal electric plates, slid together to form a near perfect dome in front of the pinkette and the closet she crouched in front of. Sakura's eyes narrowed at the three boys, knowing that she wouldn't be able to do much in the state that she was in. the most she could do currently was summon this crescent shaped shield to protect her from physical attacks, unfortunately that was where it usefulness ended. It only as wide as it was tall, which was just over five feet, and it didn't cover the back side at all—only the front. Which made it perfect for corners or protecting a selective wall, like in a situation that Sakura currently found herself in; needing to protect someone behind her and yet unable to attack herself.

"Ch, You're just full of all kinds of tricks, aren't you?" one-eye asked in irritation, his hands clenching around the kunai he had grabbed, "Well all shields have a selective time amount and yours couldn't possibly last long."

_He's right_, Sakura thought with narrowed eyes at the boy, _it lasts only as long as the scrolls are touching, if they manage to figure that out I'm toast._ In addition, if they figured out the huge gaping hole left at her back they could exploit it with a bomb and kill Akane and herself with little trouble on their part. _If only I had more chakra,_ Sakura reached behind herself, pulling out the brown bag she had stationed earlier, reaching for another solider pill reflexively. _I could try to pull out another jutsu or use my special blades but... but at this rate my chakra system won't be operational for another hour, maybe two..._

"Whoa there blossom, don't eat that!" Sakura gasped, her eyes widening as a familiar looking shinobi appeared before her with a hand on his hip and a smirk. "We wouldn't want you to suddenly gain too much weight, you'll lose that—"

"Leave the hormones to Jiraiya-baka!" Sakura snapped with a red face, "A true kunochi doesn't care much for how her body looks, just so long as it doesn't hinder her!"

"Oh man, you take too much after Tayuya," Shisui chuckled, smirking over his shoulder at her, "All the same, don't eat that thing. The last one upped your reserves to a safe level but that one just might kill you."

"Ch, you're still over dramatic," Sakura tsked but returned her small pouch of soldier pills anyway, "What happened Shisui? Why are you back?"

…

"_Hold it right there!" he barreled down on the green haired man, only his Onex eyes shown gleaming in the darkness of the forest surrounding them. Ao looked up at him in wide eyed surprise, his face paling at the sight of his shining headband; Ao tried to turn and run but Shisui landed on his back, pinning him to the moss covered ground of the forest. "You're wanted dead or alive, Ao Arai!" Shisui smirked, proud of himself despite the fact that Ao wasn't his current mission._

"_Ch, stupid leaf nin," Ao coughed, a smirk on his tanned face_

"_Hay now, that's no way to talk about yourself," Shisui smirked, knowing that the man was once apart of their shinobi ranks but had defected to rain some years ago. "Now which do you think I should take? You alive or should I just cart your head around in my bounty scroll?"_

"_Try neither," Ao chuckled, surprising Shisui as his body liquefied and stained the dark moss an even dark emerald._

What the? _Shisui thought, frowning at the water that stained his pants, his Sharingan flaring to life to examine his surroundings. _Water clone? Damn, so he did learn a few new tricks at Ame..._ Shisui slowly rose to his feet and regarded the dark forest carefully, searching for anything that could be considered a threat. _What was the—sheet!_ Shisui's eyes widened and he turned into a dead sprint back to the temple, panic surging forward as he flash stepped as many times as he could back to the room he last seen his cousin in._

_He arrived just in time to see Sasuke disappear in a burst of smoke._

…

"Nothing important," Shisui answered with a fake smile, turning his back to the confused pinkette to regard her three attackers with his crimson eyes. After a moment of studying them silently, he decided that he didn't need his Sharingan for the young genin and deactivated his bloodline with an amused smirk.

"So you're not going to tell me why you look like you wet yourself?" Sakura asked with a raised eyebrow

"Not now," Shisui replied with a look that said he had forgotten the water staining his black pants, "Do you know anything about these brats?"

"They specialize in genjutsu," Sakura snorted crossing her legs under her and leaning back on her uninjured right arm. "I could take them if I hadn't crash-landed on the island and tore up my arm and back."

"Crash landed?" Shisui repeated with a look of amusement shot over his shoulder at the disgruntled looking girl, "Ne~ why don't you tell me more after I take care of them?" Shisui asked, jabbing a thumb at the irritated looking genin

"I'd much rather not," Sakura snorted and rolled her eyes, "I'm sure Naruto will do all the talking for me."

"Speaking of the prankster, where is he?" Shisui asked, ignoring the sharpening glares of the three boys

"Huh? Oh he should be at the bridge to Ishigi island with Idate and Sasuke," Sakura answered with a shrug, "if they need me they'll summon me."

"Uh-huh, and what about Ms. Koizumi? You going to let her out of that closet?" Shisui asked in amusement

"Depends on weather or not you'll proved any cover," Sakura shot back, hands lacing together in the universal sign of release. Shisui snickered to himself and dropped a smoke bomb, intentionally clouding the room so that Sakura could roll up the scrolls and release the pretty brunet from the closet at the same time. When the smoke cleared the shield was gone, Akane was on her hands and knees' coughing hoarsely, Sakura was gone and Shisui was left snickering to himself in the middle of the room.

"Aw~ she left me," Shisui chuckled to himself, regarding the three Rain-genin with an amused smirk, "What do you boys think? Should I give chase?"

The three genin shared a look, nodded, and then ran for their lives away from the room. Unfortunately for them that ignited Shisui's 'cat or mouse' response and he ended up chasing them like a lunatic through the temple, crazed laughter and all.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

The instant she felt her feet land on a something that obviously wasn't wood, Sakura ducked low, threw a kunai at the first thing she deemed to be a threat and back flipped away from her landing spot. Skidding into a halt, Sakura remained crouched, kunai in both hands, and eyes searching her surroundings like pendulums. In seconds she recognized her new location as the bridge to Inaigi island, saw Naruto and Sasuke down for the count, Ao glaring hatefully at her with her kunai protruding form his thigh and Idate laid on the ground behind her two teammates.

"Damn Sakura" Sasuke chuckled, holding onto his arm with an amused smirk, "You'd think you're a war veteran with that reaction."

_I am,_ a voice in the back of her mind whispered, earning a smirk on her face.

"I might as well be with you two trouble magnets always finding some kind of catastrophe to jump in," Sakura shot back, eyes landing onto Idate and examining his wound automatically. "What happened? I thought you two were protecting him?" Sakura asked as she moved forward and placed glowing palms on Idate's side, sighing in relive when she found that it wasn't deep and barely went past his skin layer.

"Apparently that sword of his causes more problems then what's necessary," Sasuke replied, "I saw the wound too, he shouldn't be down like that."

"Well you're right about that," Sakura frowned, brow twitching when she felt something bit at her fingers, her eyes looked up to study Ao. "I take it that sword caused this wound?"

"Yeah," Naruto agreed, "You recognize it?"

"Uh-huh," Sakura bobbed her head, retracting her hands and smiling when Idate opened his eyes and sighed in relief at the sight of her. "That's the Niidaime-sama's sword, the thunder god's blade. It worked well with his flash step, combining the two jutsu's is what started the rumor of him being the thunder god reincarnate."

_Amusing_, that small voice in the back of her mind chuckled, _what would he say to a real reincarnate?_

"Now that we know that useless bit of info," Sasuke snorted, quietly wondering if she learned it in the academy, "Do you know how to beat it?"

"You beat lightning with lighting," Sakura shot back with a roll of her jade eyes, "How should I know? what is lighting weak against?"

"Now is not the time to review our academy lessons," Naruto groaned, "Just tell us already!"

"Try wind," Sakura sighed, "Lightning is weak against wind."

"Great, that's you," Sasuke sighed, looking at Naruto with a dumbfounded expression, "I can't belief that our survival depends on you."

"Sasuke distract him," Sakura ordered with a sigh, "Naruto lay the final blow." Sasuke rolled his eyes as he did a few hand signs, ignoring Naruto's chuckling as he summoned Chidori.

"Now!" Sasuke shouted, belting forward with renewed speed and vigor; Naruto, Sakura and Idate close behind

"That's not going to work!" Ao shouted, swinging the sword up and blocking Sasuke's Chidori with a smirk, only to have his eyes widen as Idate burst past him. Sasuke smirk and jumped, letting his Chidori go out and for the golden lightening to envelop him; Sakura slid to a stop at the edge of the forest, stance wide and hands held out before herself as if she expected to catch something.

"Rasengan!" Naruto screamed, slamming his own ball of wind from behind Sasuke, having ducked under his legs and slammed his orb of blue chakra into a surprised Ao's chest. AO screamed in pain, shoving his arm aside and throwing Sasuke straight at Sakura, who caught him with little effort on her part. Naruto smirked as his Rasengan continued to push Ao back until he was lifted off his feet and sent flying into the bridge support and took it out, sending half the bridge cradling into the current infested river far below.

"Kyaa!" Idate screamed, immanently launching himself to the side and wrapping himself around the rope like a pill warm.

"Naruto! Escort Idate to the shrine!" Sasuke ordered, crouching beside Sakura

"But—!" Naruto started only to cut himself off when he saw Sakura cough into her hand, spilling fresh blood past her fingers.

"Now!" Sasuke ordered coldly

Naruto gulped, stepped back, watched Sakura cough and hack a second longer...

"We'll catch up!" Sasuke shouted, trying to sound reassuring to his teammate, "just go!" Naruto nodded hesitantly before he turned on his heal and climbed across the still standing rope of the bridge, glancing at his teammate's he decided not to cut the rope and just climbed to the other side. Once he reached Idate, he pushed the older boy to the other side and then carried him to the stairs of Inaigi shrine, from there Idate took care of the rest, pushing himself to his limit to win the race. Naruto followed in the trees, watching Idate run past the finishing line and into the shrine to place his stone on the pedestal. He smirked and landed beside Jiro, it was about then that the sound of breaking trees reached them. Naruto blinked and turned, ignoring the words of the nobleman and Jiro, finding the racing cloud of dust much more important. Tearing through the cheering crowd and sliding to a stop Naruto and Jiro, was a panting Sasuke, crimson eyes tear stained and urgent with a too pale Sakura resting on his back.

"Please tell me you have a doctor!" Sasuke shouted, his crimson eyes blazing at the startled group in front of him

"I'm here," an unfamiliar old man shouted, "bring her over here, quickly!" Sasuke obeyed without a single thought as to who the man was or where he came from, Akane was there beside the man and she quickly removed Sakura's top to examine her chest; Naruto and Sasuke quickly looked away.

"Her fractures turned into breaks," Akane gasped, quickly recovering the pinkette's chest with tears in her eyes

"Sounds like a punctured lung," the old man grumbled, listening to Sakura's slow and uneven breaths carefully, "We have to get her into a room and prepare for surgery straight away." Akane nodded in agreement, three large men moved forward and carefully lifted Sakura and carried her away to a room they both could use for her surgery.

"Sasuke, what happened?" Naruto asked as he stepped forward, fear and concern twisting his face

"It's my fault," Sasuke answered softly, his eyes wide in realization, "it's my fault..."

"Huh? Wha-what do—"

"She crashed on the shore... I could've taken the hit but I-I let go..." Sasuke continued, his body trembling as his hands clenched at his side, "I let go and... and she fractured her ribs because of it... it's my fault..." Naruto fell silent at the declaration; unable to come up with a response to the blame Sasuke was feeling. "Then when Ao threw me... Sakura... she caught me, despite her fractures she caught me... she must've broken them then..." Sasuke crashed to his knees just as Idate returned from inside the shrine, his eyes widening further in realization and horror.

"...It's my fault..."

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

_This is taking too long_, he thought, dark eyes narrowing at his glowing palm tangled in crimson strands, _it's been too many hours... how long dose it take to adjust this girl's memories? How many important, life-changing experiences has she had?_ He knew it had been little more then a day since he started on his current task, which was strange because he never had any of his little experiments take so long before. Before him kneeled Karin, wide eyed, slack jawed and drooling after all the screaming she had done; the kunochi behind them had fell silent long ago and it worried Kabuto that they might be planning something. An unsure glance over his shoulder at the three huddled up women-turned-girls, told Kabuto that they had simply fallen asleep together. Which was usual because—Kabuto blinked out of his thoughts as Kimimaro moved forward and moved some of Karin's hair aside to look at her neck curiously.

_What is he..._ Kabuto pulled Karin's head down, reaching over with his other hand to lift the hair from her neck. _Damn it!_ "Sakkon! Check the other girls! See if they have any strange marks on their necks!" the white haired boy blinked at him and shrugged carelessly, he walked over to the girl with bones sticking out of her limbs first, checked her neck, tsked and moved onto the sleeping triplets. With careful ministrations, Sakkon lifted each other manes of crimson hair and examined their necks carefully; eyes narrowing he carefully examined each of them a second time and then a third time.

"They all hold the same tattoo on their necks," Sakkon drawled, "I take it your Karin dose too..."

"Dose it look like some kind of flower?" Kabuto asked with a low growl

"I was thinking of a rose but I guess it's a flower too," Sakkon drawled sarcastically, "ne~ did you notice their outfits at all?"

"I'm too busy to care about one's sense of fashion," Kabuto snapped irritably

"Well since you're so busy," Sakkon mocked with a roll of his eyes, "they're outfits turned into the same shade of purple. They're all perfect reflections of each other now."

"Damn it," Kabuto hissed, his eyes narrowing as he lifted Karin's head back up and looked into her eyes carefully. _Damn them!_ Of course it would only occur to him in the middle of his newest technique, _they're blocking me! Protecting her in the realm of their own minds!_ If that was true then he was going to lose this battle of wills, five was greater then one after all. Kabuto's eyes narrowed as he tried to think of how to out smart the four Jonin kunochi's, he didn't know what kind of seal it was each of them bared on their necks, if it connected their minds like he suspected then forcefully removing it would do more damage then good. It could kill all five of them instead of just breaking their connection.

_If they're going to fight me on this then..._ Kabuto's eyes glinted ominously in the dark lab, _I'll just make sure that none of them can fight back!_

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

_That was too much fun,_ Shisui thought as he glided through the tall treetops of the Inaigi Island. The Rain-genin hadn't been much of a distraction as he felt he needed but they were entertaining all the same, they were rather boring after an hour of chasing them around the temple. As it was, he had spent too long playing with the kids, the sky was darkening and he was beginning to worry about not feeling any sign of life on his travel through the forest.

_I wonder how team seven is doing..._ Shisui smirked as he jumped, getting a good view of the temple grounds and the hundreds of people milling about—his eyes immanently landed on Naruto and Sasuke. _What's going on?_ Shisui landed and burst with renewed vigor, eyes narrowed and bleeding crimson, searching quickly for that something he knew was missing.

"It's not your fault!" Naruto shouted when Shisui got close enough to hear their argument

_What's going on?_ Shisui thought as he slid to a stop between the teammates, looking to the federal lord for an explanation, however the older man didn't need to speak as Sasuke was suddenly screaming at Naruto.

"But if I hadn't let Ao hit me with that sword then she wouldn't be—"

"If you didn't do that then the sword would've hit me!" Naruto interrupted, "then our plan would've been toast and we'd still be at the bridge! The race lost! The village doomed!"

"I don't care about the village or the race!" Sasuke snapped, earning startled gasps from the adamantly listening crowd, "I care about Sakura! And if Ao hadn't thrown me into her then I wouldn't have broken her ribs!" Naruto was cut off when a familiar looking brunet stepped around the corner, blood coating her hands and arms and staining the bright white apron she wore. The whole courtyard fell silent at her arrival, everyone staring at her, seeking comfort that her teary eyes and regret filled face couldn't offer.

Her next movement sent Naruto and Sasuke over the edge

"I'm sorry," Akane whispered, bowing deeply to the two genin, "I'm so sorry."

_Sheet!_ Shisui's eyes widened and he took off down a hall, his chakra already reaching out to search for that familiar warm hum of the youngest Haruno's. _Don't die, don't die, don't—_Shisui slammed open a pair of doors, face paling as the smell of blood slammed into him like a bomb, stinging his eyes and threatening to make his stomach flip. In the center of the room were several civilian medics slowly filtering away from a small body on a white bed sheet stained bright crimson. Beside the small body with a wave of elegant pink hair, sat an old man with hunched shoulders, depression hung around him like a cloud of smoke.

_No_, Shisui thought in horror, watching the medics take a blanket and flip it over the small blood splattered body, covering the young child's face with sorrow and regret. Behind him two voices screamed, their voices filling the air with their anger and despair. Sasuke slammed to his knees and wrapped his hands around his head, screaming furiously for that girl he called sister. Naruto did his own version of screaming, his seal unlocked and the Kiyobi's chakra threatened to suffocate everyone breathing within a twenty-foot radius of the enraged blonde. Shisui felt the demon's release and snapped around, wide eyed and shocked at the swirling crimson surrounding the younger boy, internally knowing that he had to stop him but unable to do more then watch in awe and horror.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

His surroundings buckled and trembled, the large lake he had found surged with anger and fury, threatening to burst into a storm. He opened his eyes, staring dully at the dark expanse of a lake that surrounded him protectively. The small pendent he had hung from a craves in his shell glowed in the darkness, he watched it for a moment, something dark and unsure swelling in his chest like a fire growing steadily out of control. Suddenly the flowery pendent snapped in half, his eye dilated at the sight of the pretty emerald flower turned to ash and dust before his very eye.

With a furious roar, his despair lashed out on his surroundings, nearly destroying the land beyond the lake he had claimed

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

She honestly didn't know what to do, her world was a blinding white filled with pain filled screams. It seemed like forever since it had started and she felt as if she didn't know anything else but this endless pain that surrounded her like a raging storm. She could feel hands clasped tightly around her limbs, holding onto her tightly as if trying to protect her and beg her for help at the same time.

As sudden as the endless pain began it ceased

She gasped, her world suddenly silent and pain free, the hands clasping her were missing, her surroundings deafening silent. She wanted to move, to blink, to speak, to _think_, but all she could manage was to stare dumbly at the empty glowing space over head.

"_It's okay,_" a familiar voice whispered in her ear, "_I'm here Imoto..._" She blinked, relief flooded her system that she could manage the small action, and she slowly turned towards the voice, mouth trembling at the sight greeting her beyond the circle of her guards. Shimmering in the blinding brightness of the strange abyss surrounding them, stood a familiar figure dressed in the brightest, warmest, crimson dress.

The figure raised a hand and waved gently at her, as if bidding good bye

_No,_ she thought, the word barely more then a feeling of dread in her chest, _no..._

"_Goodbye..._" the figure's shimmering faded; her body was swallowed up by the blinding abyss

"_No_" she sobbed, reaching out to the fading figure, tears dripping down her eyes

"_Imoto_"

…

She awoke to an icy world, dark and light at the same. She tell without looking that she was deep beneath the earth, that the air needed to be circulated before it got stale, the little light that did stand in the cold room came from florescent light bulbs and glowing liquid from the tanks beside and behind her. Without looking, she knew that there was a heavily wounded girl exactly ten feet directly in front of her and there were three other bodies that needed medical attention directly fifteen feet to her North West potion as well. She felt the icy cold, white things holding her up retract with a jerk, letting her fall back onto her rear numbly.

"Well... how do you feel, Karin?" the young man in front of her asked, taking a step back wirily, dark eyes locked onto the dull eyed girl in front of him.

"Nee-chan..." Karin whispered brokenly, fat tears rolling down her round cheeks, "Nee-chan..." Kabuto groaned and rubbed the bridge of his nose, he knew it was going to be difficult considering he had to fight through four other consciousness to reach Karin's but he wasn't expecting her to remain with all of her memories in tact. "Save her," Karin whispered brokenly, looking up at a surprised Kabuto desperately, "You can do that right Kabuto-san? You save people right?"

"I suppose..." Kabuto said slowly, frowning at the red head, "Why? What is it that you want?" _ I might be able to use—_

"Nee-chan's hurt," Karin said, more tears rolling down her cheeks, "She needs your help. You have to help her, before it's too late." Karin watched as Kabuto sighed and crouched in front of her, the hand he was using to rub at his nose had moved to his temple.

"Alright, I'll play along," Kabuto sighed, regarding Karin thoughtfully, "Who is your Nee-chan?" Karin flinched at the question, her already wide eyes widening further, her face paling drastically.

"I" she paused, her breathing increasing as her eyes fogged over in thought, "I... I..."

_Don't tell him,_ a voice deep in the back of her mind whispered brokenly, but it wasn't as if she could if she wanted to. For the life of her, Karin couldn't come up with the name she needed to save her sister. With a broken sounding sob Karin covered her face with her hands, wailing loudly as she curled up on herself.

"I-I don't know!"

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

He could hear the civilians scream in alarm, scattering like cockroaches away from the two hysterically wailing boys. Still he found it hard to move, his crimson eyes wide in alarm as he stared at the two teammates in a kind of hypnotism.

…

"_Shi-nii!" a little girl giggled loudly, running towards him with a bouquet of flowers in her hands, "Guess what?!"_

"_What blossom?" he asked, turning and crouching low for the cute girl_

"_I made a new friend today!" she giggled, sliding to a stop and thrusting the bright bouquet in his face. He instantly recognized his friend's herb flowers, even with their dirt covered roots dangling carelessly in the wind, he knew that said friend would hunt him down later for the herbs. "These are for you!" the girl giggled, "but on one condition!"_

"_Oh?" he asked with a chuckle, raising one eyebrow at the excited little girl_

"_Uh-huh," her smile winded, a mysterious twinkle lighting up her jade eyes_

"_What kind of condition?" he asked, glancing over her shoulder to see the girl's older sister marching towards them_

"_You have to help him," she smiled, "he's lost and afraid and he doesn't know how to respond to people." Her sister slowed at the sound of her voice, curiosity getting the better of her, "I don't know what happened but you can make anyone smile, so I bet you'd be a great influence on him!"_

"_Oh really?" he asked, voice full of amusement, "I don't get that kind of complement every day blossom, are you sure you want me to rube off on this boy?"_

"_Uh-huh," She giggled helplessly, pushing flowers into his hands, "He needs sunshine and you're the brightest sun I can find in the whole village!" he laughed heart fully at the loud declaration, no longer disturbed by the younger girl's sudden and strange way of explaining things to her elders._

"_What ever his this boy's name, blossom?" he asked, cradling the bouquet of flowers carefully, a smile stretching his face just as wide as her own did_

"_Naruto," She giggled up at him, "His name is Naruto Uzumaki."_

…

_That's right_, Shisui thought numbly, his wide crimson eyes slowly racking back to the too still body laying in the blood stained blanket, _I made a promise..._ a memory from long ago surfaced in his mind, he recalled how Shikan had once been wounded bad enough that his heart stopped, Fubuki had instantly jumped forward with glowing palms and forcefully restarted his heart. Shisui had watched it with his Sharingan, forgetting to turn it off for the promise he held with his teammate and friend. He remembered how Fubuki's chakra had shifted and changed, assaulting Shikan's heart like firecrackers and lightning.

"What are you doing?!" the old man shouted in shock as Shisui reach forward and yanked of the white sheet covering Sakura's body, his crimson eyes tear streaked as he fell to his knees beside her, his hands glowing a bright blue-green. "Stop! You can't possibly revive her now!" the old man protested, palm landing on Shisui's shoulder, "It's been too long—!" Shisui's crimson eyes snapped to him, calm with a kind of fury that would still most men's hearts.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Though his surroundings thrashed and bucked with his fury, there was one shadow among the destruction of the surrounding lands, stood a single man tall and unwavering, unafraid of his fury. He recognized the man instantly as the one who had killed Yagura some months ago. The Sanbi roared furiously, his one crimson eye glowing ominously in the mist of his lake; still the man seemed unmoved even as the Sanbi charged.

"Heh, you think I'll faultier with your fury?" the man asked, his voice low and deep like thunder hidden in the mountains, "it tells me what I need to know..." in a flash the man was before him, his crimson Sharingan eye staring into the Sanbi's own demonic red.

"Rin is _dead_,"

_I couldn't even find her..._

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

He was standing in a stone room, water as deep as his knees surrounded him; a huge metal gate stood a dozen feet in front of him, crimson eyes glaring down at him from beyond the gate. He didn't have enough strength to glare back, he just stared back at the strange creature glaring at him, unable to come up with a voice for the questions buzzing in the back of his mind. He recalled Mizuki shouting at him, calling him a monster for being the jinchūriki of the nine tails and in the back of his mind, he made the connections and believed the white haired man. He just never consciously made the connection, never really wanting to belief in it despite the little voice in his heart whispering that it was true.

"_**What are you doing here, brat?**_" the giant Kiyobi asked lowly, his voice loud enough to vibrate in Naruto's chest

"Nee-chan died," Naruto said dully, his eyes not removing themselves from the Kiyobi's, "I... I don't know what to do..."

"_**Destroy him**_," Kiyobi growled, "_**Want my power? I'll give it to you, just release me**_..."

"Why?" Naruto asked dully, not sure why the Kiyobi would want to give him his power

"_It's my fault,_" a distant voice whimpered in the darkness of the sewer system that was his own mind. "_It's my fault..._" Naruto perked at the soft voice, blue eyes locking in on the darkness of the Kiyobi's cage, "_it's my fault... its all my fault. I could've taken the hit when we landed but... I let go..._" Naruto's eyes widened as he saw the distant figure in the darkness of the Kiyobi's cage. "_I couldn't take the hit but I let go—it's my fault, it's all my fault!_" little by little the darkness abated and Sasuke's back was shown to Naruto's startled blue eyes, he was so immersed in what his teammate was saying that he didn't notice the demon's widening grin.

_Just a little more,_ Kiyobi thought, his crimson eyes glowing in the darkness of his cage

"_It's my fault_," Sasuke whispered, then a little bit of a chuckle catching Naruto's complete attention, "_it's my fault... he-he my fault ha-ha-ha..._"

"S-Sasuke..." Naruto called softly, unsure if he should draw the older boy's attention to himself

"_BWAA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!_" Sasuke suddenly started laughing hysterically, going so far as doubling over and wrapping his arms around his stomach.

"S-Sasuke," Naruto called with a frown, "Why are you laughing?"

"_Don't you see Naruto?_" Sasuke asked, laughter lacing his words, "_it's not my fault... it's her's!_"

"H-her's?" Naruto repeated

"_Yes hers_," Sasuke bobbed his head, turning to grin over his shoulder at Naruto, his long navy hair hiding his eyes. "_If she weren't so weak she wouldn't have died like that... if she wasn't weak she wouldn't have died!_"

Naruto's blue eyes darkened, nearly blackening, with fury as he glared furiously at Sasuke's back

_Now!_ The Kiyobi's smile stretched and his chakra barreled into Naruto's body, enveloping him in hatred and despair, enhanced by the Kiyobi's own power. _I am free!_

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Shisui growled low in his chest, it was as if Sakura's body was fighting his chakra, not letting him reach what he needed to. Behind him, the air thickened and he swore the earth dented beneath Naruto, sending out wild shock waves around them and nearly destroyed the building they were in.

_Damn it!_ Shisui thought, unconsciously tapping into a bit of lighting chakra as he pulled his hand back and then slammed it into Sakura's chest, _WAKE UP!_

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"_Listen baby, ain't no mountain high,  
>Ain't no valley low, ain't no river wide enough baby<em>_"_

_If you need me call me, no matter where you are,  
>No matter how far; don't worry baby<br>Just call my name; I'll be there in a hurry  
>You don't have to worry,<em>_"_

The song sounded throughout the stone halls of the sewer system, sounding light and filled with love. Just the beginning of it was enough to silence Naruto's loud scream of despair.

"_Oh baby there ain't no mountain high enough,  
>Ain't no valley low enough,<br>Ain't no river wide enough  
>To keep me from getting to you babe<em>

_Remember the day I set you free  
>I told you you could always count on me darling<br>From that day on, I made a vow,  
>I'll be there when you want me,<br>Some way, some how_

_No!_ the Kiyobi howled as his chakra was forced away from Naruto, letting the boy turn teary eyed at the entrance of his cage. Desperately the Kiyobi slammed a hand forward, only to be blocked by the immense beams of his cage, he howled again, cursing the child for listening to the song.

"_Oh baby there ain't no mountain high enough,  
>Ain't no valley low enough,<br>Ain't no river wide enough  
>To keep me from getting to you babe<em>

_Oh no darling  
>No wind, no rain<br>Or winters cold can stop me baby, no no baby  
>'Cause you are my goal<br>If you're ever in trouble;  
>I'll be there on the double<br>Just send for me, oh baby, ha_

Naruto remembered the song he was listening too, it was song by Kizashi to Mebuki for their wedding day and later it was sang by both to get him and his surrogate siblings to go to sleep. They still sang it for their anniversary or when one of their girls (or him) got a nightmare or when they just felt like reminding the other of their love. He remembered Mebuki had once held him tight, ignoring the protesting drunkards outside their house, she sang that song. At first it sounded like something she was doing to distract herself from the hatred outside her home but as Sakura came home from school, it was less of a distraction and more of a way to remind them both that she loved them dearly. That day Mebuki sat in a rocking chair with both Sakura and Naruto in her lap, listening to the song as she repeated it over and over, until night fell and the drunkards left.

"_My love is alive  
>Way down in my heart<br>Although we are miles apart  
>If you ever need a helping hand,<br>I'll be there on the double  
>Just as fast as I can<br>Don't you know that there_

_Ain't no mountain high enough,  
>Ain't no valley low enough,<br>Ain't no river wide enough  
>To keep me from getting to you babe<em>_"_

Naruto felt like crying when he saw the back wall wash out into a bright blinding portrait that showed cased Mebuki in her rocking chair with seven year old Naruto and Sakura asleep in her lap. Mebuki continued singing, rocking softly to the tune, her voice smooth and elegant, reminding the sleeping children that she would always love them.

"_Don'tcha know that there  
>Ain't no mountain high enough,<br>Ain't no valley low enough,  
>Ain't no river wide enough<br>Ain't mountain high enough  
>Ain't no valley low enough<em>

_That's going to keep me from reaching you"_

Naruto swore Mebuki glanced at him as she finished the song, the last verse seemingly being sang just for him

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Naruto blinked and suddenly he wasn't standing in the sewer system anymore, instead he was standing in a doorway, the wind was howling in his ears and a pair of amused emerald orbs were smiling up at him from bloodied blankets.

"Naruto," his sister whispered brokenly, tears threatening the edges of her eyes, "you stupid boy... calm down..."

"N-Nee-chan," Naruto hick-upped, slamming onto his knees as he stared at his pink haired teammate, "Nee-chan..."

"I'm right here," Sakura wheezed, "please calm down... it hurts." Naruto jerked at the soft whisper, his eyes widening as he looked around himself hurriedly, gasping when he saw that he was wrapped in a bright orange cloak of the Kiyobi's chakra. "His chakra hurts Naruto... please, calm down..." Naruto hick upped, staring in awe at his clawed hands, silently willing the Kiyobi's toxic chakra to return to it's seal. Sakura blinked very slowly at him, her sleepy smile still in place, watching the cloak slip beneath his skin. Sakura took a deep breath and hummed gently; Naruto hick-upped and nearly choked as a result, to happy to actually feel remorse for losing control.

"Good," Sakura whispered, her eyes sliding closed, _good job... Naruto..._

"Sakura-chan?" Naruto called worriedly, his arm moving jerkily as he shook her shoulder fearfully, "S-Sakura-chan?"

"She's sleeping," Naruto gasped and snapped around in his place, blue eyes wide as he stared in an almost terrified manner at Shisui. "She'll be okay Naruto," Shisui gave the blonde a strained smile, "She needs her rest."

"b-but..." Naruto looked back at Sakura, tears still streaming down his tanned cheeks

"It took a while but I was able to restart her heart," Shisui interrupted, a note of aw in his voice, "we'll have to watch her carefully for the next few days and make sure she doesn't pass away in her sleep."

"Really?" Naruto asked, turning back to look at the elder Uchiha. Instantly his blue eyes landed onto Sasuke, who was huddled in Shisui's embrace, unconscious and limp like a corps. "Is he..." Naruto's voice trailed off in horror, he didn't remember what happened after his seal cracked when he saw Sakura's corps, he just knew that the Kiyobi's chakra was lose and that his world was darkening fast. "Did I—?"

"No," Shisui sighed, "Don't worry about Sasuke, Naruto, he's just fine." Naruto sniffed and looked at him unsurely, still afraid to hope for the best. "Really Naruto, he'll be just fine," Shisui sighed, "I had to knock him out before he gouged out his own eyes, that's why he's like this."

"O-oh," Naruto hick-upped, whipping at his sore eyes with his fists, "Wha... what happened?" he asked with another sniff, "I mean... I remember Sakura-chan and she-she was..." Naruto gave Shisui a desperate and terrified look, "Did the seal break? Did I hurt anyone?"

"No," Shisui smiled sadly at him, "you gave me quite the scare though. You went three tails without a second thought, almost jumping straight to the next."

"R-really?" Naruto asked, "I-I didn't hurt anyone?" Shisui chuckled, impressed that Naruto only cared about that and seemed to not at all for the amount of tails he went without trying.

"No you didn't hurt anyone," Shisui chuckled, "If anything, you scared everyone off the island." Naruto blinked dumbly at him, one hand still raised at his teary eyes, a confused frown twisting his features. "The civilians started screaming when you went one tail, they started evacuating when you went two tails." Naruto paled and he imagined that this village would begin to treat him as most in his home treated him.

"I'm pressed you got control of yourself so soon... it's unheard of for a jinchūriki to go so far and yet return with their mind intact." Shisui said with a thoughtful tilt of his head; Naruto sniffed and looked down at Sakura, a wiry smile curling his lips.

"Congratulations... little brother..." _You pulled off the imposable..._

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

**Song: Ain't No Mountain High Enough**

**By: ****and**** Tammi Terrell**

**Thoughts are helpful**

**Opinions are wonderful**

**Helpful criticism****is**** lovely! Just don't cripple me okay?**

**Please no cursing!**

**And don't forget to**** rate and**** review!**

**Page 28**


	51. Chapter 51

**There is a reason**

Chapter 51: Home

Koomahana

**Himura—scarlet village**

**Satoshi—wise, fast learner**

**Song: Tomorrow will come**

**From: Cage of Eden**

**My current obsession, the main character reminds me a little of Naruto (in personality, not looks)**

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

She stared horrified at the little note sitting innocently in front of her, the decoding specialist standing before her with an expression of sorrow.

"When was this received?" she asked softly, unable to remove her eyes from the simple note

"Zero five hundred this morning, My lady," the brunet answered regretfully, "the bird would've had to have traveled a day and half to reach us..." Tsunade blinked and nodded slowly, eyes still glued to the emergency note sent to them.

"Shizune..." Tsunade called numbly, "get a team ready for emergency departure..."

"Yes my lady," Shizune bowed and ran out the door quickly, _Sakura is dead and Naruto snapped? _Shizune thought in a panic, her mind already going through the list of people she should bring in on the emergency mission. _I need to hurry!_

"Thank you... Ayano-san," Tsunade whispered, sitting back in her seat and regarding her village in a kind of daze. The young woman remained stationed in front of Tsunade's desk, too afraid to move and possibly fall apart as a result. "You can go now... Ayano-san..."

"Y-yes my lady," Ayano stuttered, fighting the urge to let lose her fear and frustration. Thank fully she didn't need to, a small black bird landed on Tsunade's open window and squawked indulgently at them, as if insulted that they didn't come running over to him. Sniffing, Ayano rubbed at her eyes and smoothly walked over to the irritated looking crow, smiling sadly at the creature that huffed and squawked at her, Ayano calmly retrieved the small note inside the back holster it was carrying. The bird squawked insulted at her and disappeared in a puff of smoke, electing a sad smile from Ayano as she opened the small note and read what it said.

"What dose it say?" Tsunade asked numbly, eyes lidded and lost in her despair. In answer, Ayano hick-upped and collapsed to her knees, relieved chuckles escaping her lips as she reread the note. "Ayano-san?" Tsunade called, twisting in her chair to look at the younger brunet kneeling in her office, fat, happy tears cascading down her cheeks. "Ayano-san?" the brunet looked up at her, eyes shinning and bright with relief, a wobbly smile on her tanned cheeks. "What is it?" Tsunade asked, moving quickly to kneel beside the woman crying through relief, "what dose it say?" Ayano handed the note over and Tsunade read it quickly, her heart dreading its words and her mind still numb. It took her a moment for the information staring back at her to settle in her mind and by the time that it did, Shizune was back with a team of her most respected Jonin panting behind her.

"L-Lady Tsunade," Shizune panted, hands braced on her knees, "the team is ready to be debriefed!" Tsunade looked up at her apprentice with a wobbly smile herself, clutching the note close to herself

"There's no need Shizune," Tsunade sniffed, using her desk to help herself back to her feet, "crises adverted."

"Huh?" Shizune questioned dumbly

"Here," Tsunade smiled, sitting down at her desk and handed the note out to Shizune, "read this." Shizune reached forward and took the note, opening it and reading it silently, ignoring how the Jonin who followed her read over her shoulder.

_Crisis adverted! Don't panic! Ignore my emergency note!_

_I'll give you a full report with the brats when we return home (I'm not leaving their side)_

_But onto more pressing news, one of which I need you to relay to Itachi as soon as possible:_

_1) Sasuke's eyes morphed_

_2) Please send a vessel for us (With medics!)_

_With love_

_Shisui Uchiha_

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

He slowly regained consciousness, refusing to open his eyes despite the brightness threatening the side of his face. He had to be careful or else they'd start questioning him, he had to take stock of his surroundings, calm his physical reactions, anticipate their next move, plan his es—

_She collapsed to her knees, hands clasped over her femininely round features, deep magenta hair spilling over her shoulders like a river stained crimson and fuscia. Her crimson and white vest-shirt hung to her curves affectionately, her bright sapphire skirt to weave over her knees like an endless river, her dark black leggings were barely peaking past her beautiful skirt, her feet clad in elegant black heals and pretty blue and green rein stones._

"_Satoshi... my brother," her emerald hazel eyes were spilling fat tears like watery pools supporting a great river, "What have you done?"_

_I haven't done anything_, he thought with a low growl, he stiffened margentely, hoping no one else was in the room with him. He had forgotten his priorities, he needed to forget the-the...his... his sister... he had to forget his sister, forget that he had been searching for her since they were mere children abandoned to the world by their careless mother. He had to forget her... he had to... he _needed_ to forget her...

Suddenly the image of amused golden eyes shined in his mind and horse laughter echoed in his ears

He needed to escape as soon as possible and return to his master, if he didn't he'll be executed

"I know you're awake," he heard the voice and mental curse his inability to sense chakra signatures in his current state, "Quite acting already." He mental rolled his eyes, he had no intention of proving the strange masculine voice right, "Who are you?" he ignored the man by pretending that he was back in that familiar 5 shades of red world. "Why do you serve Orochimaru?" he pretended that he was floating in complete numbness, unable to feel anything, his toes were tingling, his ankles were numb, his knees were frozen, his thighs and—"She's going to die." The voice said in a broken kind of whisper, too soft to be faked, cracking to much to be false... who is 'she'?

"Tayuya," the strange man murmured, "Tayuya Haruno, your sister, is going to take your place and die." He felt his jaw clench and flex; he didn't spend nearly ten years searching for his sister just to find her at death's door. "Don't think about telling us anything different, we did the blood work already. You're brother and sister..." the man paused, he refused to open his eyes and prove the man right about his state of consciousness, he'll keep up his act because that was all that he had left, for all he knew they would kill or interrogate him the second his eyes opened.

"Although I suppose it's unnecessary," the man added thoughtfully, "You both share the same face, eye and hair color. You're practically her twin or a younger, male version of Tayuya Haruno."

"Himura," he growled out, unable to keep silent any longer, his eyes opening to glare at the man sitting passively at the end of his bed, "Our name is Himura."

"She's accepted the name 'Haruno'" the black haired male replied stony faced, "She claimed not to know anything about her birth surname. Just what her vague memories a villager called her."

"Of course she'd fake amnesia," Satoshi hissed venomously, "you people keep trying to kill us!"

"...Konoha had accepted her regardless of her surname," he replied dully, unaffected by the venous glare given to him

"It's not our name I'm talking about," Satoshi growled, his hazel green eyes glowing a bright amber-orange as his bloodline threatened to awaken, "It's our bloodline. You shinobi fear what we can do so you think that killing us off will do the trick! Well guess what! You missed two!"

"Konoha would not bother with killing a clan off for their bloodline," the black haired man drowned lazily, "There is no point." _Someone always survives_

"Leave such words to your leaders," Satoshi growled at him, "You're obviously not a politician because you're pretty crappy at contradicting me!"

"I'm not trying to be a politic nor am I trying to contradict you," the man replied calmly, looking for the world like a passive statue of Onex and ivory, "I'm _informing_ you that we would never had harmed you. Konoha is a peaceful vill—"

"Quite it with the lies!" Satoshi hissed, "GO away! Leave me alone!"

The man didn't move, his dark eyes blank and calculating as he stared at him with a kind of passiveness that reminded Satoshi of a corps. "...What of your sister?"

"What about her?" Satoshi asked stiffly, glowing amber eyes narrowing fractionally at him

"Will you let her die?"

"Do I have a choice?" Satoshi asked in return, "I'm bound and hospitalized. It'll take me weeks just to get enough strength to move a limb without excruciating pain. I can't stop your village from killing Anee anymore then I could stop you from talking." The man returned to being quietly thoughtful, regarding him like a cat that was contemplating the pros and cons of catching a mouse over a heartier rat.

"Very well then," the man moved like a sleep panther, hands lifting from where he held his head up against the window seal to grip the wheels of his chair, moving himself away from the chair and towards the open door. Satoshi felt his whole body flinch back at the sight of the wheel chair, eyes widening fractionally at the sight, having assumed that the man speaking to him was a fully-fledged shinobi specializing in interrogation. "I will tell Tayuya your wishes," the man said pausing in the doorway, as if waiting for a response

"She'll die now that your village knows who she is," Satoshi answered the man's silent question, "and for lying to you about her bloodline and surname."

"Konoha dose not kill their shinobi for such petty things," the man sighed, shaking his head while he rolled himself into the hallway and then turned around to clasp the handle of the door, giving Tayuya's brother one last long look. "Perhaps you should take one last look at her? I think it'd help her mural..." he stared a moment longer, dull black eyes looking strangely expectant but when he received no answer other then a glare, he simply sighed and close the door.

_I'm not so dumb as to fall for that old trick_, he could feel his power struggling to grow beneath his skin, moving like syrup through his veins. _She's not dyeing and she's not taking my place—my bloodline would tell me if she was or is!_ Just the though of his captures not knowing what he was capable of, brought a smirk to his lips. He could destroy whole villages and raise the dead with a single word. Add his power to the curse mark he beard and his power tripled, making his previous limitations become endless possibilities.

_I will not fall for your petty tricks_, the only one who could undo all of his powers would be his sister—she and she alone could destroy everything he'd build with little more then a thought. Tayuya was a hundred times stronger then he could ever dream of being and that's without the aid of the curse mark. _I better move before __**she**__ gains the strength to fight back..._

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Jiro chuckled as he watched Idate pass back and forth in front of the docks, one thumb stuck between his teeth as he tried to chew straight though to the bone. To the stretcher on his right side, laid the kunochi he knew as Sakura Haruno, his left side revealed a stretcher containing a bound Sasuke Uchiha; not far from them, stood a solemn Naruto Uzumaki and a board Shisui Uchiha. As it turned out the daimyo of River country had suspected fowl play amongst the smaller nations that it hosted, as such he hired a friend of his to investigate the lord responsible for the land of Tea. That friend turned out to be Shisui, he relayed as much dirt as he could find on the man, their daimyo then sentenced that lord to banishment in a monkey's temple and everything he owned was given to the people as his punishment. Not to mention that the daimyo saw fit to disband the Furuya clan as well, preventing any further trouble with them; and all but naming Jiro as village head, even going so far as to leave the entire country of Tea in his hands.

It had been three days since the end of the race for Snakecoast village, three days since the strange demonic release that was just as abruptly vanished, three days since Shisui Uchiha of the hidden leaf was forced to put his younger cousin into an unconscious state to keep the boy from harming himself.

"Will you calm down now, Idate?" Jiro asked with an understanding smile for the younger boy, "you're going to put a hole in the road."

"Ah, my apologies Jiro-sama," Idate said automatically, stumbling to a halt, dark eyes automatically rounding onto the two comatose children laying in their own stretchers.

"Look Idate, you've been pacing so much you missed the boat arriving," Jiro chuckled at him, his amusement growing when Idate gasped and snapped around, dark eyes wide as the boat in question docked and bridge was dropped down to them. He watched as a tall man dressed in black stopped at the edge of the boat, black cloak swaying in the wind, black bandana covering the scares Idate knew to adorn his tanned scalp.

"I've come for the wounded!" Ibiki barked, stepping aside as a familiar pink haired medic barreled past him and onto the dock.

"They're here!" Naruto shouted with a wave, Fubuki spun on her heal and immanently dived for them, her left palm glowing a bright jade as she slammed it immanently down on Sakura's chest.

"You're not short sighted at all," Shisui snickered, waving lazily at the other two medics who calmly approached and carefully lifted Sasuke to take him aboard the ship.

"And just where the hell were you when she got hurt?" Fubuki asked evenly, moving her uninjured hand to examine the rest of Sakura's unconscious body, "For your sake I hope you weren't playing with kittens again!"

_Well, technically, they weren't kittens,_ Shisui thought with a nervous chuckle, one hand scratching the back of his head. _I better run before she kills me,_ Shisui disappeared from sight, finding a nice safe place on the ship to hide from Fubuki until they got back to Konoha.

"Will she be okay, Fu-nee?" Naruto asked softly, eyes down cast and hands fisted at his side. Fubuki's calm jade orbs looked up at the boy she called brother, as much as she wanted to scold him for not protecting Sakura better, she knew with a simple look that the boy was already beating himself up over the matter.

"She's just unconscious," Fubuki sighed, stepping back and rising to her full height, bobbing her head in thanks to the medics who quickly lifted her sister off the pavement and headed for the ship. "Which I'm surprised with considering her entire rib cage is fractured with one major break dangerously close to her heart. It's a bloody miracle that it didn't puncture her heart. I'll have to interrogate Shisui and see what jutsu he used to pull that bone so far away from it."

"So... she'll live," Naruto sighed under his breath, happy that his 'sister' was no longer in the 'emergency' care

"Let's go home," Fubuki said, ignoring Naruto's worried face as she turned on her heal and marched back to the ship, "Okaa-chan is waiting for us." Naruto bobbed his head, fighting back the tears that were threatening to spill from his eyes, and dashed forward with a wobbly smile.

"Ah, but wait a moment," Idate called numbly, Naruto and Fubuki didn't appear to hear him, _were they really siblings this whole time? But they have different surnames!_

"Is this all?" Ibiki asked when Fubuki and Naruto reached him, "What happened to Shisui? I thought he was meeting us here." Fubuki's eyes flashed and a low, furious growl rumbled out from her throat, in an instant she was marching toward the door that lead to the beds under the deck.

"B-brother!" Ibiki paused and glanced back at the voice calling up to him, it took every once of his training to keep himself from jumping over the edge of the boat and tackling the boy who was a mirror reflection of his brother.

"...I think you must have me confused with someone else," Ibiki said evenly, pulling up the ramp from the deck, "my brother died in a fire years ago." Idate stared in shock up at him, Ibiki stared dully down at him, neither continued the conversation further. Finally, Idate bobbed his head and bowed deeply to his elder brother, knowing and understanding that the older man couldn't acknowledge him without getting in trouble himself.

_Heh,_ Ibiki smirked and turned away from the edge of the boat, _you've grown... Idate._ Idate chuckled and started to chase the boat, waving at Naruto as they began to get farther away, Ibiki shook his head amusement and continued approaching the comatose genin. Pausing at the other side of the boat, Ibiki stared down at the two children, whose beds were stationed side-by-side, their hands unconsciously gripping each other's. He had seen the pinkette in a coma before but some how this one seemed worse then her previous unexplainable one. it was strange, seeing the bubbly pinkette dressed in only thick bandages from the waist up with one arm bandaged and the other casted, her legs sharing a similar wrapping option, leaving only her black shorts as anything that was left of her usual dress code.

_Huh?_ Ibiki blinked and realized that the Uchiha boy was waking up, his face scrunched up and slowly his dark eyes opened. Sasuke starred blurry eyed up at Ibiki, brain not processing the image standing over him, before he recalled screaming and body covered in a blood soaked white sheet. Instantly Sasuke slammed into a sitting position, his eyes flaring crimson as his head whipped around, searching for the person who'd make that black hole in his chest disappear.

"Easy there, kid," Ibiki said, raising passive hands towards the boy, trying to calm him before he did something stupid, "You've been out for three days. Take it easy or you'll just feint again." Sasuke blinked dumbly up at him before he looked down at his left hand, blinking dumbly at the pale appendage gripped there, Sasuke's crimson gaze slowly traveled up the bandaged limb to the pale-skinned face of his pink haired teammate. Gasping in relief Sasuke clutched Sakura's hand to his chest, new tears threatening the edges of his eyes, unable to say a single coherent word.

"Sasuke," Naruto called, bringing the young Uchiha's attention to him almost instantly, "it's good to see you awake... you big baby."

"Sh-shut up," Sasuke sniffed, glaring at Naruto as his Sharingan deactivated, "I didn't go Bijuu like you."

"You couldn't go Bijuu because you don't have one!" Naruto laughed, throwing his hands behind his head

"Tch, shut up already," Sasuke crouched, glancing back down at Sakura worriedly

"Since you're awake you can get off your fat A** and let me work some magic," Sasuke snapped around with a glare, the elder pinkette just smirked at him in response, unafraid of his black-eyed glare. "Come on baby chick, time for you to fly away from your mama~" Fubuki chuckled at him, earning a Sasuke's pillow flying through the air. Fortunately for Fubuki, she ducked in time to have it go sailing over her head without a problem; unfortunately for her Uchiha teammate, he got the pillow square in his face. Fubuki and Naruto laughed loudly, ignoring Shisui's winning at them, Fubuki moved forward and gently pried Sasuke's fingers out of Sakura's hand. From there she removed him from his bed, forcing him to stumble into Naruto and Ibiki, and lifted his bed away from her little sister. She handed the bed to one of the medics standing nearby and crouched beside Sakura, clasping the younger girl's hand tightly, Fubuki took a deep breath and started to sing.

"_Your tears will make you stronger,_

_Like flower blooming through asphalt_

_Don't be afraid of everything that you see_

_Tomorrow will come for you_"

Sakura shifted, her head tilting to the side as Fubuki's voice echoed strong and loud around them; silently begging for everyone to stop and listen.

"_You suddenly said you wanted to meet me_

_I wondered what happened last night_

_You nervously passed it off as a joke_

_But your smile looked so sad_

_I remember being on the roof, enveloped in the moonlight_

_Cast away your pride, and good things still come to you_

_Your tears will make you stronger,_

_like a flower blooming through asphalt_

_Don't be afraid of everything that you see_

_Tomorrow will come for you_

_So many things are forgotten as the seasons come and go_

_But will never forget this feeling of the two of us walking together_

_There are times you can rely on your dreams_

_Other times you've got to let them fall away_

_It's okay to cry when we're together_

_No need to act so strong"_

Sakura groaned and slowly opened her eyes, smiling sleepily at Fubuki, earning relieved tears and a soft chuckle from the older girl. Fubuki sniffed ran her hand through Sakura's hair that ran over the edge of the stretcher, needing to be combed and braided.

"_Your tears will make you stronger_

_Like a flower swaying in the wind_

_Belief in yourself just as you are_

_Tomorrow is sure to come"_

Fubuki gasped and turned around, her eyes widening as she realized that Naruto and Sasuke were both singing with her. With faint smiles and soft blushes, the boys did their best to hit the notes of one of Sakura's favorite songs.

"_Your tears will make you stronger_

_Like a flower blooming through asphalt_

_Don't be afraid of everything that you see_

_Tomorrow will come for you_

_Your tears will make you stronger_

_Like a flower swaying in the wind_

_Belief in yourself just as you are_

_Tomorrow is sure to come_

_Tomorrow will come for you"_

"Good morning sissy," Sakura yawned, sleepily rubbing at one eye

"Good _evening_, you silly girl," Fubuki chuckled, bumping heads with the younger pinkette

_In the end... everything turned out alright,_ Ibiki thought with a found smile, watching the two sisters interact like they normally do. Fubuki scolding Sakura for getting hurt, Sakura asking questions about her teammate's state of health, Naruto butting in loudly and Sasuke pretending to be somewhere else despite the smirk on his face. It all screamed home to Ibiki, everything seemed so normal that he almost forgot that they weren't in Konoha and that they were missing one other, very important pinkette to make the feeling of being home complete.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Tsunade rubbed a both hands against her temples, taking slow, steady breathes as the group in front of her shifted uncomfortably. Shizune herself was standing beside her with a passive face and both of her hands holding a clipboard close to herself, ankles close together as she stood straight and staring passively at the far wall. In the hall just out side a particularly annoying pinkette and before Tsunade stood Inoichi Yakamaka, Ibiki Marino, Itachi Uchiha and the previous head medic's once second in command Daisuke Iwasa.

"You are sure of this?" Tsunade asked softly, lowering her hand to regard the group of men seriously

"Yes ma'am," Daisuke said softly, his normally cheerful brown eyes down cast and depressed, "I checked five times, the results remained the same."

"...Dose she know?" Tsunade asked, her voice barely raising any higher then her previous question

"Doubtful," Itachi answered this time, "She showed no signs of recognition during her fight."

"She didn't have time to even look at the casters of the barrier jutsu while she fought beside Sandaime-sama," Ibiki added, "Based on the videos that I watched of her fight, she kept her eyes on Orochimaru at all times."

"Can't exactly blame her for that," Tsunade grumbled under her breath, "What about her therapist's notes? Any mention of a brother?"

"None," Inoichi sighed, holding out the file in question to Tsunade, "And I've been going over it repeatedly since we found out."

"What about the boy?" Tsunade asked, turning to regard Itachi, "What have you found out?"

"He's awake," Itachi answered, "I lied to him about her taking his place for execution and he didn't seem to care. He seemed to be obsessed with the thought that Tayuya was going to be killed because of her bloodline."

"I didn't know she even had one," Tsunade frowned at him, "Did he mention what it was?"

"No," Itachi answered, shifting uncomfortably as his feet suddenly started burning, as if someone had wrapped his leg with a gasoline soaked rag and lit a match nearby, hovering the flame dangerously close for amusement. "But his eyes did change color. They went from Tayuya's weird hazel to sunlight gold with little effort on his part."

"I'll send in some chakra restraints," Daisuke thought aloud, making a little note to himself, "Don't want any unexpected surprises..."

"Have you ever seen Tayuya's eyes change color?" Tsunade asked, turning her attention back to Itachi

"No," Itachi answered truthfully, "but I have noticed that once a year she separates herself from everyone, the village, her friends, family—everyone."

"Everyone?" Tsunade thought with a frown, "What day is this?"

"It's not a day Tsunade-sama," Itachi replied to her with a frown, "She's gone for an entire week."

"A week?" Tsunade repeated, "What week?"

"The second week of February," Itachi answered, ignoring the sounds of feet approaching from behind, "I've tried to follow her several times but I always end up back in Konoha. The only one that I know of that's ever been able to follow her through out the entire second week of February is Hana."

"What about Hana?" Itachi turned in his seat to regard the black clothed kunochi standing behind him in complete confusion, "What? I heard my name..."

"Hana Inuzuka," Tsunade said a low growl, her dark glint in her amber eyes, "You've got some explaining to do!"

"I do?" Hana asked in bewilderment, having previously been completely lost in her thoughts until she had heard her name a second ago. "About what?"

"The second week of February," Tsunade answered, the color immanently drained out of Hana's face, her eyes widening fractionally. "You know what I'm talking about," Tsunade growled the accusation, Hana looked as if she wanted to deny it but her mouth only open and closed repeatedly like a fish out of water.

"Oi! What're you guys doing out there?!" a voice from inside the room called out irritated, startling everyone in the hall, "Come on in already!" Hana glanced wirily at Tsunade and the other Jonin's before she slowly made her way to the door and slowly opened the door

"I think we're in trouble," Hana said the second she moved to enter the room, "They know."

"About?" Tayuya asked from her seat, forcefully pushing herself up, hazel eyes suddenly sharp on her brunet haired friend

"Guess," Hana replied taking her seat across from Shikan and close to the window, unaffected by the curious look the older Nara gave her and the glares the other Jonin's shot her when they entered. "It's in four days"

"Ah~ Jiji always did say I was going to get caught," Tayuya sighed, shifting tiredly in her bed, "I guess I'm not too surprised, Itachi always has been goody-two-shoes."

"Why do you think I'm the one who told on you?" Itachi asked with a raised eyebrow

"Because you can't stay out anyone's business," Tayuya shot back with a smirk, "Plus you ratted me out years ago to Jiji, that's how he found out."

"Wow Itachi," Hana snickered, "I never pegged you for a tattle-tail."

"Jiji?" Shikan repeated with a frown, "are you talking about Hiruzen-sama? You know you're not supposed to call him that..."

"Like anyone but you and the counsel cared," Tayuya rolled her eyes, "Who did you think I was talking about? Inu-kun?"

"He's hardly an old man," Shikan sighed, having seen the man once before years ago, "Inu-san is only a few years older then us." _At least I think he is..._

"Yet no one knows his identity," Tayuya sighed dejectedly

"Enough," Tsunade snapped, her voice hard enough to make everyone's attention snap towards her, "Tayuya Haruno don't you dare think you can change the subject."

"Yes ma'am," Tayuya sighed, relaxing into the pillows Hana had instantly put behind her while she was bantering with Shikan, "What is it that you want to know?"

"First off, do you have any connections to Orochimaru?" Tsunade asked seriously

"You mean besides Anko?" Tayuya asked with a raised eyebrow, Tsunade's eyes narrowed warningly "None that I'm aware of... oh! Dose my curse mark count?"

"No," Tsunade growled

"Okay," Tayuya shrugged, making herself comfortable against her mound of pillows

"What about your little brother?" Tsunade asked, watching Tayuya's eyes snap open while her body stiffened with tension

"...what about him?" Tayuya asked stiffly, eyes narrowed into a defensive look, ignoring how Shikan shifted uncomfortably to her left

"Shikan do you know who I'm talking about?" Tsunade asked, turning her attention onto the elder Pinkette

"Yes my lady," Shikan agreed softly, not looking at anyone in the room. _ I only know because... because of that fever..._ on a mission they shared to mist country, Tayuya had gotten sick from the local flue. In her fevered state she mumbled often about 'Satoshi' and was constantly asking him for forgiveness, as if she had done some great sin to the boy. It became a secret Shikan was hell-bent on keeping, however it looked like he couldn't deny his knowledge of the little boy who tormented Tayuya silently.

"Who is he?" Tsunade asked

"Umm," Shikan looked uneasily at Tayuya, a question in his eyes. Tayuya huffed and crossed her arms, turning away from everyone to glare at the window stationed behind Hana. "He's um... Tayuya's little brother—"

"Yes him, who is he?" Tsunade asked impatiently, Shikan looked up at Tsunade like a child caught with their hand in the cookie jar.

"He's dead," Tayuya answered coldly, "happy now?"

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"Welcome home team seven," Naruto blinked and looked up at the amused sounding voice, his eyes widening at the sight of his village gates.

"Okaa-chan!" Naruto shouted, diving forward and wrapping his arms around the blonde haired woman

"Easy there son," Mebuki chuckled as she stumbled back word with Naruto's weight centered on her stomach, "I hear you got hurt on your last mission."

"No not me," Naruto corrected, pulling away from Mebuki with a sullen expression, "Sa-nee and Teme did..." _and I did nothing to help them..._

"Really? That's surprising," Mebuki sighed to him, "and here I thought they said you had received the most damage out of the mission."

"But... I didn't get a scratch on me," Naruto frowned at his feet

"Oh Naruto," Mebuki wrapped her arms around the blonde, holding him tightly to her chest, "wounds don't have to be physical for you to hurt."

_Oh, emotional wounds,_ Naruto thought numbly, wrapping his arms around his adoptive mother's waist, letting a few of his tears out, having gotten tiered of holding them back for the past week.

"Okaa-san we're home!" Fubuki called, waving a hand around in the air. The medics beside her continued walking forward with smirks; ignoring the amused chuckling emanating form the still week pink haired kunochi laying in the stretcher between them.

"Ibiki is a bully!" Fubuki whined loudly, wrapping one arm around Kizashi in a lose hug, "He ditched us the second we landed ashore two days ago!"

"Nice to see you too," Kizashi chuckled in amusement, earning a pout from his eldest daughter

"Welcome home," Mebuki greeted, "I trust that Sakura is in better health then when you found her?"

"I'm conscious if that's what you mean," Sakura chuckled tiredly, "although I will admit... I don't know how much loner I will be..."

"Best for you to get your sleep then," Mebuki chuckled, "come on. I have to go to the hospital anyways."

"Hmm, is something up?" Sakura asked sleepily

"Your sister woke up," Mebuki smiled, walking beside Sakura's stretcher with Naruto still wrapped around her stomach

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"What do you mean he's dead?" Tsunade asked in complete confusion, Tayuya didn't look at her as she answered

"Just that, Satoshi is dead," Tayuya sighed, leaning back on stacked pillows with a sigh, "I abandoned him when we were kids. There's no way he could've survived that forest, not by himself."

_She truly believes he's dead_, Tsunade thought, turning to glance at the two head interrogators to her left, they both nodded back at her, Inoichi with a sigh and Ibiki with a thoughtful look. "What if I said he wasn't?"

"I'd say you were mistaken," Tayuya shot back, "Jiji once thought he found Satoshi but the boy we found didn't have the same chakra as my Satoshi. Who ever you think you found couldn't be the same boy I left behind in that forest—my brother is dead."

Tayuya ignored the little whispering in the back of her mind that said otherwise

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She had just set aside her round loom with the white thread hanging lose, waiting to be cut, when she heard loud thumping moving quickly through her home. It wasn't long before she recognized the sound of running feet, not just one or even two pairs of feet, but at least three or four pairs.

"Hinata!" several voices shouted through her house, urging the young heiress to climb on to her feet just as her bedroom door slammed open, letting several bodies tumble to the floor of her room.

"Kiba, Hanabi, Ino, Neji-nii," Hinata called with wide eyes, hurrying over to her relatives and friends, "Why are you running through the house? That's not like you two," Hinata said the last part with a pointed look at her gasping cousin and sister.

"I-it's team seven," Kiba coughed, wincing from beneath Ino's weight, who had landed on him when she tripped

"They came back!" Ino grinned up at her, blue eyes dancing, "Team seven came back!"

"Sakura-san seems to be wounded," Neji coughed, helping Hanabi up as she had been the first to fall with Kiba and Ino landing on top of her. "I saw several medics walking her through the village towards the hospital; she was laying in a stretcher."

"It doesn't look like she's conscious!" Hanabi added with a gasp, stumbling to her feet and taking after Hinata who had started running out of the compound when Neji said 'stretcher'. If anything, Hanabi's info made Hinata move even faster out of the compound, she didn't even stop to great the guards as she normally did. Hinata ran, jumped over the wall and roof hopped straight for the hospital, ignoring the surprised sputtering of her clansmen.

_Please be safe,_ Hinata thought as she ran full tilt, her body nearly blurring as she ran, _please be safe!_

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"Do you remember that sound shinobi who stood with Orochimaru?" Tsunade asked suddenly, ignoring the echoing silence of the room surrounding her, "He was one of the gate keepers of the barrier jutsu that prevented anyone from helping you with Orochimaru. He stood at the east point, he was also the same one who your summoned phoenix flew striate though."

"Lady Hokage," Tayuya turned confused hazels onto the blond standing between Shikan and Itachi, "I don't remember anything after pulling out my flute and beginning the forbidden song."

"You mean... you spent the rest of that time unconscious?" Tsunade asked wide-eyed

"No my lady," Shikan sighed, shaking his head gently, "Tayuya was more like in a trance then unconscious."

"I see..." Tsunade sighed, "Speaking of that damned song. Just what is it about that song that shortens your life span?"

"It's time wise," Tayuya smiled sadly at her, "every minute is a year, that's why I'm having so much trouble now... my body is trying to adjust to the shortened amount of years on my soul."

_According to the file, she played for fifteen minuets_, Tsunade thought, staring at Tayuya as she smiled at something Hana had brought, choosing to change the conversation with a joke. _That means... fifteen years have been removed from her life..._

"...Are you kidding me?" Tayuya asked, voice filled with laughter, "That's hilarious! I wish I was there to see it!"

"Oh it get's better!" Hana laughed, pulling out a file from her back pocket, "I got pictures!"

"No way! Let me see!"

_Fifteen years... she's seventeen now,_ Tsunade watched Hana and Tayuya gossip and giggle over the horde of pictures she brought over, catching the pinkette up on everything she missed since her coma started. _...dose that mean, Tayuya is going to die when she's 32?_

"Oh my goodness that's hilarious! How did you get these photos?" Tayuya asked leaning in close to Hana as she flipped though the pictures

"Obviously I've been honing my skills to enter Anbu," Hana gloated with a smirk, "to be in Anbu you have to be quit and sneaky~ that means not getting caught while spying on others!"

"So you're not catching me up you're gloating in front of me!" Tayuya whined, "no fair! I wanna train too!"

"Not until your chakra stabilizes to a reasonable amount," Hana mercilessly reminded her teammate

_No..._ Tsunade thought, eyes narrowing in on the bubbly pinkette sitting in the hospital bed, _the attacks are too recent and strong..._Tsunade took a deep breath and turned on her heal, walking away from the laughter and giggling of the best friends sitting together, gossiping over a bunch of photo's._ Her time is almost up..._

"Lady Tsunade?" Tsunade paused in the hallway, having walked out of the room without a word or noise; she turned slowly to look at the two Jonin standing just a few paces behind her. "Have you figured it out yet?" Inoichi asked softly, "do you know when she's going to die?"

"...yes," Tsunade answered softly, turning away from the two men and glaring at the white marble floor in front of her, her hands fisted at her sides.

"How long?" Ibiki asked softly

"... Too soon..."

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"Whoa! Slow down!" she skidded to a halt at the familiar voice, her pale eyes rounding onto the boy standing nearby, "What's your rush?"

"Sakura just got admitted to the hospital," Hinata gasped, putting her hands on her knees with a slight frown on her face, "Why are you here?"

"I'm gonna see if I can't bug Tayuya into a game of shoji," Shikamaru rolled his eyes, moving forward and holding the hospital door open for Hinata. "Wanna join me on the way up? They typically keep the Haruno sister's close together because they always abandon their own room to stay with their sibling."

"Might as well save my self a trip," Hinata smiled, "but we're running up!"

"Just to the last floor!" Shikamaru groaned, hurrying after his childhood friend that he was never particularly close too, "Then we're walking!"

Hinata just laughed at him

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He stared dully at the ceiling over head, they hadn't moved him yet but he figured that it was just a manner of time before they put chakra suppressants on him and put him in a highly guarded sector like T&I—or at least the hospital version of T&I. He didn't have much time before he was considered dead by his master and frankly, he really didn't blame the snake Sanin for assuming that he was dead. If it weren't for his relation to Tayuya that damned phoenix she summoned would've killed him out right—his affinity for fire and his bloodline is what saved his life.

_I don't have time to be sitting around and mopping!_ He took a deep breath and concentrated on his surroundings, feeling for anything that could be considered human signatures. After a few moments of struggling—sensing was not his strong suite—and just as he was about to give up, he felt a difference in the hall that led to his room. The signature was small but not suppressed small, most likely a civilian with little to no training with chakra. Taking a deep breath, Satoshi concentrated on that little bit of chakra he could use, summoning it to the surface of his skin; burning off the thick rope tied around his wrists and ankles.

_I will not be bound like a diseased dog_, His eyes glinted a bright amber gold as his own bloodline soon flared to life, filling the room with light and warmth, _I will preserver!_

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Ibiki and Inoichi looked at each other, both having had a lot of time with the pinkette in the room behind them, laughing the day away like she always did. They knew Tayuya had some sense of the danger she was in, that was why she was focusing on something that made her feel better; like the bad jokes Itachi told or the stories Hana recited or the lighthearted scolding Fubuki did. They were her family and no matter what happened they always seemed to make her smile again, Tayuya valued her family above all else.

"...you think she's figured it out?" Inoichi asked, glancing back at the room filled with laughter

"Yeah," Ibiki sighed, "It's nearly impossible to hide something from a Haruno..."

"One way or another, they'll figure it out," Inoichi chuckled, "They're smart, almost as smart as a Nara."

"Almost," Ibiki agreed with a chuckle, "almost..."

"You gonna tell her parents?" Inoichi asked as they resumed walking, Tsunade having disappeared down the hall long ago

"I doubt they haven't figured it out already," Ibiki sighed, "the best thing to do is to pretend like she's going to get better..."

"Our last gift to her?" Inoichi asked with a sigh, "I better tell Ino... she'll know what to do to make Tayuya feel better..." Neither one of them noticed the two teens hiding behind a corner of the stairs from across the room they had just left, laughter still echoing through the white hall.

"Are you sure that's wise?" Ibiki asked as they walked, "Wouldn't she tell her teammate's? Or worse, the Hyūga's?"

"That's true" Inoichi sighed, "but I suppose it's only a matter of time... they'll figure it out when they see her themselves." The two teens in question stood against the wall of the stairs with wide eyes; Hinata sliding down to the step below her with weak knees and trembling hands, Shikamaru just leaned against the hospital wall with too wide brown eyes.

"...She's dyeing?" Shikamaru whispered in the pale stare case, not registering Hinata's sudden hick-up or the tears that were suddenly streaming down her face that she tried to hide in her hands.

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The next day

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She smiled sleepily as she watched the sun slowly crawl over the forest horizon of her home country. She didn't know just when she fell asleep or when her friends slipped into her hospital room, but as she watched the beginning of a new day, she couldn't bring herself to really care. She just found the rising sun too beautiful to look away.

"Uh?" she turned slightly at the sleeping noise, smiling impishly at the sight of sleepy violets blinking slowly at her, "ah... sa-chan," Hinata yawned, one hand covering her mouth reflexively, "you're awake."

"So are you," Sakura chuckled, "how long have you been here? I woke and you were already here"

"Hmm? Oh yeah," Hinata rubbed sleepily at her eye, "Last night. I had to sneak past the guards; they've gotten better at detecting trespassing visitors."

"I hear quite a few of them are of the Hyūga and Yakamaka clans," Sakura smiled, "finding it difficult to sneak past your own, Hina-chan?"

"Very funny," Hinata pouted sleepily at her, "what were you thinking getting hurt huh? You scared me half to death!"

"Funny how you still look like a queen," Sakura chuckled

"Thank you, I try," Hinata replied serenely

_I forgot she can switch personalities at the flip of switch_, Sakura thought with an amused smiled, "So what's brought her highness to this humble servant's resting place?"

"You're more like a doll then a servant," Hinata corrected thoughtfully, earning amused laughter from her pink haired friend

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Satoshi panted hard, leaning against the dark wall of his hospital room. Before him laid the pale body of who he assumed to be the head medic, his white robes didn't have a name label; donning only a simple crimson cross on his chest and shoulders to indicate that he was a medic. Raising a hand to whip the sweat off his chin, he quickly pulled back one glowing palm and swiped back his own copper hair away from his amber glowing eyes.

_That was harder then I thought_, Satoshi thought, pulling back his bloodline and straightening to regard the window beside him, _I guess he wasn't meant to die yet... el-well, nothing I can do about it now._ He glanced back at the too pale body, the man didn't deserve to be left behind like trash but that wasn't his concern, his concern was leaving the leaf village and praying that no one would pick up his scent until it was too late. Having gained more then enough strength, Satoshi pressed his hands to the window and carefully swept them over the pane, coating it in his chakra, then stepped up on the windowsill and pushed his entire body through the large pane of glass.

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Her eyes snapped open, she could feel a hum in the air like one of her sound Genjutsu's was trying to take form but at the same time, it was vastly different from her sound jutsu's. This was warm and cold at the same time, barely noticeable to anyone who didn't have her fine sensory to the chakra she constantly has to sink with to make her jutsu's work. In Tayuya's opinion, air was harder to sink with then water and that was why it took her so long to play the flute; the wind just doesn't like being told what it can and can't do. Still, the air felt different, not hot but not cold, it didn't move like it normally did and it didn't feel right. Slowly Tayuya pushed herself up, ignoring the sudden silence of her room, her teammate's and sister turning to look expectantly at her.

"Tayuya?" Fubuki called softly, "you alright?"

"Something isn't right," Tayuya replied with a slight frown, drawing the three's attention instantly, "Something isn't right..."

"What is it?" Hana asked, "What's in the air?"

"Chakra," Tayuya answered before Itachi or Fubuki could question her, "Not the normal kind either..."

"I don't smell anything," Hana frowned

"I don't see anything," Itachi added, trying to be helpful

"I don't feel anything," Fubuki add as well, wondering just what her sister could sense that they couldn't

_Then it could only be one thing,_ Tayuya's eyes narrowed, gluing themselves onto the window beside her bed, to the half risen sun glaring crimson over the distant horizon, "Itachi, what Lady Tsunade said yesterday... was it true?" _is my brother truly alive?_

"About your brother?" Itachi asked hesitantly, not sure if he really wanted to understand Tayuya's sudden questioning

"Yes," Itachi hesitated at the court agreement, Tayuya wasn't acting like she normally dose. She never acted serious, always finding a reason to crack a joke or jab at someone's sore spot.

"...yes," Itachi answered at last, sighing and closing his eyes, "I spoke to him..."

"He knows I'm here?" Tayuya asked, her eyes narrowing further at the orange glowing window

"Yes," Itachi agreed, wondering what his teammate could be thinking at that moment

"...Itachi go to his room and make sure he's still there," Tayuya ordered, moving to face her teammate's and sister, "if he's not there get to Tsunade-sama. Fubuki get to lady Hokage as soon as possible and tell her the village is in danger and to hurry to the hospital as soon as possible."

"Right," Fubuki disappeared without even thinking about the strange order; Itachi was a little more hesitant, choosing to stay behind and hear the order Tayuya would give to Hana.

"Itachi, now," Tayuya said, turning to look back at him, waving a dismissive hand at Hana who disappeared out the window like a breath of air. "We don't have the time to waste talking, you need to go to his room and see if he's there. If he's not pull the nearest fire alarm."

"What's going on?" Itachi asked, pushing himself away from the table he was playing cards at with Hana and Fubuki, "Why are you suddenly serious enough to be giving out orders instead of cracking jokes? What do you know that we don't?"

"You said you spoke with my brother," Tayuya said, eyes dulling at the mere thought of the younger boy

"Yes," Itachi agreed automatically

"Then you already know we share a bloodline," Tayuya said, Itachi's brow twitched at the reminder, confirming her suspicions. "Since that's the case then you only need to know this: Satoshi is strong enough to make an entire village disappear without even trying. If he's escaped then we need to evacuate."

"How do you know this?" Itachi asked wide-eyed, his hands trembling on the edges of his wheels

"Because I can destroy a country without trying," Tayuya replied, startling Itachi further, "What, did you think it was my natural talent that made my Genjutsu's so strong? Half of that is my bloodline at work... it's truly amazing what the mind can produce with little to no prodding."

"But I've never seen your eyes change color before," Itachi replied, earning a frown from Tayuya, "His eyes turned gold when we spoke last..."

"You need to hurry and get to his room," Tayuya sighed, struggling to remove the cords attached to her arms. "Since you're familiar with me, his ninjutsu shouldn't hurt you too much. Especially since there's little difference between his and my chakra but just enough to give you immunity to his ability."

"...are you sure the village is in trouble?" Itachi asked, adjusting his wheel chair for the door

"Yes," Tayuya said, "While I was sleeping I dreamed about him... he said Orochimaru found and raised him..." Itachi stiffened and turned to look a Tayuya, eyes wide and body still. "If he's loyal to that monster... I don't want to know what he's willing to do for him..."

"I'll get there quickly," Itachi replied, pushing his wheel chair out the door and hurrying as fast as he could down the hallway.

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"Lady Hokage!" Tsunade turned at the worried shout, eyebrow raising as Fubuki ran straight for her, "there's an emergency at the hospital! Tayuya says you need to evacuate the village and get to the hospital as soon as possible!"

"Shizune set the emergency drills!" Tsunade snapped, turning on her heal and marching straight to the hospital, letting Fubuki accompany her while Shizune tore off to the tower to get several Jonin's to help her relay the message.

…

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Sakura stopped laughing abruptly, her eyes widening as she felt something shift ominously in the air around her. She shared a confused look with her childhood friend and the paler eyed girl quickly activated her Byakugan, instantly searching for the cause of disruption in the air. It would only because of Tayuya's antics when they were still children that had informed the two friends about the technique Satoshi had used and it would only to her familiarity with Tayuya that Hinata would even find the boy running full tilt away from the hospital.

"There's a boy running from the hospital," Hinata said softly, "He... he kind of looks like-like Tayuya-nee..."

Sakura frowned at Hinata thoughtfully, "you wanna check it out?"

"Your ribs haven't finished healing," Hinata growled warningly at her, "You're not leaving this room."

"But you are?" Sakura asked with a huff, "Where's the justice in that?"

"None and I'm not going," Hinata sighed, rising to her feet and dusting off her skirt, "I'm going to alert the nearest guard, he'll do something about it. Then I'm coming right back here and keep you company."

"What you don't trust me to remain here?" Sakura asked with a raised eyebrow

"Nope"

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"Hana," Tayuya called, turning to the empty space of her room

"I'm here," Hana answered, landing in a low crouch at the end of Tayuya's bed, her three nin-ken appearing behind her, "I've got your flute, anything else?"

"Help out of here," Tayuya said, flinging her feet over the edge of the bed

"But—" Hana started only to move ward when Tayuya tried to stand on her feet only to fall into Hana's waiting arms

"I'm the only one who can stop Satoshi," Tayuya panted in her friend's arms, "I'm... I'm the only one..."

"He's that strong?" Hana asked worriedly

"Stronger," Tayuya panted, _he's at full strength and I'm not... there's a chance—no, I won't walk down that road! Positive thoughts! Think positive thoughts!_

"Alright then," Hana turned and pulled Tayuya onto her back carefully, "Hold on tight."

"Right," Tayuya relaxed against her teammate's back, sighing in relieve when the brunet locked her arms around her legs, "I doubt we have much time... You better move fast, there's no time for covering our trail."

"Do you know where he's going?" Hana asked straightening and moving towards the open window

"I can ask the spirits to send him _there_," Tayuya replied thoughtfully, "it's a good thing they gather to _that_ place so soon."

"You don't mean—"

"Yes," Tayuya agreed, watching her world blur around her as Hana ran through the trees, "I'm gonna summon the dead."

…

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**Song: Tomorrow will come**

**From: Cage of Eden**

**My current obsession, the main character reminds me a little of Naruto (in personality, not looks)  
><strong>

**Thoughts are helpful**

**Opinions are wonderful**

**Helpful criticism****is**** lovely! Just don't cripple me okay?**

**Please no cursing!**

**And don't forget to**** rate and**** review!**

**Page 25**


	52. Chapter 52

**There is a reason**

Chapter 52: Hatred knows no bounds

Koomahana

**Fubuki was 10 when she met Sakura & 11 when she was taken to the leaf village**

**Tayuya was 8 when she met Sakura & 9 when she was taken to the leaf village**

**Sakura was 3 when she was taken and returned to the leaf village**

**Yagura was 20 when he first met Sakura and 21 when he returned to his body.**

**Yagura is 17 years older then Sakura, ten years older then Fubuki and 12 years older then Tayuya**

**Fubuki is 7 years older than Sakura and 2 years older then Tayuya**

**Tayuya is 5 years older than Sakura**

**Fubuki was a genin at 12, Chunin at 14 and Jonin at 16**

**Tayuya was a genin at 12, Chunin at 13 ½ and Jonin at 16**

**They are now:**

**Yagura is now 29 years old—Mizukage—deceased**

**Fubuki is now 19 years old—Jonin for three years (Same age as Shisui—Anbu—and Shikan—Jonin)**

**Tayuya is now 17 years old—Jonin for one year (Same age as Itachi—Anbu—and Hana—Jonin and Kimimaro—Jonin)**

**Sakura is now 12 years old—Genin (Same as Naruto, Sasuke, Karin, Suigetsu and Haku)**

**For Satoshi's little spirit, imagine Grout from the Guardians of the Galaxy, just formed from dirt instead of bark**

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

_shared thoughts_

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* * *

><p>…<p>

She stared blankly at the cell wall in front of her, her identical sisters sat in their own beds beside her, each sitting in the same placement and regarding the wall with the same blank look. Some where in their mind, someone was shouting at them to run away while they weren't being watched but another voice reasoned that the halls were being patrolled and they would have no excuse to use against them. Another voice suggest that they could fight and yet another said they were too weak. It was like she was listening in on her sister's thoughts and yet she wasn't sure which thought belonged to which, she wasn't even sure if the voices she was hearing were her imagination or if she really could hear her sister's thoughts.

_Something isn't right,_ someone whispered in the darkness, _it's too quiet..._

_I hear plenty of sounds_

_I smell something strange_

_I see too many colors_

_I feel vibrations..._

What was that supposed to mean? They each could agree that something was wrong but they couldn't explain _why_ it was wrong.

_Someone is coming_

It was like they made the realization at the same time, less of a thought and more of a feeling. As one they turned to the door and silently counted, just as they hit 'one' the door opened and in walked two teen age boys. One with two heads and shaggy white hair while the other had black hair and six arms; they were both familiar and unfamiliar.

_Who are they?_

_What do they want?_

_Where do they come from?_

_Why are they here?_

"Karin Uzumaki," the white haired one called, observing them carefully with sharp black eyes, "Get up. You're coming with us."

_No!_

_Don't go!_

_Get away!_

_They'll hurt you!_

"Why?" she questioned, crimson eyes sharpening on him like kunai, "What do you want with us?"

"We only need one of you," six arms smirked, "you wanna come?"

_Run away!_ The voices screamed together, their voices merging and ringing loudly in her skull

"Why?" she questioned, tilting her head to the side

"We have a mission," two-heads replied, turning on his heal to regard her coolly, "You'll come with us. It doesn't appear as if your sister's are ready yet." She blinked dully as the voices in her mind suddenly fell silent, she didn't recall that ever happening before...

"Come on," Six-arms smirked, holding one hand out to her while he turned away, "Sakkon gets impatient easily."

"Like you can talk," 'Sakkon' snapped back

"Karin," Six-arms called, ignoring his teammate's grumbling, "We need to go. _Now_"

She nodded and slowly took his hand

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"How're you feeling?" Hana asked as she bounded over the village wall, smoothly disappearing into the darkness of the forest beyond

"Tiered," Tayuya answered truthfully, _I wish he didn't have to be so impatient and ditch the hospital so soon_.

"We'll be at _that_ place soon," Hana reassured, "thankfully it was never far from Konoha to begin with."

_Heh, no kidding,_ Tayuya chuckled, burying her face into Hana's warm neck with an amused smirk, _and it's right around the same time of the year... hold on mama, we're coming..._

…

…

Sakura perked up at the sound of the emergency siren sounding, accompanied by the voice of Shizune over the microphones stationed through out the village.

"_Commencing emergency drill evacuation_," Shizune's voice sounded loudly, "_this is a drill, please evacuate calmly and efficiently_."

_Strange_, Sakura thought with a frown, watching Hinata slam open her room's door with a wheelchair in hand and one of her relatives close behind her.

"Time to go," Hinata sighed stopping at the end of Sakura's bed and helping said girl unhook from the wires and tubes sticking in her arms.

"This is strange Hinata," Sakura sighed, letting the guard lift her from her bed and gently set her in the wheel chair, "Isn't it a little odd to have an emergency drill so early in the morning?" as if to make a point about Sakura's question, a loud squeal of the emergency siren sounded through the air.

"It's best not to question lady Hokage," the guard sighed, rising to his full height and turning away from the two friends, "Hinata-sama, I trust that you can find your way to the emergency shelter from here?"

"Yes," Hinata nodded, her own frown in place, silently agreeing to Sakura's question. The man bobbed his head and jogged out of the room, taking a sharp left to help some of the other patients in the long hall.

"Can we stop by my house first?" Sakura asked, tilting her head back to look up at Hinata curiously, "I feel like I need to grab something..."

"What is it that you want to grab?" Hinata asked as she peaked out the door and went down the hall to the right, away from the mass of quietly evacuating patients.

"Some food pills," Sakura answered, "maybe... maybe some herbs..."

"The food pills are a better option," Hinata said thoughtfully, "and I grabbed some before I left my house."

"They the ones Nee-chan made?" Sakura asked curiously, not sure why she felt that anything Tayuya made would be the most safest option at the moment.

"Yes," Hinata answered, "I had a bad feeling last night so I've had them on my person ever since."

"Hina-chan, you wouldn't happen to be growing a sixth sense are you?" Sakura asked jokingly, earning a soft chuckle from her child hood friend.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

He moved quickly, diving over the wall before anyone could see him, blending into the dark forest like the shadow he was trained to be. He didn't know how much time he had left but he figured it wasn't much, he needed to get as far from the hidden village as he could. He counted twenty trees before he moved onto a low branch and then slid on the lose dirt of the ground, letting the sharp rocks in the ground cut at his hands as he tried to stop himself. Coughing and straightening, Satoshi cuddled his bloodied hands for a moment before he drew a bloody circle on the ground and formed a simple hand sign.

A loud echoing siren sounded through the air, making him grit his teeth and crouch low to the ground

"Fire style," Satoshi whispered, "path spirit... awaken." The bloody circle hummed and glowed brightly, something small shifted in the dirt, moving slowly to take on a weak human-isk figure. "Spirit of this path, I seek your guidance," the little dirt spirit rolled its head as if unused to the feeling, staring up at him with unformed umber sockets, "I need to return home, can you guide me?" the little spirit regarded him sleepily, before lifting a dusty arm and pointed back in the way he had just come.

"No," Satoshi sighed, "I just came from there, I need to get away from there." The spirit seemed to sigh, as if it didn't agree, before circling around itself slowly like it was taking note of just where it was. "Can you at least show me the way to a safe place?" Satoshi asked at last, it was a minor bit of his power, a minor part that rarely worked, of what he could do with his bloodline but it could prove to be useful if he could just get away from the leaf village. Satoshi heard the spirit shift lazily and he opened his eyes just in time see the little dirt spirit give him a childishly wide smile. Smiling he set his hand down beside the little dirt spirit and it followed his silent request obediently. His chakra hummed and surrounded the little spirit, turning it from the little dirt thing into a palm sized ball of orange light.

"Lead me to safety," he whispered, the ball hummed and moved off in a quick streak in a direction straight to his left, he followed after it just as fast.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Her blue eyes narrowed out the window beside her bed, she could hear the ruckus outside of her room, the nurses nearly losing their heads at the announcement. She didn't feel anything in the air around her, it appeared that everything was in order but with the announcement over the village intercom system, it was possible that they knew something she didn't. Slowly, Nira glanced at the closed door of her room, she had heard of the head doctor's death the previous day and she had yet to decide if she wanted to sneak out. With the nurses on the verge of panic, someone would have to stand up and shake the building to get order in the building. The guards themselves were barley operating correctly, the nurses were giving too many orders to each one and expecting it to be done immanently.

_I better do something,_ Nira flung off her blankets and was just about to move her feet off the bed when her door opened and two small children ducked in quickly. "Hello," the two nearly jumped out of their skins at the sound of Nira's voice, "What are you two doing?" the children turned towards her slowly, big brown eyes wide and searching, as if they were expecting to be scolded for sneaking into her room.

"N-Nothing," the older boy stuttered whisper soft, "We-we thought—"

"This room was empty?" Nira supplied with a soft smile, "What are your names?"

"Ka-Kazuki," the eldest nodded his head, turning slightly to gesture to the younger boy hiding behind him, "K-Kouki..." Nira smiled fondly at the boys, Kazuki meant 'harmony hope' and Kouki meant 'light hope'; whoever their mother was, she wanted the boys to have lots of hope.

"My name is Nira," Nira said softly, pulling both of her week legs over the edge of the bed, placing her hands passively in her lap, "I don't suppose either one of you could help me stand?"

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"What do you mean her room is empty?!" Tsunade bellowed at the nurse standing nervously in front of her

"She must have left with Hana," Itachi said, rolling to a stop beside them, one of the Yamanaka guards behind him, "Tayuya didn't order Hana to do anything, she just waved a hand and Hana split without a word."

"Damn it," Tsunade snarled, _did they plan this? But then, what is it that they planned?_

"Lady Tsunade," Itachi called softly, "Satoshi Himura-san's room is empty as well."

"What?!" Tsunade asked, her eyes wide

"Doctor Daisuke Iwasa's body was found in Himura-san's room," the young Yakamaka added with a frown, "there were two chakra suppressant bracelets near his body..."

"That damned idiot wasn't supposed to place those without back up!" Tsunade hissed, _that damned idiot!_

"There's something else, Tsunade-sama," Itachi said solemnly, "Something Tayuya told me before she disappeared..." Tsunade straightened at Itachi's expression of complete seriousness, her eyes glued themselves to the young clan heir.

"What is it?"

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Konohamaru sighed as he held hands with Moegi and Udon, calmly walking up the steps with the rest of his classmates, ignoring his teachers as he paused to over look his home village.

_At least they didn't add any 'sound effects',_ Konohamaru thought as he studied his completely silent village, recalling what some of his academy instructors said during the attack on the chunin exams. Admittedly it had calmed down the majority of the students, just not the smarter ones who saw through the adults reassurances, heard the slight panic in their voices, and saw the worry in their eyes. Not even Iruka had remained perfectly calm during that experience.

"Konohamaru," Moegi whispered fearfully, "Are we under attack again?"

"I don't know," he answered truthfully, "... maybe it really is just a drill."

_I hope so,_ Moegi thought as she turned to follow the last of their classmates up the stairs to the save houses, Konohamaru and Udon close behind her. _I don't think mommy can handle another attack in her condition..._

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Naruto and Sasuke worked together to help evacuate the civilians with the other genin of their generation, Kiba and Shino standing together close by the Hokage tower while Neji and Lee stood two blocks further up the street with several other genin, leaving Naruto and Sasuke to guide the wounded at the hospital.

"Aniki!" Sasuke shouted, catching sight of his brother, "what's going on? Why are we suddenly having a drill?"

"Sasuke? What are you doing here?" Itachi asked with a frown, Shisui pushing his wheel chair calmly, "I thought you were evacuating the civilians closer to the monument?"

"We are evacuating the civilians," Naruto grumbled, "We were tasked with the wounded of the hospital."

"Mostly because of the dube's clones," Sasuke commented with a smirk, earning a tiered glare from his blonde teammate.

"Perhaps you both should move closer to the monuments," Itachi suggested thoughtfully

"But we haven't found Sakura-chan yet!" Naruto whined, Itachi groaned and rubbed at the bridge of his nose tiredly

"Don't worry about Sakura-chan," Shisui chuckled, "Hinata-chan is with her."

Naruto and Sasuke shared an unsure look, earning worried looks from the older Uchiha's

"What is it?" Itachi asked, eyes narrowing at the two boys who nodded together, as if coming to some kind of silent agreement

"Later Aniki!" Sasuke smirked, dashing off in a random direction

"Take care of the hospital please!" Naruto laughed, creating a dozen extra clones and disappearing before either of the elder Uchiha's could stop them. Turning Itachi's wheel chair to face the stream of slightly panicked and very wounded civilians staring at them expectantly.

"...we're going to get them back for this right?" Shisui asked with a twitching eyebrow

"Yes," Itachi growled lowly, a silent promise of just how bad he was going to torture his little brother later

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"I can't belief this," Hinata huffed as she ran, her hold tightening on the giggling pinkette clinging to her back. They had gone to the Haruno household and gathered a few quick supplies, Hinata even helped Sakura clip on a belt that held heavy pockets full of medicinal herbs and scrolls.

"Oh come on Hinata-chan," Sakura giggled from her back, "you know you're curious as to what Tayuya-nee is doing!"

"Can I make a pit stop?" Hinata asked instead of responding to her friend's reminder

"Dose it involve your teammates?" Sakura asked knowingly; Hinata snorted and rolled her eyes, her Byakugan had alerted her that Shino and Kiba had already caught them sneaking away and chose to follow them. "Hmm, I don't mind a slight detour, what do you have in mind?"

"The village put out an emergency siren, it sounds an awful lot like the one we heard during the invasion," Hinata started, "I just wanna grab a few things from my house... don't worry Tayuya-nee left behind a pretty good trail."

"Humph, she must've been in quite the hurry if she didn't even bother with hiding her tracks like normal," Sakura grumbled in her friend's ear, it was hardly the first time the two friends tried to tail the elder Haruno.

Key word being 'tried'

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"We're here," Hana panted, sliding to a stop in a tall grassy clearing. Sliding down onto one knee, Hana released Tayuya and let the girl use her as a brace while they both examined their surroundings. _It's already high noon,_ Hana thought with a frown, brown eyes narrowed slightly, _I hope he didn't attack the village yet..._

Tayuya used Hana to keep her steady and stable. Honestly they hadn't traveled far from Konoha, just a few miles out side its walls to the forgotten gave yard of the soldiers who died in war. The graveyard was over grown and full of small animals seeking shelter from the hot sun rising ever higher in the sky. Nodding her head gratefully to Hana, Tayuya took her flute in hand and readied her stance for the familiar song she played each year.

_Mama,_ Tayuya thought, letting her breathing even out, her fingers ghosting over the holes of her metallic pipe. _Mama... guide me please. I'm so lost and confused, I don't know what to do anymore._ Hana watched memorized like always, the field burst into bright orbs of orange, yellow and crimson, each orb a different shade and size as its brother. She watched as several of those orbs moved forward and molded together, forming a whispery figure of elegant flames. Long curly hair lifted and twirled in the hidden wind only the figure knew, smooth curves and lines gave way to graceful orange robes and a womanly figure.

"_My child_" the woman whispered, orange glowing orbs opening to stare down at the two young women standing awe struck before her. "_Why have you called me, my daughter_?"

"I need your help," Tayuya whispered, ignoring how the other orbs moved together to form other spirits, the other soldiers who had died and been berried in the forgotten graveyard. "Mother... forgive me but... Satoshi, he's alive!"

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

She walked through the dark halls calmly, back straight and eyes clued to the floor. She found it strange not to have her hair pulled up and off her neck; she could feel every strand move in the air current that surrounded her and it was beginning to tickle her knees as well. Her purple long sleeve shirt and black skirt was replaced for a single tan quipo dress with a zipper running up her side. Thankfully, she was permitted to keep her kunai pouch and leggings, plus when they gave her the change of clothes she was able to burn her set with her sisters, ensuring that these people couldn't examine the articles of clothing. She didn't know why the clothes had to be burned but she followed the confident-tinted-with-worry voice she heard in her mind on occasion.

"You're slowing down," two-heads crouched lowly, dark eyes glinting as he glared over his shoulder at her

"Ah—sorry," she picked up her step and hurried up to the two teenage boys and the one adult that walked with them. Once she caught up to them, she bowed her head again and continued walking with her hands folded in front of her, the less she stood out the better. She watched the walls and floors carefully, silently noting slight marks on the walls, depicting hidden numbers and letters; presumably to tell those with a keen eye just where they were. All the same, she knew that if she were going to run she wouldn't have the time to scourer the walls for clues on her location. She would need to lay down a trail first, something she and her sisters could use later if they were given a chance at escape.

She would need to do it discreetly and with little clue as to what she had done... the use of chakra would be her best and safest root...

"Ahh!" she shouted as she tripped and landed face first on the hard ground

"You alright brat?" six-arms asked with a raised eyebrow, "How'd you manage to trip? The floor is completely flat..."

"S-sorry," Karin stuttered picking her face off the floor carefully, "I-I w-won't d-do it a-a-again."

"Whatever, just stand up already," Sakkon growled lowly, making Karin flinch back with wide eyes. She gulped uneasily and tried to move her legs, blinking in confusion, Karin turned on the floor where she laid and tried to wiggle her toes...

"Huh? What are you doing? Get up already!" the orange haired male snapped, orange colored eyes glaring down on Karin as she trembled on the floor

"C-can't," Karin whispered, tears rolling done her cheeks, "m-move..."

"You were just walking perfectly fine," the man growled marching over and putting his large hands under her arms and lifting her back onto her feet. "See?" He growled lowly, lowering Karin back onto her feet, "you cans stand—hay!" Karin gasped as her knees buckles and she was sent tumbling back into the grown man holding her up, "What the hell? You were just fine!"

"Let me see something," Six-arms said, lifting Karin himself and steadying her, "move your feet when you feel you can move them again." Karin nodded and kept her eyes on her feet, willing them to move as the older boy dragged her further and further down the hall. It would take a moment or two for Karin to realize she can move her toes and on an experiment she tried to stand but her knees buckled, the boy would drag her further down and they'd try again, only to get the same result. Karin was finally able to stand on her feet without help when they reached the last corner they turned around, with a shout Karin through her hands in the air cheerfully, only to tip dizzily.

"Cheese you're a trouble maker," six-arms sighed, "although I think I've figured it out..." blinking dumbly up at the older male, Karin stopped to take a look around herself. She could see Sakkon and the older man about a hundred feet down the hall they were currently standing in, and in the opposite direction, down the corner they had taken previously, Karin could see the other corner they would take to return to 'her' room where her sister's sat and waited for her return.

"What's going on?" Karin jumped at the hard voice, relieved that six-arms had yet to let go over her

"Kabuto," six-arms greeted dully, "Karin can't travel far from her sisters."

"... and you're holding her because?"

"This is as far as she can get on her own," six-arms replied evenly, "From here on out her legs are useless. I suspect that the farther away she is from her sister's the more useless she becomes."

"Just as long her intelligence doesn't drop," Kabuto said, dismissing the boy's concerns, "continue on your mission. Carry her if you have too. If you can't get the east gate then abandon the mission. What ever you do, make sure she comes back to us."

"Yes sir," Six-arms mocked, pulling Karin over his back as he turned to join his teammates back down the hall

"Oh and Karin," Kabuto called evenly, jolting the red head out of her thoughts "don't trick them. Complete this mission and I'll make sure your sisters remain safe."

"y-yes sir," Karin whispered, her arms tightening fractionally around six-arm's neck.

_Bastard,_ Kidōmaru thought as he took off into a run down the hall, _one day Kabuto, you won't be so precocious to lord Orochimaru..._

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"What's going on?" Asuma asked as he slid to a stop beside Kakashi and Kurenai, "Why are we suddenly evacuating the village? And why so early in the morning?"

"I don't know," Kakashi answered, dark eye narrowed as he studied his surroundings carefully, "have you heard anything from Tsunade-sama yet?"

"There's an emergency meeting in an hour," Asuma replied, "didn't you hear the mike?"

"No," Kakashi answered, "I've been trying to follow this strange scent..." _it's like sulfur or-or maybe ash? I can't decided which it resembles most... _

"There's a scent that you can't track?" Asuma asked in surprise, "but you have one of the keenest noses in the village!"

"I know," Kakashi sighed, "which is why I'm so fixated on finding that source..." _why can't I locate you?_ He could tell from his high placement that even the Inuzuka clan were trying to find the source, all but running around in circles trying to find it. He could see the Yamanaka and Hyūga clans grouping together with the Nara and Akimichi, working together to find something only the Yamanaka could seemingly sense.

"The other clans are working together," Kurenai observed beside Kakashi

"Not fast enough," Kakashi replied with a narrow eyed look at the swarming shinobi, "no one seems to know what to look for..."

"_Attention everyone, attention!_"

"That's Shizune!" Asuma gasped, eyes widening as he turned towards the nearest speaker, "What is it now?"

"_Please listen carefully to the following orders!_" Kakashi shared a confused look with his once class mates, tilting his head in confusion at them.

"_Alright everyone, you all need to retreat to the barracks!_" everyone recognized Tsunade's voice, perking in interest and concern, "_Jonin and Chunin shinobi, focus on the wounded and civilians! Get them to the barracks as soon as possible!_" It was quite a moment as the surrounding shinobi whispered in confusion amongst each other, not quite understanding the strange order, "_I repeat, you are to help as many people as you can to the barracks! If you come across anyone by the name of Satoshi Himura, run as fast as you can to the barracks and report to the center of command!_"

"So... this Satoshi guy is the threat?" Kurenai asked, tilting her head in confusion at Kakashi

"_That is all... please protect the civilians as much as humanly possible..._" there was a click and the mike was turned off, leaving everyone else standing in confusion.

"So it would appear," the gray haired Jonin sighed, raking one hand through his hair. _Of all the possible threats, it had to be that one missing child..._He had been one of the first to notice that there was a small boy at the edge of Fire country who not only resembled but also acted like Tayuya. Having reported him to Hiruzen and later questioned Tayuya, it was revealed that she never lost her memories but was afraid of what they would do if they found out about her bloodline. To reassure her about their intentions, Hiruzen agreed to keeping Tayuya's bloodline a secret between the three of them and that he would never put her in a situation that would reveal her unusual talent. Tayuya had even told them that her surname was 'Himura' meaning 'scarlet village', a name given to their people after some centuries ago when one of her ancestors turned a village into nothing more then a blood bath. The name had been stuck with them ever sense and no matter what they did they couldn't get rid of it. Tayuya's adoption into the Haruno family was her chance at freedom from the curse her entire family had to endure for centuries since the awakening of their power. Her one dream was to change the fate of her once clan and that started with a new name and the not so obvious use of her bloodline.

Tsunade had said their 'intruder' was by the name of 'Satoshi Himura', which meant that he was related to Tayuya and most likely bore the same bloodline as her. That meant that the only person in the village who had a chance to fight back was Tayuya, she was the only who could protect them. Not to mention that Tayuya's younger brother's name was 'Satoshi'...

_I pray Tayuya has the strength to protect us all..._

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Satoshi panted hard as he tried to follow the little earth spirit he had summoned, he continued running despite his vision blurring and his feet numbing. The little golden orb hovered and waited patiently for him at entrances or key landmarks, as if searching for a clue as to where it should go next, before moving on quickly. After two hours he was ready to give up but he also had the feeling that he needed to keep moving, so he kept moving despite the numbing pain in his body. After three hours, Satoshi nearly fell flat on his face, the only thing keeping him up right were the view of something bright and golden in the distance, lighting up the dark forest as if hundreds of lanterns lined his path. He followed the glowing orb, losing it quickly in the dozens of glowing orbs that swarmed around him like cheerful, glowing specks of dust.

He watched numbly as the cheerful orbs formed bodies, the bodies danced and laughed, floated and sang, feeling complete and utter joy at being given a possible second chance at life. He watched dully as a woman laughed, her arms held out wide as a child ran towards her as if for the first time, joyous tears spilling from their glowing eyes. He continued forward, trying to find that little orb he had summoned so long ago, his vision blurring more and more as he struggled forward, silently noting the thickening of the glowing orbs and joyful spirits.

_I have to hurry_, Satoshi thought, shoulder slamming into a tree as he took a slight break to catch his breath, _I have to hurry..._

"_Satoshi,_" he looked up wide-eyed and mouth a gap, standing in complete awe of the elegant wisp-like woman floating before him with tear stained eyes, "_we finally meet... my son._"

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

_The village can't seem to get a break,_ Sakura thought, closing her eyes as Hinata readied herself for a possible fight. Pulling her long midnight hair into a high pony tail and coating it with hair thin senbon, even placing on her bracelets that were full of all kinds of weapons. Hinata's out fit hadn't really changed from the chunin exam, except Sakura knew that the pretty—hidden seals—flowers were filled with as many possible weapons as she might be in need of.

"That sounds serious," Hinata said softly, adjusting her poisoned dagger pendent in her floor-to-ceiling mirror. "Do you still want to follow her?" Sakura didn't answer right away, her attention was drawn out to the azure sky over head, watching the clouds slink past lazily while the birds flew away in a flurry of annoyed chirping. Hinata glanced at Sakura and let out a soft sigh. She supposed that if Hanabi had been in Tayuya's position, she'd still chase after the girl regardless of the immense dangers.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"You find her yet?" Sasuke asked the boy running beside him, knowing that the blonde's clones would disperse to tell them the location of the girls

"She's with Hinata-chan alright," Naruto replied, "They're at the Hyūga compound now. Kiba and Shino are waiting for them to come out. Whatever the girls are planning those two are going to join in on it."

"Guess we better hurry then," Sasuke smirked, his speed increasing

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Hana watched as the spirits awakened with the revealing of Tayuya's power, taking on the forms of graceful wisps and elegant flames. She watched as once familiar shinobi awakened, blinked at her, and moved away, as if wondering what had changed since their death. But none of the hauntingly graceful or terrifying beautiful spirits that surrounded her where anything compared the spirit Tayuya called 'mother'. The woman was tall and well portioned, with a chest that looked almost to be the same size as Tsunade's (maybe a little bigger), and long flowing curly hair that seemed to go on forever. The graceful lines of her elegant kimono tilted teasingly on her shoulders and hugged her waist while flaring at her hips. Though the woman was beautiful, there was no mistaking the power she once wielded, a single look and even the most in experienced genin would know that this woman was a powerful kunochi.

Perhaps strong enough to rival Tsunade herself

Satoshi looked just as Hana imagined he would, like a male version of a twelve year old Tayuya. His long curly hair reached mid knee, his only significant difference to his elder sister who complained about never having any curl in her hair. It would seem that Satoshi took a tad more after their mother then Tayuya did, feminine face and all. Which would mean that her teammate took more after their father... that explained why Tayuya had been mistaken for a boy a few times as a child (said accusers were usually enemies and as such, didn't last long).

"How dare you," Satoshi snarled suddenly, surprising the women before him, "How dare you bring mother into this! You have right to torment her like this!" Tayuya flinched and looked away, tears filling her hazel eyes

"_Satoshi_," their mother chided, "_be kind to your sister_."

"She's no sister of mine!" Satoshi bellowed out, surprising his mother, "My sister died years ago! The day she abandoned me in that forest!"

"I went back for you!" Tayuya shouted back to him, her silver flute clenched tightly in her right hand, "You were the one who disappeared!" Hana looked around and saw that Satoshi must have had the same power as Tayuya because more spirits were rising—and these ones didn't look friendly at all.

"I remained in that tree stump for two days!" Satoshi shot back at her, the curse seal he bared on the back of his neck flaring to life, consuming half his body in straight lines. "You said you'd come back for me and you didn't! You abandoned me!"

"No I didn't!" the spirits surrounding them were stilling, regarding the two siblings in a curious manner

"You're a liar!" Satoshi roared, the earth rumbled and growled warningly, more darkened spirits rose from the darkened ground like half formed oil clones.

"Satoshi stop!" Tayuya screamed, her glowing orbs matching his black gooey figures, "Stop this now before someone get's hurt!"

"Someone?!" Satoshi asked furiously, "you mean someone in that _precious_ village of yours? The one full of liars and killers?!" Tayuya's face paled in realization and terror, "Well why don't I just destroy that place?! Maybe then you'll have a clue as to how I felt—how I feel!"

"No!" Tayuya screamed but it was too late, Satoshi disappeared in a swirl of black goo and smoke

"_Tayuya you must teleport!_" her mother cried, her own glowing orbs wide in fear, "_You must use your spirit to protect the village! Raise the hero's!_" Tayuya nodded and summoned the glowing orbs, Hana yelped and dived forward just in time to wrap her arms around Tayuya, including herself in the hurried teleportation.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"How's she doing?" Sakkon asked with a glance over his shoulder, having reached the top of the stairs of the underground base, he was able to look down on each of his teammate's faces. Jirobo seemed fine and Kidōmaru looked irritated but otherwise fine, it was Karin who worried him. The girl had her face pressed into Kidōmaru's neck like it was her pillow; her long red hair seemed to hide her entire body despite her pale uniform that matched their own.

"Fine," Kidōmaru grunted, pulling himself out of the hole carefully, "What's she look like?"

"Like hell," Jirobo answered truthfully, "her face is as red as her hair."

"It must be a fever," Sakkon observed, pressing one hand against the girl's forehead, her eyes popped open immanently and she jerked back from him

"I'm sorry!" Karin shouted automatically

"That's my ear," Kidōmaru hissed

"Did you fall asleep?" Sakkon asked with a raised eyebrow

"N-no," Karin stuttered, her face flaming even brighter, her eyes looking away from him

"You little brat," Kidōmaru hissed back at her

"I'm sorry," Karin whispered again, bowing her head in shame

"Tell us if you're feeling sick," Sakkon replied courtly, rising to his full height and walking away

"O-Okay," Karin stuttered, blushing brightly as a familiar voice whispered in her mind

_One by one, we'll build a bridge_

_One by one, we'll strengthen the bond_

_We'll do whatever it takes to protect you_

_Your power shall strengthen with our sleep_

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"Hinata! Sakura!" they started and turned their eyes wide as something huge and dark loomed threateningly over them "_look out!_"

It was too late, the black shadow of smoke and goo consumed the girls, ignoring their terrified screams

"NEE-CHAAAAAN!" Hanabi screamed teary eyed, struggling in Neji's arms as he lifted her and turned to ran out of the main house, only to shout himself as a black goo figure blocked his exit out.

_Damn!_ Neji spun on his heel and dragged Hanabi into Hinata's room just in time to avoid the gooey thing's attack, stumbling to a stop, Neji searched for a proper exit and found in the form of Hinata's window. He couldn't protect Hinata and Sakura from the smoke creature that had come at them from Hinata's closet but he could try to protect Hanabi as his cousin would've wanted. He snatched Hanabi up by her waist and dived straight for the open window, trying desperately to avoid getting touched by the masses of black smoke and black goo.

"NEE-CHAN!" Hanabi screamed, struggling over Neji's shoulder as he jumped out the window

_Shee—_he hadn't realized that the strange creatures were out side and had just jumped directly in front of one.

…

"I see them!" Sasuke shouted with a smirk, jumping out of the trees with a laughing Naruto

"Huh, ah! Hay guys!" Kiba greeted, waving on hand wildly in the air, "What took you so long?"

"Kiba! Look out!" Shino shouted, his insects burst out of his sleeves as he dived to cover Kiba's back side

"Shino!" Kiba screamed, scrambling to turn around in time to protect his teammate, only to see a huge mass of darkness consume the boy whole.

"KIBA!" Naruto screamed in utter panic and fear

"DUBE!" Sasuke shouted himself digging his heels into the cement and pulling hard on his teammate's jacket, "Their gone idiot! We have to run!"

"But—"

"We have to warn the others!" Sasuke shouted, "They're heading for the barracks! The village is in trouble! We have to evacuate further into the mountains!" Naruto stared wide-eyed at the blazing crimson Sharingan eyes that belonged to his teammate, the black tomoe spinning rapidly, flexing hauntingly as if wanting to shift into a new shape.

"We might be their only chance of escape!"

…

She hissed as she huddled over the two young brothers, all teary eyed and afraid, the black goo and smoke surrounded them hauntingly, teasing the escape as if they had a chance at escape. The two boys clung to her as if she was some kind of shield for them, well they were half-right, she was a kind of shield.

"Close your eyes and hold on tight," Nira whispered in the brother's ears, she took a deep breath as the boys did as she asked without question. _This just might kill me but... I have to try!_ Her room erupted into golden light, white-hot fire bloomed on her back, her arms tightened around the brothers and tears pricked the edges of her eyes. But the darkness screamed shrilly as her chains slammed into them, ripping them apart and purifying them.

_As I thought_, Nira thought panting, _Kindan shuhō: __Junsui zōo... creatures of pure darkness._ The forbidden technique manipulated pure hatred and gave it a physical form, which was often times unstable but lethal all the same; the technique was also called 'Kurarei' meaning dark spirit. it was a signature and forbidden art of a distant and thought diseased clan called 'Himura' which meant 'scarlet village', which the clan was adeptly named, the pour creatures couldn't help the destruction that followed them like the endless rain in rain country. The world doubled as her chains howled loudly, her chains were made with the desperation of love that (according to the Uzumaki) triumphed over all things dark. To the Uzumaki clan, there was nothing greater then love and the only thing that could possibly challenge it is hatred, after all, they're two sides of the same coin.

_I won't be able to hold this up much longer,_ the darkness seemed to be endless and in one last ditch effort, Nira summoned her chains to surround her and the boys, choosing to protect them from the darkness that ate hungrily at their surroundings.

_Please Kami-sama, let me at least protect them_

…

Shisui and Itachi watched as masses of black goo and smoke seemed to rise out of the grounds of the hospital, consuming everyone it touched. The civilians screamed and ran for their only lead of safety, using the shinobi around them as guides to the safe houses. The shinobi of the leaf tried to protect the civilians, they tired to protect each other, they tried to give their people a chance—a hope at survival. However, anyone who touched the darkness were devoured and nothing seemed to work in stalling it. Taijutsu was suicide, genjutsu was useless as the creatures had no mind to trick and ninjutsu seemed to only add fuel to the fire.

"Shisui," Itachi called evenly, drawing the older boy's attention, "Leave. Inform the Hokage about what's happening."

"What?" Shisui asked in bewilderment, "What about you?!"

Itachi smiled up at his surrogate brother, "I will guild the civilians to the safe houses... while you inform Lady Hokage as to what's happening here."

"But you'll die!" Shisui screamed furiously

"The village must survive," Itachi replied tonelessly, his dark eyes flaring crimson, "relay the message Shisui, you might be our only hope."

…

"INO!"

"DADDY!"

Inoichi covered his daughter desperately, using his body to take the brunt of the shadow things attack

"Inoichi!" Shikaku screamed, struggling to move forward as Chōza grabbed him and flung him out of the ring of black goo and smoke. _No!_ he watched wide eyed and afraid as Chōza stood tall and proud. Shikaku flipped in the air, unable to attack the black mass that surrounded his teammate's.

"CHŌZA!" his friend smiled at him, as if he wasn't concerned with the shadows that consumed him hole

…

"Kiba!" Tsume screamed, running through the village desperately, "Hana! Kiba!" Tsume slid to a stop in the middle of the road, her eyes wide and panicked as masses of black goo and smoke blocked her in, surrounding her with their suffocating presence. She had seen the creatures before and knew that her style of attack was useless; to touch the creatures was to embrace death. Tsume screamed, unable to protect herself as the darkness lunged for her, as it got closer, her black wolf slammed his body into her, forcing Tsume away from the black mass and letting it consume him in her stead.

_No!_ Tsume thought as she rolled to a stop, _my babies!_

She looked up, a mass of black goo loomed over her

_My babies!_

…

_Wha... what is this?!_ Kakashi thought with both of his eyes opened wide, his Sharingan scanning the black mass sweeping through the streets of his home and consuming everything in it's path. Turning the buildings into ash and devouring the people like a starving mass of pure darkness.

"Kakashi!" Kurenai screamed, yanking hard on the gray haired man just in time to make him stumble away from a black gooey creature that clambered it's way up to them. It's oily mouth gaping wide as it lumbered towards the group of Jonin slowly, everything it touched melting and reforming into the black goo and as such, sustaining the creature.

"We have to go!" Asuma screamed, throwing Kurenai over his shoulder and running away from the black goo, leaving Gai to grab Kakashi

"Asuma!" Kurenai grouched at her carrier, "Put me down! I can run!"

"Not now!" Asuma snapped, "That thing is heading straight for the barracks!" Kurenai's breath caught and her crimson eyes widened in realization, the panicked shout pulled Kakashi from his own stopper and he ran at a nearly blinding speed with them; desperation and fear urging the adults into blinding speeds towards their center of command.

"We have to hurry!" they jumped from the building intending to land on the next and landed successfully, with only Asuma rolling to a stop with a sprained ankle.

"Asuma!" Kurenai called out worriedly, wincing at the pain in her wrist

"Look out!" Kakashi dived forward and yanked Kurenai away from the pavement and towards Asuma just in time to avoid a lung of black smoke.

"Damn," Asuma wheezed, crouching low with one hand pressed to his busted ankle, Gai slid to a stop beside him "we're surrounded." Kakashi and Kurenai crouched back to back with Gai and Asuma, faces pinched and teeth gritted. The darkness lunged for the four Jonin, they in turned moved as one, diving to protect each other with their own bodies; knowing it was useless but praying for the best all the same.

_...We're too late..._

…

Sasuke's vision began to double as he ran, Naruto had created wave after endless wave of clones to take on the black mass chasing them. The only thing his clones had been able to relay to him was that the black mass was death. Gasping, Sasuke slammed a palm against his aching side as he ran; trying to dodge the black mass was getting harder and harder with his doubling vision.

"Sasuke!" for a moment Sasuke's vision sharpened in on the distant figure, his Sharingan eyes locked with Itachi's panicked crimson orbs. Yet, despite the pain raging in his body, Sasuke felt relief sweep through his system, pulling forward a small smile on his pale face.

"Sasuke!" the panic sounding his teammate's voice and that of his brother's, had Sasuke turning, his crimson gaze wide. Sasuke tripped and landed on the cement, the darkness behind him seemed to laugh as it dived straight for him.

"SASUKE!" Naruto screamed, diving forward and covering his teammate from the attack of black goo and smoke

Leaving Itachi behind to watch wide-eyed and panic-stricken

It took him only seconds to scream, his chakra lashing out of his body as his eyes took on a new shape. Shisui grunted and crossed his arms in front of him, trying to brace himself against the force of Itachi's _really_ bad reaction to Sasuke's and Naruto's deaths. It wasn't long before Shisui saw that Itachi's chakra flared a bright, hot, angry red around him, quickly forming into what he guessed to be an ancient soldier.

_No way,_ Shisui thought, eyes widening as the soldier quickly formed, thrusting forward one arm with a bright crimson shield on it before himself, stopping the black goo and smoke from advancing.

"Itachi!" Shisui screamed from where he stood, wanting to calm his cousin down, "Itachi!" his cousin looked, his crimson and black eyes widening at the sight of him; Shisui tried to speak again but he found himself being devoured by black goo from behind instead. He shouted in surprise and tried to escape however the goo held on fast and tripped him, Shisui tried to get up but the goo moved fast after getting it's oil tinted limbs on him and it was quick to consume him hole. Itachi's fury seemed to echo in his summoned soldier shield, the soldier lifted a drinking gourd and out from it's cork came a flaming golden blade.

In a fit of pure fury the sword slammed into the seemly endless blackness surrounding Itachi

…

"Lady Tsunade!" the blonde dived forward, tackling Shizune out of the way of a huge black blob that tried to eat her. Quickly moving Tsunade jumped to her feet and yanked Shizune to her own as they both took off down the hall towards the rushing Uchiha clan heads rushing towards them.

"Don't touch them!" Tsunade screamed as she ran towards the couple, her eyes widened when she saw Fugaku spin and slid to a stop, "NO!" Fugaku spat out a huge ball of fire straight at the black smoke chasing them, Tsunade slid to a stop, her body stumbling as Mikoto knocked her aside and mimicked her husband on the other side.

_We're doomed,_ Tsunade thought, amber eyes growing wide as the black smoke roared into life over Fugaku's fire and the black goo seemed to grow thrice it's size from Mikoto's. Fugaku and Mikoto both backed up hurriedly, their fires seemingly growing before ending abruptly, the couple turned and immanently tossed Tsunade and Shizune to the ground, hurriedly covering the two women with their bodies in almost the same movement.

The black goo and smoke swallowed them hole

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

_I hope this won't last long,_ Sakkon thought as they ran through the treetops of land of sound, _we can't afford to lose an asset like her._ Sakkon glanced back at Kidōmaru; the girl he was carrying said nothing as they moved through the trees, almost like she had fallen asleep again. However, he knew that the girl was only concentrating on their surroundings, carefully cataloging everything and making sure nothing approaching them was a threat.

"Save your energy," Sakkon snapped suddenly, startling his teammate's as he glared back at a befuddled looking Karin, "We won't reach the border for another day or so. No need for you to concentrate on threats now."

"R-Right," Karin bobbed her head and returned to her short nap on Kidōmaru's back, the only one of their team she seemed to trust enough to do so.

_She won't last if she's constantly using her chakra,_ Sakkon thought as they ran, eyes narrowed and thoughtful. _I better not let her sense until we get a day or so from Konoha..._

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

**Thoughts are helpful**

**Opinions are wonderful**

**Helpful criticism****is**** lovely! Just don't cripple me okay?**

**Please no cursing!**

**And don't forget to**** rate and**** review!**

**Page 23**


	53. Chapter 53

**There is a reason**

Chapter 53: Hatred and love, two sides of one coin

Koomahana

**Okaa-san — Mother**

**Otou-san — Father**

**Mesume—Daughter**

**Nii / Aniki / Ani—Big brother**

**Nee / Ane / —Big sister**

**Imoto —Little sister**

**Ototo / Ototobun —Little brother**

**Shinoai—My Love (Shin no ai)**

**Himura—scarlet village**

**Satoshi—wise, fast learner**

**Song: the call**

**From: Narnia, prince Caspian**

**The 'Sparrow song' I had to make up on my own, it turned into more of a poem then a song but I hope you all liked it anyways**

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"How much time do we have?" yellow eyes stared dully at the far wall were dozens of candles were lit

"They should reach the village in two days," The gray haired boy answered softly, "They must wait for the girl to return before they take action against the new gate. They don't want to get mixed up again."

"Hmm... and the three mist children we caught last month?" Orochimaru asked, turning to look at Kabuto curiously

"Bone boy was like a switch," Kabuto answered with a chuckle, "The girl was difficult and her melting friend isn't cooperating very well, he keeps liquefying on me so I can't get a good hold on him."

"Are you sure the girl is loyal?"

"She's loyal enough to pull off this mission," Kabuto smirked, "Want me to catch up and make sure my technique hasn't failed?"

"Hmmm... perhaps you can repeat the process on my new east gate," Orochimaru said thoughtfully, "It'd be best if she didn't try to escape, I do need her _unwavering_ loyalty."

"I'll leave in the morning," Kabuto smirked and bowed to Orochimaru, leaving soon after

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

They appeared in a flare of blinding light, hearts beating erratically at the sight of endless darkness crawling over the mountain's face and sweeping through the barracks of the civilians, consuming all in it's path.

"Save them," one whispered, back away from her friend and the blinding light that bathed her entire being, "please... save them!"

"Hikari no jutsu: Hero's sprit!" the darkness trembled, the gooey monsters raised their heads and screamed back at the creature surrounded in endless light, "Awaken!"

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

He hissed in the endless darkness, his arms tied and bound to the other boy who had tried so hard to protect him. Slowly his eyes opened and he found his teammate to be staring up at him in just as much confusion as he was feeling. The first thing he noticed was that they were bathed in bright golden light, he pursed his lips in confusion and turned towards one sours of the strange light. Just behind him stood a brightly glowing woman, long glowing strands of hair danced around her head and shoulders like she was floating in a tub of water. Her eyes were warm and her lips were tilted slightly in a smile, her dress floated around her knees elegantly and yet hugged her gracious curves lovingly.

"_Hello my son,_" the woman whispered, her eyes misting over with the need to shed joyful tears, "_your father has raised you well._"

"_Ch, as expected of our spouses_," he turned at the amused voice and found himself staring in awe up at a man bathed in an orange glow, the triangles tattooed on his cheeks giving way as to which clan he hailed from.

"Dad?" Kiba questioned softly, tears springing to his eyes. His father had died when Kiba was eight so he could barely remember the older man's face.

"_Hay son_," the older male looked just as sad as his son did. Shino's head snapped around, his dark eyes wide with the fear to hope.

"Mom?" Shino questioned softly, the only thing he knew about his mother was that she had died trying to give birth to him; she had actually passed during the proceeded and just moment's before he was born. In a fit of fear, his father had cut him from his mother's womb and then cried with him as the medics finally arrived and tended to him with emergency care. Shino had been hospitalized for five days before he was released to his father's custody, just in time to attend his own mother's funeral.

"_That's right son_," the woman whispered, looking as if she wanted to cry, "_I'm your mommy_."

"how-why-what happened?!" both boys stuttered out, hands tightening on each other, feeling like they were back at being four and were pleading with their parents to protect them from creatures hiding in the darkness.

"_We're your light_," the parents chuckled, enveloping their respective child in warm hugs, "_We're here to protect you_."

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Sakura could feel a pair of arms clutch her to a warm body surrounded in silk, she wanted to move but the endless darkness seemed to crowd around her, freezing her body in place. So instead of struggling in the darkness she clutched desperately to the body that was clutching her, trying not to forget the heat that clung to the person. She sniffed quietly and in answer, she felt a soft touch on her head, she opened her eyes reflexively. Before her crouched a familiar looking young man with teal-green hair, amused pink eyes, soft pastel skin, and a yukata of black and green.

"_Hello Imoto,_" Yagura chuckled at her, eyes misting over, "_sorry for taking so long..._"

"Nii-tan," Sakura whispered her face tilting into his palm with a soft smile, her eyes dripped tears of joy and sorrow.

"S-Sakura," she turned at the sound of her name, eyes widening as she found herself staring into a pair of teary-white orbs. Instantly the person staring at her was clasping her arm and pulling her away from her green haired brother to hold himself, silent tears dripping onto her hospital Yukata.

"Neji!" Sakura gasped, not used to the older boy suddenly touching her. Worried, she tried to recall just what had happened, remembering quickly that she was with her child hood friend when the strange shadow creatures had attacked them. "Hinata!" Neji let go of Sakura just enough to let her twist and grab said girl's arm and jerk her away from the darkness trying to sneak closer. Neji sniffed and rubbed at one eye, keeping one hand on Sakura's shoulder as he tried to get a better view of their surroundings.

"Nee-chan!" A body barreled into them, ripping Sakura from Neji's hold and slamming the pinkette closer to Hinata. Sakura chuckled softly as Hanabi wailed in Hinata's embrace but that seemed to do little with Hinata's dumbfounded staring. Curious Sakura moved Hanabi's arm away from her throat and found that Hinata was staring at the ghostly figure of Hinata's mother, a woman she could barely remember.

"Are you alright, Sakura-san?" Neji asked as he helped her sit up without being strangled by Hanabi

"I'm fine," Sakura coughed, smiling up at him reassuringly. "Ah, who's that?" she asked, catching sight of someone standing behind Neji

"My father," Neji answered, glancing back at the man with a sorrowful expression himself; the man just smiled sadly at them.

"Mama," Hinata called weakly, tears rolling down her cheeks, "Mama..." Hanabi got off Hinata and whipped vigorously at her cheeks before she dared to look at the woman standing before them.

"Nee-chan, who's that?" Hanabi asked curiously, tilting her head towards Hinata as she slowly pushed herself up

"_Hanabi, Hinata_," the woman whispered to the girls, instantly gaining their attentions, "_you both grew so well_..."

"Mother," Hinata whispered brokenly, "She is our mother."

"But... I thought..." Hanabi looked up at the woman uncertainly, knowing that her mother had lived barely long enough to name her.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

They slowed traveling through the seemingly endless trees, glancing back at the quietly sleeping red head laying on Kidōmaru's back. They had been traveling for the past day and a half non-stop and almost at full speed, they weren't taking any chances.

"Let's take a break," Sakkon sighed, stretching his arms when he landed on an ancient looking red wood, "it's late and we all need a rest..."

"About damn time," Kidōmaru grumbled, jumping straight to the ground, landing carefully so he didn't break anything. "Hay Jirobo! Go fetch us some food!"

"Do it yourself," the orange haired man replied gruffly as he landed

"I can't," Kidōmaru smirked, "I have to set up traps and stand guard over red."

"And I have to set up camp," Sakkon interrupted before the oldest member in their cell could shoot anything else out of his mouth. "Just get us food already. We need the nutrients if we're going to start moving when the sun rises."

"Dud that's in like five hours!" Kidōmaru whined

"Be quite you fool," Jirobo hissed, "You'll wake her!"

"Both of you shut it," Sakkon sighed, "we don't have time to whine and yell at each other. We need to move as fast as we can, that means we're not wasting any unnecessary energy."

"Right captain," Kidōmaru snickered, earning an irated look from the pale haired twins, "so, what are we going to do when we get the East Gate?"

"Obviously we return to lord Orochimaru," Sakkon drawled, shooing Jirobo at the same time. No one noticed how Karin twitched at the name, her eyes snapping wide open and her face draining of color. "Undoubtedly he would like to see her perform some test to prove her loyalty to him."

"Wha? You mean Lord Orochimaru would have her wipe out a village or something like he did with Guren?" Kidōmaru asked with a raised eyebrow, only to glance curiously down at Karin as he noticed her sudden increase in breath. "You okay Karin?" Kidōmaru asked, placing one hand on the girl's forehead, "You didn't get sick did ya?"

"Aw man, don't tell me she's slowing us down more then she already was," Sakkon groaned, slapping one hand against his face

"Lord Orochimaru won't be pleased"

Like a damn broke, Karin screamed, her power unleashing itself and forcing the three males away from her

"Bastards!" Karin screeched her golden chains flaring to life and smashing everything around her, "release us!"

"Whoa!" Kidōmaru yelped as he was forced through three trees and landed into a skidding halt on the hard forest ground. _No wonder they had her on chakra suppressants!_ Kidōmaru thought as he looked back up at Karin, who was sprouting golden chains from her back and whipping blindly and furiously at her surroundings.

"Damn..." Sakkon cursed, crouching low as the wind that accompanied Karin's awakening pushed him back, "Kidōmaru! Jirobo!"

"I'm here!" Jirobo coughed back, arms crossed protectively in front of him, "this isn't something I can absorb! It's not chakra lased!"

_Damn it!_ Sakkon gritted his teeth as he glared furiously at the screaming red haired girl thrashing about before him, _no choice then!_ "Everyone! Second stage!" Jirobo and Kidōmaru gritted their teeth, their curse marks flaring to life almost simultaneously.

"This is going to hurt!" Kidōmaru grunted, his black eyes glowing amber with the release of his second stage

"We've got no choice," Jirobo growled out, amber eyes glaring in annoyance at the red haired girl

"Remember, we don't want to kill her," Sakkon ordered coldly, his second head slowly stepping out of his body to take possession of his own body. "Udon, let's get the shields up."

"Right... brother," His twins smirked at him, hands readying in a single sign that he himself mimicked

"Let's get this over with!" Kidōmaru grinned, readying his bow and arrow

"Release us!" Karin screamed, her chains lashing out at her opponents

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Soft laughter filled his ears and his arms reflexively tightened on his quietly crying, completely terrified daughter; who clung to him just as tightly as he clung to her. He felt someone in the darkness press cold hands to his face, as if trying to get him to look at them—well, it worked. He slowly opened his eyes, staring dumbly up at the pretty figure hovering like white smoke in front of him. It didn't take him long to realize that the transparent figure was that of a familiar brunet with laughing blue eyes and fair white skin, her hour-glass figure was dressed in the finest looking white kimono that ever dared to exist.

"Sachiko" Inoichi whispered, his daughter turned slightly in his arms, more sitting in his lap then trembling on the ground like she once had.

"_Hello Shinoai_," the woman whispered back, a serine smile on her face

"Daddy," Ino called softly, huddling herself closer to her father, "Who is she?"

"Your mother," Inoichi whispered, a soft smile on his face as he leaned into the palm touching his cheek, "Sachiko, this is our daughter, Ino. Ino, this is your mother, Sachiko."

"_Hello baby_," Sachiko whispered, kneeling before the two blonde's, both of her hands cupping each of their faces, "_you're as beautiful as I remember..._"

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

He stood tall and patient in the endless darkness, his eyes closed as he waited for his end to happen. Instead, he felt a pair of strong arms wrap around his neck, prompting him to open his eyes and stare at the being hugging him. He found long auburn red hair swaying hauntingly in front of him, familiar crimson armor clung to the person wrapped around his neck.

"_You did good Aniki,_" person resting their head on his shoulder whispered, he could feel their tears slipping down their round cheek and splashing against his shoulder.

"Ototo?" He whispered back, afraid to hope

"_See?_" the child whispered with a gentile, sad sounding chuckle, "_told you, you were smart_." With a sob, Chōza wrapped his arms around his baby brother's sides, slamming down onto his knees as he started crying in his long since dead brother's embrace

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

She shivered pitifully on the cold ground; she had always prided herself on never being the first to cry. But faced with this endless terror, the fear of never seeing her children, the despair that she possibly couldn't save them in time... it was more then she could handle and she broke down crying, huddled up in a little ball like she once did as a child. She had sworn on her husband's grave that she would never let her children be taken before she herself passed, now how was she supposed to face him? She broke her promise!

"_Little swallow, won't you fly for me?_

_Fly high into the sky,_

_Where the moon and sun appear like eyes_

_Watching you dance far and wide_

_Over mountains and streams_

_Through clouds and stars_

_Fly high into the sky_"

She felt her eyes widen at the soft voice echoing in the darkness around her, a voice she once knew so well despite the decades that have passed

"_Little swallow won't you sing for me?_

_Land upon a branch, over a river and sing your song_

_Land upon a fence, beside a garden and sing your song_

_Land upon a window, beside a child and sing your song_

_Little swallow won't you see me here?_

_Little swallow can you tell me of your travels_

_What mountains you've seen_

_What streams you've passed_

_What stars you've dreamed_

_What clouds you've danced"_

She lifted her head slowly, teary brown eyes watching the darkness intently for that familiar figure she once knew so long ago. Slowly, as if in mockery, a far and distant figure walked towards her, lighting up the darkness with her steps of predator, fire flaring into being with each step she took. She knew that distant feminine figure, the woman with long Aruban hair, smooth like silk, and eyes wide and dancing like that of a china dolls. She watched teary eyed as a white wolf soon appeared from the darkness, walking like rolling mists towards the elegant woman.

"_Little swallow can't you sing for me?_

_A song only you seem to know_

_A song of the tree's you've slept in_

_A song of the rivers you've played in_

_A song of the gardens you've danced in_

_A song of the children you've met"_

Beside the elegant white wolf walked the weakened form of her own black haired partner, taking care not to lower his right foreleg. Once the white wolf was beside the animalistic graceful woman, it turned toward Tsume and started walking her, Kuroko beside her like a forgotten friend.

"_Little swallow, won't you fly for me?_

_Fly high into the sky,_

_Where the moon and sun appear like eyes_

_Watching you dance far and wide_

_Over mountains and streams_

_Through clouds and stars_

_Fly high into the sky_"

Tsume sniffed as the woman and two wolfs approached, both hands rising to whip at her eyes hurriedly, she hadn't cried since her sister's funeral when she was ten, she won't get caught doing it now. The song the hauntingly beautiful woman was singing was the same song her sister sang to her during storms or after nightmares. Her elegant, almost princess like, elder sister had named it 'little Tsubame', believing that their mother had meant to name her as such before her death (if one removed the 'ba' in Tsubame it became Tsume). As such, her elder sister loved to call Tsume 'little birdie' or other such nicknames that agitated the living hell out of the once young girl more wolf then human.

"_Little swallow won't you sing for me?_

_Land upon a branch, over a river and sing your song_

_Land upon a fence, beside a garden and sing your song_

_Land upon a window, beside a child and sing your song_

_Little swallow won't you see me here?_

_Little swallow can you tell me of your travels_

_What mountains you've seen_

_What streams you've passed_

_What stars you've dreamed_

_What clouds you've danced_

_Little swallow can't you sing for me?_

_A song only you seem to know_

_A song of the tree's you've slept in_

_A song of the rivers you've played in_

_A song of the gardens you've danced in_

_A song of the children you've met"_

"Ha-Hana-n-nee," Tsume sniffed with a trembling smile, the elegant woman smiled sadly back at her

"_You've grown well...Imoto_"

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

He cursed as he saw a bright golden glow in the forest before him, already knowing the chances and possibilities that it could be he doubled his efforts in catching up to the team sent out just hours before himself. instead of waiting for morning to arrive, he thought that he should properly leave sooner so that he could spend less time catching up to them and more time traveling with them.

"Kabuto, what is that?" he glanced at the fast traveling boy beside him, having forgotten that he had joined him at the last moment.

"A very dangerous jutsu," Kabuto answered with a glare, putting more effort into his rush to catch up. "If we don't hurry, we might lose Karin sooner then planned... and her sisters are sure to follow."

"Would she not return to us for that one reason?" Kimimaro asked

"Not necessarily," Kabuto answered, "If that's the real Karin Uzumaki she'll return to the hidden leaf and never leave its borders ever again. If it's not she'll return like you said but she'll bring an entire army of mist and leaf and with the leaf's and sand's newest treaty in the middle of being formed, it's likely they'll chip in two."

"So that's armies from three of the great hidden villages," Kimimaro mused with a slight smirk, "would the other's join in?"

"Doubtful but you never know," Kabuto replied with a thoughtful look, "although... that might be why lord Orochimaru placed his village in a border country to begin with. If more then one hidden village decides to attack him then Iwa or Kusa might think that they're the ones being attacked and send their own armies to cut off and attack the other village. Both protecting us and starting a national war... which would properly lead into another Great Shinobi War..."

"I see," Kimimaro smiled, his speed increasing, "lord Orochimaru is truly great." He ignored the tiny voice in the back of his mind that told him otherwise, it was starting to get annoying but the more he ignored the small voice of warning the less it spoke up.

_I'll have to meditate when we get back to base,_ Kimimaro thought as he neared the glowing horizon that promised a wonderful fight. _It's best to find the source and get ride of it myself... I can't bring Kabuto into the situation._

The little voice in the back of his mind whispered that Kabuto was a disgrace to his own profession called 'Medic'

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

He had thought that the dark creatures lunging at them would consume them all completely without pausing to think twice about it but he was wrong. The creatures never landed a hit on them, didn't even touch them. He opened his eyes slowly, regarding what he thought was complete darkness with confusion. He quickly realized that something bright and nearly blinding was surrounding him and his comrades. Surrounding them were three glowing figures, a familiar tall man glowing bright white stood protectively in front of him. A familiar old woman glowing bright orange stood protectively in front of Asuma and a young woman glowing bright gold stood with a smile in front of Gai, both arms locked whimsically behind her.

"Wha-what is this?" Kurenai asked, observing her surroundings carefully

"M-Mom?" Asuma stuttered wide-eyed; Biwako glanced over her shoulder and smirked at Asuma as if finding her son's expression amusing.

"Kaa-chan?" Gai questioned seriously, not used to seeing his mother living after the attack thirteen years before

"_Son_," his mother greeted with a gentle smile, "_you've kept your promise_."

"Of course," Gai bobbed his head, still crouched low on the blackened floor, dark eyes regarding the pretty brunet wirily. "I... I thought... you died..."

His mother smiled sadly at him, "_I did_."

"Okay, so she's Gai's mom," Kurenai breathed, she pointed at Biwako "She's Asuma's mom," Kurenai paused as she looked at the man standing protectively in front of Kakashi, "He's... uh..."

"His name is Sakumo Hatake...," Kakashi said helpfully, not making eye contact with the older male, "he's my father." His friends blinked and looked at the white fang of Konoha for a moment before they went back to staring wide eyed at the person standing protectively in front of them.

"Why..." Asuma trailed off, tears threatening his black eyes as he stared at the glowing black of his mother, "Why... why are you here?"

"_We are your light_," the spirits smiled sadly at them, "_we are your guardians._" For a brief moment, with all four of them huddled together like they once did as children, they were just that.

For a moment, they were just children huddled in the dark, afraid of the monsters only they could see

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

He held onto his friends tightly, praying under his breath that the darkness slowly sweeping through their security room like a black mist would stop devouring everyone and just go away. Moegi whimpered when the black mist brushed her foot, Udon immanently pulled her closer to the corner while Konohamaru took a deep breath and threw out a small flame, trying desperately to make the darkness go away. His small flame turned into a blinding light that flared into an even brighter mass of someone's figure. The darkness engulfing the room screamed shrilly, releasing the children it devoured as more figures of dancing flames flared into life.

"_Very good,_" the male figure standing in front of Konohamaru chuckled, "_just enough light to alert us..._" the figure turned and Konohamaru gapped at the familiar looking smirk aimed at him.

"Daddy?"

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

He trembled over his best friend's body, refusing to let the darkness touch his once rival. Much to his confusion, he didn't have to try hard. When he opened his eyes to make sure he was covering Sasuke, he noticed that there was a bright golden light surrounding them both. Pulling back from his just as confused teammate, Naruto looked around himself curiously, his brows tilting down to pinch just over his nose.

"_Naruto,_" he blinked and looked behind himself, face still twisted in confusion. Behind him, stood a tall woman dressed in a blue dress with a white apron over top, a single golden hair clip tucked her bangs too the side. Her blue eyes were shining with unshed tears and her crimson hair was as long as she was tall, smooth and straight like silk threads.

"Who are you?" Naruto asked bluntly, tilting his head to the side

"_My name is Kushina Uzumaki,_" the woman answered, serine smile never faltering, "_I am your mother._"

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

They had caught up to the sound team just in time to see Kidōmaru land an arrow through Karin's shoulder, pinning her to a tree. While Kimimaro reflexively protected Karin from the following attacks from Sakkon, Ukon and Jirobo, Kabuto took Karin's stunned reaction to slam a palm onto her forehead and re-preformed his mind control jutsu.

"Kabuto, Kimimaro," Sakkon gasped, one hand automatically rising to clutch at his bleeding arm, "What are you doing here?"

"Not that we're not glad that you showed up or anything," Ukon panted, "just that you don't normally leave Lord Orochimaru's side."

"No!" Karin screamed, thrashing beneath Kabuto

"Damn it!" _so that's what's wrong_

"Kabuto," Kimimaro called turning around from his bone shield to address the gray haired teen, "What's going on? I thought your jutsu was secured?"

"Nothing is perfect," Kabuto growled, forcing Karin into submission by disconnecting her brain's wave lengths to her spinal column. She wouldn't die but she couldn't possibly control her body any longer, at least not without killing herself and what ever damage she sustained would be transmitted over to her 'sisters'. Which meant that her sisters now hold the same spiral wound that this Karin had in her shoulder, the only thing he could think of to save them, is too to heal this Karin and pray that the other's would heal as well.

"What happened to make your jutsu break?" Sakkon asked as Ukon re-merged with his body and their curse mark receded from view.

"Take a guess," Kabuto replied irated, "from now on, avoid saying the master's name—at what ever coast."

The sound shinobi shared a look before shrugging carelessly, their curse marks receding automatically

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

He couldn't help but to stare dully at the floating figures in front of him, his dark eyes wide as he recognized the long since dead couple.

"_You've done good son,_" the man whispered, eyes glued to the dark figures hidden in the even darker hallway

"_You've made us proud,_" the woman smiled, one hand brushing his cheek lovingly, staring sadly at the scare that ran across his nose and over both cheeks.

"Kaa-chan... Tou-san..." his soft whispers sounded broken, childish and almost pleading, as if he was still that little boy begging his parents not to leave him home alone.

"_Leave the rest to us... son_"

…

"_Shisui,_" he felt warm hands gently settle on his shoulders before slowly wrapping around his neck and the woman's voice before him pulled him into a gentle hug, "_Shisui my son... you've grown well._"

"Okaa-san," he whispered softly, his own hands trembling at his sides. The last time he had seen his mother was after a huge argument they had; he shouted that he hated her and ran out of the house, she left on a mission and never came home.

"_Shhh, it's alright Shisui,_" his mother whispered in his ear, "_everything is for a reason..._"

"I-I shouldn't..." _I shouldn't have said that... that day..._

"_Everything is for a reason,_" his mother whispered back, this time with a light chuckle in her voice. "_You've grown tall since we last met, taller then your brother now..._"

"If you missed him so much," he hick-upped and pulled slightly away from his mother to look her in the face, "Why didn't you-you—" he couldn't get the question out, knowing that it would do more damage then good, he settled for sobbing instead of asking the rude question. _I was six when he died... I can barely remember his face!_

"_Oh Shisui_," his mother chuckled sadly, one hand pressed against his cheek lovingly, "_you are like your brother so much but no matter what happens, you and Obito are two very different people._" _While he broke, you only grew strong_

"Why didn't you tell me more about him?" Shisui asked with a sniff, changing his original question for a far lesser rude one "Why did you always get quite whenever he was mentioned?"

"_Because_," his mother sighed, pushing a lock of his dark hair behind one of his ears with a gentile smile, "_Obito always had the knack for showing up when people said his name. I always expected him to pop up and interrupt us like usual... even after so many years away, he still seemed to be in our home._"

"I thought Nii-san was dead?" Shisui whispered with a slight frown at his much-shorter-then-he-remembered mother, "I thought he got crushed to death in the Third Great War?" _why do you talk as if he's still alive?_

"_He did get crushed_," his mother confirmed sadly, "_but that doesn't mean he died_."

"Huh?" Shisui blinked and sniffed, his mother chuckled at his confusion

"_Obito Uchiha's body was never found_," his mother whispered in the way she usually did when she was relaying a secret, "_there's a chance he's still alive, though not as anyone remembers him as_." _That's all I can say, it's your only clue... my son_

"My brother..." Shisui felt his eyes widen as what his mother said sank in, leaving his body numb, "...Is alive?"

…

She cried, kneeling in the darkness that only brightened with her once lover's bright golden glow. He simply hummed and rocked her back and forth, unconcerned with the darkness that had swallowed them hole.

"Hi-Hiato," she sniffed, clinging to his dark chunin jacket desperately

"_I'm here Shinoai_," he whispered, stroking her long purple hair affectionately, "_Let me protect you this time, okay?_"

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

_We'll protect you,_ the voices whispered

_We'll take your wounds_

_We'll take your exhaustion_

_We'll take your pain_

She didn't know if it was the voices of her sisters or just her imagination but she knew that the voices would keep their vow, they would protect her, they would heal her wounds, they would trade her exhaustion for energy, they would steal her pain. as it was, she could feel the pain they were feeling, the way they each screamed and twisted in agony as they slowly seeped the wound from her and let it manifest on their own bodies. She could feel them give her their energy, their chakra, through away that only they knew.

"you are Karin," the boy over her whispered, while another just as slowly removed the arrow in her shoulder and another kept her from falling to the ground and possibly to her death. "You are Karin of sound, you belong to sound, you are Karin. Do you understand?"

_No_, "yes" she whispered, crimson eyes glazed over

_Don't trust him!_

_Avoid him!_

_Run!_

_Hide!_

_Play along_ the soft whisper had her attention, it wasn't normal for the voices to ask her to abide what Kabuto was saying, they were usually against the gray haired teen. _Play along, follow orders, all the while search for the right moment to run._

_Escape by not escaping_ one of the voices whispered in realization. She hoped they knew what they were talking about because they lost her

"Good," Kabuto side, releasing Karin and flipping to the ground easily, Kimimaro and Kidōmaru were both quick to follow. Kidōmaru held his arrow with one hand and Karin in the other three, Kimimaro looked between them curiously as if he didn't know what he should do. "It'll take time but I can heal her," Kabuto said as Kidōmaru gently laid Karin on the ground before him, "the rest of you; set up camp, traps and everything else that we'll need." When he heard no one move to his orders, Kabuto looked up with dark eyes and glared at the four boys, "We'll be here a while so get moving."

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"_No need to kneel,_" an amused voice chuckled out, surprising the four huddled together adults; slowly the each raised their heads to observe their new surroundings. The hospital hall crawling with darkness was replaced with an endless abyss of brightness with four beings glowing in colors of teal, gold, blue, and yellow. Behind Fugaku stood a tall man with a bright golden hallo surrounding his entire body, dark eyes dancing as he grinned down at the clan head.

"O-Oto-san," Fugaku whispered in awe at the sight of his once father

"N-Nee-chan?" Mikoto whispered blurry eyed at the young girl standing to her right, an amused smirk on her snow white face, long black hair pulled back into a high ponytail.

"N-Nawaki?" Tsunade questioned, her hold tightening on Shizune as they both stared teary eyed up at the two males standing beside them with easy grins, "Dan?"

"_Hay sis_," Nawaki chuckled, his hands locked in place behind his head with a smile as wide and goofy as Naruto's

"_Shizune, Tsunade_," Dan greeted with a soft smile

"Wha-what's going on?" Shizune asked, tears rolling down her cheeks as she looked up at her uncle with mixed emotions

"_We are your light_," the spirits smiled at them, "_We're here to protect you_."

…

She curled up on herself in the corner of her apartment room; she had gotten big enough that she could no longer move as fast as she once could. She lived on the very edge of the village so her home was one of the first to be devoured by the thick blackness that suddenly attacked with fury and sorrow. She wanted to protect her unborn child but it was proving to be difficult with this blackness that was threatening to suffocate her.

"_Tsubame,_" her head snapped up at the soft whisper, a broken whimper escaped her lips as the young man in front of her kneeled and then pulled her into a tight embrace. "_I'm so sorry Shinoai... let me protect you this time and when it comes time for me to move on... I will tell you everything I didn't when I was living._"

"Yagorigi" she whimpered into his familiar purple (now orange glowing) T-shirt, "I already know everything that you hid from me."

"_But you don't know the reasons,_" he replied, one hand patting the back of her head while he kissed her temple

…

She fought relentlessly against the darkness trying to consume her home, she found that chakra fueled fires worked to keep the darkness at bay for a moment or two, just enough to give someone enough time to run like hell. Still it seemed to do nothing against the smoky creatures of darkness; the fire evaporated the dark liquid of the gooey creatures while it seemed to strengthen their smoky cousins.

"Mebuki!" She quickly through a lit tag and retreated to the bright confines of her home, glaring at the creatures pressing against the glass pans of her home. She didn't know why but for some reason they couldn't enter her home, it was strange and relieving all at the same time.

"What is it Kizashi?" Mebuki asked as she hurried to her husband's side

"I've figured it out!" Kizashi gasped, bouncing excitedly

"Figured what out?" Mebuki asked, turning to look expectantly at her eccentric husband

"The darkness doesn't like light! Or anything related to it!"

"Tch, we knew that from earlier!" Mebuki snapped, gesturing to the team of wounded chunin sitting anxiously in their kitchen, one seriously wounded and out for the count, two with minor injuries but still can't fight and one who apparently didn't get hurt in their scuffle with the dark mass.

"No, no, you see its memories!" Kizashi corrected, blue eyes dancing, "the darkness is screaming and wailing as if in agony right?" Mebuki twitched as a mass of black goo screamed shrilly at them, as if to make a point

"Got it," the blond gritted her teeth, glaring pointedly at her cracking glass back doors that led to her once beautiful garden

"Well, did you notice how when you're thinking about protecting something precious that the black things went away that much faster?" Kizashi asked, nearly vibrating in his place, "it's because those things are created from everything dark in this world: hatred, despair, loathing, sorrow so that means their weakness is—"

"All things positive!" Mebuki gasped in understanding, "Love, joy, affection, happiness!"

"So, we can fight these things off?" Izumo coughed, rubbing at his burnt and sore arm. Kotetsu had actually dove into the darkness with a rope around his body for Anko, leaving Izumo to pull them both out _and_ run from the darkness at the same time. The black smoke had swallowed up Anko rather quickly while she was running from T&I and Kotetsu had been close enough to throw Izumo a rope while he ran past to pull Anko out. They then ran with her between them to the closest shelter: the Haruno estate

Shikan was already there to get Mebuki and Kizashi out only to growl that they were surrounded by the black mass

"So you're saying think positively and they'll go away?" Shikan asked, turning slightly from binding off Anko's burnt wrist to look up at the two elders standing in the doorway to the joint kitchen and dinning room

"Not quite," Mebuki shook her head, wrapping her fingers around her chin thoughtfully. "It's more like... perform fire ninjutsu with portative thoughts in mind... like... like—"

"Like putting your positive memoires into a ninjutsu form!" Kizashi laughed, wrapping his arms around his wife and swinging her around

"Not now you dolt!" Mebuki laughed, trying to sound threatening and failing

_How can they be happy when death is LITTERALY right out side their door?_ Izumo and Kotetsu thought with bland looks at the couple

"Positive memories in ninjutsu form?" Shikan whispered to himself, turning to look at the darkness beyond the glass back door. It was a huge risk, one he wasn't sure was possible to attempt, but he also knew that if the famed 'spring duo' were there, they'd give the darkness a run for its money. Just because it seemed like nothing in this world could depress them, Fubuki always wore a smirk just to irate people and Tayuya was a prankster at heart with a passion for light bombs and stunts.

_Just how am I supposed to..._ something in the darkness beyond the glass pane shifted, giving him a view of the cheery blossom tree in the back yard—it was completely untouched by the darkness.

…

"_Hay Shika, what'cha do in?" he looked up to see Tayuya laying in her back yard tree like a lazy cat basking in the morning sunlight_

"_Looking for Fubuki, is she in?" he asked_

"_She's been commissioned by the villager's to set up ice-water thingies around the village," Tayuya answered, letting out a yawn before folding her arm beneath her head again, smiling sleepily at him. "Why?"_

"_Are you talking about those huge water basins the villager's use to keep cool during the heat of the day so they don't get heat stroke?" Shikan asked, tilting his head to the side in confusion_

"_Yup, that one!" Tayuya giggled, "Eh? You didn't answer my question!"_

"_...I was hoping for a spare," He smirked up at her, throwing his arms carelessly behind his head, "seems like she got the drop on me again..."_

"_You do realize that she's going to come home in about an hour right?" Tayuya asked pointing at the sky, "She spent two hours scoping out the village for the most ideal locations of the basins, then an hour actually forming the basins and now..." Tayuya let out another yawn_

"_She'll be crashing soon, won't she?" Shikan asked with an amused smirk, Tayuya answered with a sleepy but amused chuckle_

…

_That's it!_ Shikan's eyes widened and moved quickly towards the door, nearly slamming the glass pans open as he commanded his own shadow's to take life. The gooey mass of darkness backed away as if they suddenly grew wiry with him taking the offensive instead of defensive approach to them. Forming a hand sign and crouching low, Shikan focused on the memory of Fubuki's first village wide water basin mission, how she nearly fainted when she took a brake and nearly lost concentration over her technique. The darkness screamed as his shadow's attacked like sickles and chains, Shikan ignored it as he remembered Tayuya's face when he first used this attack against her and how she screamed furiously when he tied her up to a tree with it.

_Think positively,_ Shikan thought, smiling as he lost himself in his memories, letting his bloodline roam out and attack relentlessly. _Remember..._ what next? What else could he remember that was positive?

…

_He knew she was Tayuya's sister just by looking at her strawberry hair that floated around her head like a halo and her not quite-green eyes look down at him in curiosity and interest._

"_Huh? Who the hell are you?" he was surprised by her lack of vocabulary, as the younger sister to the smartest kunochi in their academy, he expected better manners from her_

"_Tayuya, manners," Fubuki scolded without looking up from her newest dictionary on... something he doesn't care about_

"_That's you not me," Tayuya snorted, moving forward to sit in front of her sister without taking a second look at the two boys sitting on either side. "Okaa-chan wanted me to bring you lunch, wanna eat with me?"_

"_To be clear she made ME lunch, yes?" Fubuki asked as she flipped a page_

"_So?" Tayuya asked, raising an eyebrow_

"_Why do I have share MY food with YOU?"_

"_Because you love me," Tayuya smirked holding out a frozen popsicles towards Fubuki, "Plus, if you want this, and the others, you'll share your lunch." Fubuki glared at Tayuya over the top of her book _

"_...are you still feeling vindictive over the hair die incident?" Fubuki asked, closing her book and setting it aside_

"_Was that you?" Tayuya asked dangerously, looking as if she just might try to kill her older sister—Fubuki snorted_

"_I know the consequences of messing with you," Fubuki snorted, rolling her eyes. "You aren't worth it."_

_Tayuya smirked, before Fubuki's words registered and she let out an offended shout_

…

That was how they first met, Tayuya brining a basket for Fubuki that had enough food inside to feed eight people; Of course that seemed to do little for the girl's apatite. He and Shisui had barely any time to grab a rice ball before the girl's had already dished out the food and started eating, saving nothing for them.

_It's a fight over food_, Shikan thought in amusement, smirking as he remembered the first time he had dinner at the Haruno house. Dinner was loud, quick, seemingly endless, and overly emotional in Tayuya's case. If she didn't get what she wanted, more often then not she'd start crying just to bug Fubuki into giving it back or conning Sakura into giving up a portion of her share.

_I remember now..._ Shikan opened his eyes and observed the clear back yard, some where in the back of his mind a tiny voice whispered that they weren't gone, just relocated.

"You're pretty awesome kid," he looked over his shoulder at a seriously wounded Anko smirking at him from the table top, where she laid wrapped up like a mummy. "Never knew... Nara's were... that... st-strong..."

"Easy Anko-san," Mebuki ordered, approaching the kunochi with softly glowing palms. _Fubuki's lessons with the girls did pay off after all,_ Mebuki thought as she pressed her hands against Anko's heavily bruised stomach. "You should be resting..."

"Heh, so... you Haruno's... all know... how to heal, huh?" Anko coughed, "Should'a seen... seen it come'en..."

"Fubuki is just a good teacher," Mebuki mumbled, _I can't do anything more for her... I'm no medic!_

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Itachi may not understand what was going on with the huge crimson glowing spirit solider that surrounded him, he just knew that the darkness ate up his brothers and he wasn't going to let it get away with it. He was fairly sure that both of his eyes were bleeding but that didn't stop him from wanting to alight the blackness in fire or to banishment the gooey mass to another world for all of eternity.

"Itachi," he jerked at the soft voice, his new eyes locking in on the glowing figure standing on the other side of the large crimson shield. "Itachi," the woman called again, her voice soft and gentile despite the roaring of Onex flames that surrounded her. "Please let me in, we need to talk," he was breathing too heavily and for some reason he knew that she could walk straight through that shield _because_ _she wasn't a threat_. His eyes burned and he was sure that he was crying too, his throat constricted and his head ached but all the same, he willed the shield to move and bid her entrance.

"Itachi," the glowing woman called to him as she approached like an apparition, "You can try to burn it with the fires of Amaterasu and you can try to seal it with the great Sword of Amanashio but you'll do nothing more then give the darkness greater strength." His bleeding eyes snapped to the floating woman moving towards him, serine expression still in place despite the way the wind whipped at her magenta hair, twisting and pulling it every other way around her. "The darkness is made from sorrow and hatred, no matter what you do, you can't destroy it," she stopped before him, just an arm's length away, "Please Itachi... banish those flames and seal your sword. You are not giving us aid but are actually giving us more darkness to deal with."

"Tayuya..." the broken whisper was accompanied with the sound of silence, the blackened flames he had unconsciously summoned had disappeared with his silent request, the sword sheathed itself and the spirit soldier disappeared from around him.

"Itachi," Tayuya whispered with a soft smile, her own power growing as his disappeared, "just... just leave everything to me, okay?" she smiled and wrapped her arms around Itachi's soldiers in a tight embrace, "I'll protect everyone, but I have to do it alone." He bowed his head and let it rest on his much smaller teammate, tears still leaking from his blood-shot eyes

"Alright,"

Her smile was as blinding as the light that engulfed the village

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Orochimaru frowned as he leaned against the door way to his newest captive's room. The four identical girls withered on their beds, two were screaming, one was passed out from what ever pain the four were going through and the other one was showing signs of bleeding from a wound on her shoulder. He wasn't sure how to feel about the new development, if the four girls felt what was happening to their fifth member then it was entirely possible that all five of them felt each other's presences and conditions. From their moods to their physical state, the girls could locate, heal and (if his suspicions were true) possibly communicate regardless of the distance between them. It was impressive and a delightful turn of events, however it could also be used against him. If one or more of them escaped to a hidden village then it was possible that said hidden village would then use the girls to track down the other four girls and use them to find his other hidden bases.

It would appear that even one of them moving more then a hundred feet from them and they all lose control of their bodies, two hundred feet and they're incapable of moving at all. A thousand miles and the girls suddenly become five year olds, two thousand and their unconscious. And now? He didn't know how far away the sound team was but the 'Karin' with them must've been hurt because these ones were inches away from screaming their throats raw.

_What should I do with you now?_ Orochimaru thought with a sigh

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

She smiled faintly as she felt the darkness recede from the room she had huddled up in with the brothers. Her chains remained strong and bright, seemingly strengthening with every attach the Miyako Mori jutsu preformed against her, seemed to only strengthen her own Kinai jutsu.

"Shhh, boys, everything will be okay now," Nira whispered to the brothers, laying limply in her protective chain orb, the boys were clinging to each other before her like the terrified children they were. "The darkness... it's receding now..."

"W-w-w-will it c-c-come a-a-ag-again?" Kouki asked softly, dark brown eyes filled with tears as his younger brother seemed to mold himself into his side.

"No," Nira whispered, "I belief that it'll... it'll leave..." Nira's eyes dropped and her world began to darken, her slurred speech began to alarm the boys and they huddled a little closer to her, shaking her shoulder to keep her awake.

"L-lady-y?" Kouki whispered, shaking Nira's shoulder vigorously, "l-lady!"

Despite passing out from pain and exhaustion, Nira's chains remained active and awake until the darkness of hatred and despair decided enough to give another source of comfort entrance to the room. Slowly the spirit touched her palm against the golden barrier and let her voice sing out in the son humming around the village.

_You're safe now_, the spirit thought with a soft smile, watching the golden chains slowly melt around the three bodies it protected while she herself faded into glowing dust and petals. The two young brothers never saw her disappear into the night like the thousands of other spirits but they did feel the room surrounding them glow brightly with her brief existence and hum with the love she felt for them.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

He growled lowly as bursts of light pierced through his black blanket of despair and hatred. Turning his endless darkness of death into an endless light of life; sparing everyone who had gotten caught in his jutsu.

"NO!" he bellowed, summoning the darkness like a title-wave and crashing it against the bright lights of his sister's jutsu, "I will not lose! You will pay the price of your crime!" The light and dark battled over the village like white fire and black waters, the waters swept through anything and everyone who so much as had a pinprick of doubt in them. The blinding white fires seemed to settle on cauterizing the small wounds human eyes couldn't see, turning that doubt into belief and fear into confidence.

…

"He's strong," she whispered softly, her arms still wrapped around his neck, using his body to support her own

"Fear drives people," he agreed softly, "so dose love."

She chuckled her agreement, snuggling her head in closer to his neck while his arms tightened around her waist

…

_What?_ He could hear something in the light that pierced through his waves of darkness, something soft and gentile and distant... what was it that he was hearing? He listened closely, listening as the sound rose and he realized that it was the sound of voices, all singing clear and strong. _No!_ His eyes widened in realization, spirits were only as strong as they were in life, but when hundreds—no—_thousands_ of spirits rose up and sang together... their strength was unimaginable.

"_It started out as a feeling  
>Which then grew into a hope<br>Which then turned into a quiet thought  
>Which then turned into a quiet word<br>And then that word grew louder and louder  
>'Til it was a battle cry<br>I'll come back when you ca__ll me  
>No need to say goodbye<em>

_Just because everything's changing  
>Doesn't mean it's never been this way before<br>All you can do is try to know who your friends are  
>As you head off to the war<em>_  
>Pick a star on the dark hori<em>_zon and follow the li__ght  
>You'll come back when it's o<em>_ver  
>No need to say goodbye<br>You'll come back when it's o__ver  
>No need to say goodbye<em>_~"_

The spirit's voices were growing stronger and stronger, their power sweeping through the survivors and urging them to sing along. With the human's singing with the spirits, the power of their effort combined with that of the spirits—it pushed his darkness away.

Satoshi screamed as his darkness was pushed away from the village full of light and life, forcing all of his darkness to retreat onto him; yanking, pulling, and devouring him as their only link to life left. Despite the fact that he had gone into second stage of the curse mark to pull off this jutsu, as he was always forced to do, and his sister had yet to even hint on the reliance of her own curse mark—it showed just how strong his sister truly was. He had known she was strong, he knew of all the rumors that swept through the five nations about her and her endless skill with the flute, but he never really figured that she was strong enough to summon _and strengthen_ the spirits she called upon. It wasn't supposed to be possible, not even his own spirits achieved full human form, and yet Tayuya's could, as if they had never died in the first place.

"_Now we're back to the beginning  
>It's just a feeling and no one knows yet<br>But just because they can't fe__el it too  
>Doesn't mean that you have to forget<br>Let your memories grow stronger and stronger  
>'Til they're before your eyes<br>You'll come back when they ca__ll you  
>No need to say goodbye<br>You'll come back when they ca__ll you  
>No need to say goodby<em>_e__~"_

_No!_ Satoshi thought as the darkness wrapped around him and he failed in keeping control of the darkness, _no! She was supposed to die!_ The spirits barreled into his curse mark, sealing themselves with the black fire of agony, propelling him further and further away from the village glowing with the power of countless of soul's who died to protect it.

…

_It's done,_ she thought, a faint smile on her face as her eyes closed and she feel limp in her teammate's arms, _they're safe..._

"Tayuya?" Itachi questioned, looking down at the young woman in his arms, a soft snore answered his inquiry. Chuckling, Itachi adjusted his hold on his teammate, lifting her legs over one arm and then realized something incredible.

He was standing on his own two feet—and there was no pain

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

**Okaa-san — Mother**

**Otou-san — Father**

**Mesume—Daughter**

**Nii-san / Aniki—Big brother**

**Nee-chan—Big sister**

**Imoto —Little sister**

**Ototo —Little brother**

**Shinoai—My Love (Shin no ai)**

**Himura—scarlet village**

**Satoshi—wise, fast learner**

**Song: the call**

**From: Narnia, prince Caspian**

**The 'Sparrow song' I had to make up on my own, it turned into more of a poem then a song but I hope you all got the feeling that I tried to put behind it.**

**Have any of you heard a song and for whatever reason could actually feel the love and affection the person singing had for the person they were singing to or about? That's what I tried to do...**

**Thoughts are helpful**

**Opinions are wonderful**

**Helpful criticism****is**** lovely! Just don't cripple me okay?**

**Please no cursing!**

**And don't forget to**** rate and**** review!**

**Page 26**


	54. Chapter 54

**There is a reason**

Chapter 54: recovery time, one week later

Koomahana

**Fubuki was 10 when she met Sakura & 11 when she was taken to the leaf village**

**Tayuya was 8 when she met Sakura & 9 when she was taken to the leaf village**

**Sakura was 3 when she was taken and returned to the leaf village**

**Yagura was 20 when he first met Sakura and 21 when he returned to his body.**

**Yagura is 17 years older then Sakura, ten years older then Fubuki and 12 years older then Tayuya**

**Fubuki is 7 years older than Sakura and 2 years older then Tayuya**

**Tayuya is 5 years older than Sakura**

**Fubuki was a genin at 12, Chunin at 14 and Jonin at 16**

**Tayuya was a genin at 12, Chunin at 13 ½ and Jonin at 16**

**They are now:**

**Yagura is now 29 years old—Mizukage—deceased**

**Fubuki is now 19 years old—Jonin for three years (Same age as Shisui—Anbu—and Shikan—Jonin)**

**Tayuya is now 17 years old—Jonin for one year (Same age as Itachi—Anbu—and Hana—Jonin and Kimimaro—Jonin)**

**Sakura is now 12 years old—Genin (Same as Naruto, Sasuke, Karin, Suigetsu, Haku, and Satoshi)**

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"How're her wounds?" Kidōmaru asked crouching beside the knocked out kunochi Kabuto was working on

"Better," Kabuto answered, "You three better continue on and secure a spot further a head. Kimimaro and I will follow you as soon as she's moveable."

"What are we to do about the mission?" Sakkon asked, tilting his head to the side curiously, "don't we need her for the mission?"

"Not necessarily," Kabuto answered, "technically you could do it without her."

"Tch, then I'm out-a here!" Sakkon turned on his heal and started to march away, "Jirobo, Kidōmaru, let's go—"

"But?" Kidōmaru asked, interrupted his teammate and pulling their attention back onto Kabuto, "you said 'technically' which means there's a reason you sent her with us."

"Very good, Kidōmaru," Kabuto chuckled, "yes there is a reason. This mission is to determine weather or not Karin-chan is truly loyal to lor—to sound," Kabuto quickly caught himself and corrected his near mistake. "She can enter the hidden leaf village and proceed to the target without arousing suspicion. After some time, a day or two maybe depending on the target's wounds, we can then have Karin bring our target closer to the edge of the village, instead of taking her from the center, and return to sound as quickly as possible." Kabuto made 'sound' sound as if it was supposed to be another word but he had settled for what he could say in front of Karin. Three of the four males paused and thought, glancing at each other unsurely.

"...we'll go on a head and make a secure camp," Kidōmaru spook up at last, "any preference?"

"Good cover and well hidden," Kabuto answered thoughtfully, "a good or steady food supply—this wound will take time to heal—easy to find but not real noticeable. Lots of light but none that would compromise our presence..."

"Yeah, yeah, we got it," Sakkon growled, turning to jump into the nearest tree, "We'll see what we can't find it by noon. If we can't find one, we'll properly make one."

"No loud or echoing noises," Kabuto called after him, "Don't attract attention if you can help it!"

"Got it!" Kidōmaru shouted back as he moved to follow his teammates

"Idiots," Kabuto sighed, returning to his work on the Karin-clone

"Kabuto-san, should I accompany them?" Kimimaro asked uncertainly, unsure if he should follow or remain, two options warring side of him.

"No, I want you by my side," Kabuto answered automatically, never notice the way Kimimaro's body relaxed. "I need you here incase Anbu decide to pay me a visit, I can't possibly take on a team by my self."

"I understand," Kimimaro smirked at him. To anyone else it would appear that the younger boy was smug over the admittance that Kabuto made but what no one would've noticed right away, was the glint of something in his jade green eyes. For those who would've noticed the glint, they could've mistaken it for pride or satisfaction but it wasn't either one. It was the small part of Kimimaro who was still fighting for survival, the part who knew and _remembered_ the truth of his life, the small part that held tightly to the bonds Kabuto couldn't erase and that small part was steadily growing stronger.

Kabuto was unaware of it but... Kimimaro's memory transfer was slowly unwinding

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

A few days later

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Hana smiled as she dusted off her room, slowly throwing a few things into her black backpack while she was at it. She knew she was suspended from activity because of her stunt with Tayuya but that only gave her more time to practice her Anbu training regiment she set out for herself. However, her training could wait. She needed to gather her herbs and ready them for Tayuya's use. Regardless of what the pinkette said or what their Hokage ordered, that renegade force of nature would still tend to her garden if she had a choice in the matter. Since her pink haired teammate couldn't, she might as well do it. Hana learned over the years to tend to a garden, she could still do it if she put her mind to it.

_I better check on the vet,_ Hana thought as she moved to place the last empty canister into her bag, _I haven't been there in awhile._ Hana didn't get twenty feet from her family vet clinic before she heard the hundreds of yelping and barking from inside. Sighing, the brunet resigned herself to a very long day at the vet/clinic/pound—she was likely to not return home until night fall.

_So much for my day off_

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

He kneeled before his father, face serious and dark eyes blank; for once he wasn't wearing his sunglasses because his home was dark enough. His father continued to stare blankly at the large leather bound book in his lap, stroking its spin affectionately.

"Won't you tell me about her now?" Shino asked softly, "I've waited thirteen years without you saying anything about her. I don't even know her name and thanks to the jutsu Tayuya Haruno used, I now know what mother looks like, yet you still won't say anything about her." Shibi seemed unmoved by his son's speech, he continued sipping his tea as if he was completely alone in the dark room, "...I just want to know about my mother."

"I understand," Shibi sighed, patting the seat beside him, silently ordering his son to sit beside him. Shino did so without hesitation, taking the seat and even leaning into his father's side as the man opened the large photo album.

"We first met when we were ten," Shibi said softy, smiling fondly at the first picture shown in the large book, "She threw mud in my face."

That wasn't quite what Shino was expecting

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

He laid tiredly in his bed, his pet was sleeping soundly on his stomach, completely oblivious to his human's internal distress. Since the night of meeting his father's spirit, Kiba remained in his room, unable to face his mother without bawling like he did the first time.

_I miss him,_ Kiba thought, remembering his father's face from that night and the warmth he felt in his father's hug. _I... I don't really remember a lot that happened that day..._ he recalled loud arguing between his parents one day when he came home from the academy but he couldn't recall what it was about. Just that his father paused on their porch, patted him on the head and took off through the trees in the direction of the village. About a week later they got the black envelop from a grim faced chunin, his mother had taken one look at the man and the letter and immanently shut herself in her room. Kiba had been forced to quite the academy for three days before he got stubborn enough to sneak out of his house and ran straight to the academy, determined to move back into something semi-normal.

_Knock-knock_

"Kiba?" his mother called through his bedroom door, "don't pretend like you're not there..." Kiba rolled his eyes and moved onto his side, waking Akamaru as a result. "We need to talk," Tsume called softly, Kiba ignored her as he pet Akamaru reassuringly, keeping him quiet despite the strangely sad tone of voice his mother used.

"Can I come in?" Tsume asked softly, knowing her son could hear her despite it's near whisper existence.

Kiba didn't respond to her but Akamaru did bark, Tsume took that as a good sign and opened the bedroom door

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Sakura scribbled furiously across a clear piece of paper, eyes sharp and hands moving fluidly over the sketch, the image of her 'brother' slowly coming to life over the purl-white canvas. She smoothly reached for a soft emerald pastel and started moving it expertly over the inky lines, then she replaced it for pale teal and then soft sky blue and then again with pale jade. She had been working on this portrait since the sun rose, she was working on it all day and just now chose to add color to the previously black and white image. Sakura ignored the soft knocking on her door as Mebuki entered with a tray of tea and a bowl of fruit, mostly strawberries. Mebuki carefully set it against the completely cleared table, she couldn't ever recall seeing that oak thing so clear since they moved in.

"Sakura," Mebuki called softly, "Won't you eat today?" she watched as Sakura continued to draw for a moment, not seemingly hearing her. When Mebuki moved to leave with a heavy sigh, Sakura finally pulled back her pastel and set her black bound sketchbook aside, even going so far as packing up her pastels.

"I'm sorry Okaa-chan," Sakura sighed setting the box of pastels aside as she stared dully at the near perfectly colored image of her 'brother'. "I should respond quicker too you... not ignore you..."

"I know you're under more stress then usual," Mebuki replied, pausing as she caught sight of the thick black lines barring her pale faced daughter. "... How're your dreams doing?" Sakura didn't need to answer the question, Mebuki already knew the answer—Sakura wasn't sleeping, _again_, to avoid the nightmares of her past life; though this time it appeared to be volunteering rather then unknowingly like before.

"...they're getting clearer," Sakura said softly, not looking at her mother. "Okaa-san... do you really belief that I'm... that I'm a reincarnate?" Mebuki sighed softly, she calmly moved and wrapped her arms around her still sitting daughter.

"I saw the Yondaime's drawings myself," Mebuki said softly, squeezing the younger girl's shoulder's tightly. "Nearly every important memory you have, he depicted in ink to a near perfect scale. He may not have met you or even known of your identity, but you both have a mysterious link that kept the both of you bound together despite the miles separating you both." Sakura glanced at her closet, knowing that inside sat a large box full of black journals that in turn, were filled with strange images that she couldn't explain as a child and never dared to show to anyone she was related too. Not even her sisters new about the box she's kept over the years, Sakura doubted Mebuki knew of its existence but she wasn't a hundred percent sure.

"Is this him?" Mebuki asked softly, green eyes locked onto the image laying in the book, revealed for everyone to see. "Is this your Nii-tan that you used to speak of as a child?"

"You knew about him?" Sakura asked softly, blinking up at her mother who had yet to let go of her

"Of course I did," Mebuki chuckled, "Do you wanna know a secret?" Sakura nodded at her mother, curious as to what the blonde would pull out of her hat this time. "When you were a child, still a little girl," Mebuki's smile widened and her green eyes danced with mischief

_Now I know where Tayuya and Naruto get it from_, Sakura couldn't help but think in amusement, still mostly focused on what her mother was going to tell her.

"...You" Mebuki's eyes danced brightly and Sakura leaned in that little bit closer, curious about the 'secret' "Couldn't whisper to save your own life!"

"Mom!"

Mebuki laughed as Sakura blushed fifty shades of red, finally figuring out how none of her plans as a child ever worked against her parents. At least none of the ones she included any of her siblings with anyway.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Hanabi sat on Hinata's bed as her sister dug around in her closet, searching for something she had berried long ago. finally Hinata made a triumphant shout and jerked herself out of her closet, violet-white eyes dancing as she held up a large leather bound book that looked heavy enough to topple the young heiress over.

"What is that?" Hanabi asked as Hinata set the book aside and struggled to stand up, Hinata gasped and stretched her feet out on the floor. "Nee-chan?" Hanabi questioned jumping onto her feet and walking over to her sister sitting on the floor, who was trying not to cry at the pins and needles stabbing at her feet, and crouched beside the older girl.

"Can we sit here?" Hanabi asked as she put the giant book between them with a curious look, "What's so special about this book anyways?"

"It's-it's a book... Okaa-chan made it... before you or I... were born," Hinata wheezed, fighting to show how much the pins and needles were hurting her.

"So... it's like what? Her life story?" Hanabi asked skeptically

"Basically," Hinata agreed with a tiered smile, "Wanna look through it with me?" Hanabi had already opened the book and was staring at the first image with a raised eyebrow. "What is it?" Hinata asked, looking down at the image in question, "oh my..."

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Neji sighed as he re-read the letter his father left behind, his head propped by his right wrist. Upon closer inspection, the scroll containing the letter had actually opened up further to revival what appeared to be his parent's life story. A diary his father had started when he was barely younger then Neji is now. Of course, Neji had to unravel the entire thing to the very end and then read it from the beginning to end, like it was supposed to be read.

_My parents..._Neji sighed and leaned away from the scroll, the inscription his father left behind burned into his brain, _... are weird._

There was no longer any question about it, he was adopted—at least he hoped he was

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

_She's nearly ready_, he thought, watching the crimson hole he spent the last week healing shrink from the size of a baseball bat to that of a pinky finger. _A few more days and she should be ready to move out..._

"Kabuto," he looked up at the sound of his name, "should we move on now?"

"...Let's move to the next base," Kimimaro stooped and lifted Karin on to his back, almost immanently rushing into the tree line towards Konoha and hopefully the next resting station

_I better hurry up or she won't have a use on this mission,_ Kabuto thought as he hurried after Kimimaro, _I have to prove her worth or she'll die_

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Ino smiled as she flipped through the picture book her father had set before her, along with a dozen other photo albums, all categorized by year. Each photo containing a short paragraph or sentence about the who, where, when and reason behind the image. The books were practically telling her mother's life story, starting from when she was born. It appeared that her mother's parents were just in love with taking pictures as much as she and her mother were, well at least Ino had proof that her love of pictures was actually genetic.

"Any questions?" Inoichi asked as he sat across from his daughter with a cup of coffee in one hand and a chocolate milk in the other.

"Just one," Ino admitted, looking up at her father with a mischievous look that he recognized from her mother quickly.

"Hmm... what is it?" Inoichi asked, already knowing that what she was going to spout off next wasn't going to be good for his sanity.

"So... when you and mom first met, you really kissed her?" Ino asked, "Just like that? Straight out of the blue?" Inoichi stared narrow eyed at his daughter for a moment, calculating the pose and cones of continuing the current conversation.

"...What lies did your mother write in there?" Inoichi asked as he looked over the book himself,

"Kaa-chan didn't right it Dad," Ino snickered, turning the book so he could read the caption himself

_**Inoichi Yamanaka steals our daughter's first kiss for no apparent reason**_

Then the next caption read:

_**My husband beating Inoichi Yamanaka for traumatizing our daughter for previous action**_

"Baa-chan did" Ino said with a wicked smirk

"Your grandmother is a liar," Inoichi said straight faced, "your mother kissed _me_ for no apparent reason." Ino snickered and flipped to the front of the book where she tapped at a line at the bottom of the first page

_**Be ware all those who read this book, Inoichi Yamanaka will admit to nothing (We've tried everything but using his own kin against him)**_

_Why couldn't you just die quietly?_ Inoichi thought, rubbing one hand over his face while his daughter laughed at his misfortune

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Chōji smiled as his dad told him stories from his child hood, waving his arms around dramatically at some points in the stories. His dark eyes creased in his constant, ever present smile that seemed to glow brighter as he reminisced, leading his son blindly through the village.

"Oto-san," Chōji called softly while his father took a breath, "How come I've never met your brother before?"

"Because son," Chōza said softly, suddenly deflating, "you'll see..." Chōza turned and his dark eyes looked upon the gates beside him somberly. "Come, I'll let you meet your uncle today... it's been too long before I visited him anyways..." Choji blinked at his father as he suddenly returned to that quite-acceptance-with-a-fake-smile that he knew since childhood. Blinking up at the sign over head, Choji suppressed a shiver and followed his father into the large expanse of land that seemed to be prettier then most parks.

_Akimichi burial grounds,_ Chōji thought as he hurried after his father, _I wonder if uncle works here..._ he honestly didn't want to think of any other possibility. The day had been the live-iest he had ever seen his father, even when he was still a child playing tag with his father. It took them nearly ten minutes to get to the grave marker and when they did reach it, it took a few more minutes to clear off the head stone berried beneath the moss and grass.

Upon seeing the name inscribed upon the plaque, Chōji gasped loudly

_Chōji Akimichi_

_April 23—May 1_

"I named you after him," Chōza said with a soft smile, straitening the five flowers he had brought with him for the tomb

"...He died... the same day I was born," Chōji said wide-eyed, _we're about twenty or so years apart but..._

"He did," Chōza chuckled, "you made it really hard to be depressed that day."

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

She leaned against her son's desk, unmoved by his pout he shot back at her. He seemed unmoved about the story she told him, despite the fact that she took the day off to retell him everything that had happened the day his father left and never came back. It would seem that he still partially blamed him for letting his father leave the house for a mission she knew was going to be the death of him.

"Okay fine," Kiba grunted looking away from Tsume, pout still in place, "let's say I believe you."

"If you don't I will resort to violence," Tsume huffed, knowing full well that it was an empty threat and that Kiba saw straight through her glare.

"Who did you name sis after?" Kiba asked, ignoring her jab, "I mean... I know you named me after uncle, someone you said dad thought sired me but never actually touched you... and I remember him saying that you're too sentimental..."

"Not so much saying as shouting," Tsume snorted with a roll of her eyes

"Don't change the subject mom," both Inuzuka's jumped at the sound of a new voice, their dark eyes rounding onto the very irritated looking kunochi standing in Kiba's door way. "Who am I named after?" Hana asked with a frown at her mother, brown eyes looking like sharp blades to her experienced mother.

"My sister," Tsume sighed at last, "You're named after the original Inuzuka clan heir, Hana Inuzuka, my elder sister."

"What? Seriously?" Kiba asked, turning in his bed to face his mother and sister, "So you were originally a Bata?"

Commence battle-royal, complete with Tsume howling in outrage, Kiba screaming for mercy and Hana laughing hysterically

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

He stared dully at the roof high overhead, it was dark and swirled with what appeared to be ominous purple, beyond which he knew to be soft sandstone. He didn't know why he was still living and his 'teammates' were dead but he accepted it and moved on, there was no point in grieving for the past.

But that didn't mean he didn't wonder why _he_ was still living

Their task was done and over with. They successfully removed the seals from Kabuto Yakushi's body and placed them onto his teammate, Takao Ishuka, without serious damage to either one. His 'teammates' died in the process, he remembered waking up tangled in their limbs, and he had survived—he just didn't understand _why_ he survived. Orochimaru could've-should've killed him when his use was over, so what was the point of keeping him around? He tried to apply his limited training to what he knew about the man, he tried to deduce the reason why he decided to keep him around, but no matter what he came up with, no matter what angle he came at, the only thing he could come up with was that Orochimaru was planning on using him as an experiment.

However, if that was the case, then why hasn't he seen Orochimaru since the seal transfer? Did the man have something else in mind for him that he wasn't aware of?

_It is best not to ponder on it,_ the boy decided, black eyes dull and lifeless as he stared at the ceiling, _Should I return to Danzo-sama or should I remain as a spy for him? What if they're working together and I'm not informed of the development?_

"Glad to see you awake," he blinked and turned his head, staring dully at the open door he hadn't realized was open. In the door way stood Orochimaru, clad in his normal off-white quipo dress with the long black sleeves, black leggings and thick purple rope he used as a belt.

_When did he open the door?_ The boy wondered as he stared dully at the legendary Sanin

"I have a few questions for you boy," Orochimaru drawled, "I assume you have questions for me as well?" Orochimaru watched as the boy continued to stare dully at him, his dark eyes perfectly blank and void of all emotion. "Why don't I go first?" Orochimaru ask, the boy finally blinked at him, "Who is your mother?" That earned another blink; his brows pinched his nose lightly, his mouth straightening further into a tight-lipped frown.

"...what is a mother?"

Orochimaru had the strong erg to smack his forehead against the wall

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Kakashi sighed as he stared at the stone cenotaph before him, dark eye roaming over the surface searching for a familiar name that should've been inscribed there...

_Knew it,_ Kakashi sighed, shoulder's slumping further then usual as he spun on his heel and wondered off in a new direction. _Figures they wouldn't inscribe it here..._

…

"_You've grown well Kakashi," Sakumo smiled at him over his shoulder, "Your mother knew you would..." Kakashi didn't answer him, not sure what he should say to the man he resented for so many years. "...do you forgive me?" Kakashi wanted to say yes but his voice wasn't working, "that's okay son, I can't move on until you do."_

"_Why?" Kakashi asked automatically_

"_Because," Sakumo chuckled, "it's a father's responsibility to look after his son when he's in duress."_

"_I am not distressed,"_

"_Your voice cracked,"_

"_Better then my head,"_

"_That's cracked too or did you forget the time you fell from the tree and—"_

"_I remember," Kakashi interrupted, "...are you suffering?"_

"_No," Sakumo answered just as seriously as Kakashi had asked, "Are you?"_

_He couldn't answer, he didn't know if he still was or not_

…

Kakashi heaved a sigh as he walked through the village, no longer sure just where he was walking. Even so, it didn't take him long to recognize just where his feet were taking him and when that thought did register in his mind, Kakashi didn't bother changing course.

He avoided that place long enough, it was time he went home

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

They ran long and hard through the trees of fire; eyes sharp, ears perked and chakra suppressed as best as they could. They've been running for a good portion of the day and it would soon be time for them to stop and make camp again that would be used for the second team arrive after they leave again the next morning. Smoothly the white haired boy, raised a fist, then gestured to the ground. Quickly three shadows jumped, landed, rolled and slid into the dark shadows of a closely clustered trees, over head a group of fast moving shadows moved on without stopping.

"Two minuets," Sakkon whispered, "we're taking no chances." His teammate's nodded and readied themselves to fight or flee.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Kurenai hummed as she finished pouring the tea and set the kettle aside, she picked up the tray and walked smoothly over to the kitchen table where Asuma was sitting patiently, lost in his own world.

"So, what was it that you wanted to talk about?" Kurenai asked as she set the tea down and gave Asuma his own cup

"Hmm? Oh, uh... nothing too important," Asuma tried with a soft chuckle

"If that's the case then why did you ask to have tea with me?" Kurenai asked with a raised eyebrow as she sat down across from the man.

"Oh... uh..." Asuma's face flushed brightly for a moment before he stuttered out his reason for visiting. "Would you uh... maybe like to um, maybe... go on a date?" Asuma glanced up at Kurenai, one hand rubbing the back of his head nervously, "With me, that is..."

Kurenai smiled at him, a blush staining her cheeks, "of course."

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"Five-hundred!" Gai shouted with a proud shout as he slid to a stop at the edge of the village, with a smile he wiped at his brow and observed his surroundings. He remembered this part of the village, filled with more woods then rocks, more moss then grass, more shadows then light and yet it was never truly dark in this part of the village. He remembered how it felt when his mother ran through the slippery branches of the trees, flipping and dancing through the seemingly endless trees like they weren't there. He remembered because she did it when he was a toddler strapped to her chest, when he was a child clinging to her back and when he was a boy trying to keep up with her seemingly endless, constant speed. He remembered when he declared loudly that he was going to enter the shinobi academy how she had laughed, not in mockery or as if she thought, he was telling her a bad joke, but as if she saw him running through those same halls that cast her out for being what she was. A woman with no clan name, limited to no chakra control, little charka to work with, and minimal Taijutsu ability.

He was his mother's son through and through

He swore to her that he would become a shinobi, that he wouldn't stop until he became a Jonin at the very least

She approved and said that a true man always kept his word, no matter the consequences.

_After so many years..._ Gai spun on his heal and took off through the dark forest with moss surrounding each trunk like a wet blanket, _why do I remember it now?_ He remembered the exact course his mother took when she still breathed and he followed it just as faithfully as she did. He dived for the low swings that'd propel him high into the branches, the quick hairpin turns that's push him into a tree or a shallow dip. He strove for taking the course again and again until he could no longer stand that same day and then he laid on the flat of his back, staring up at the coppery orange sky overhead with a smile, imagining what his mother would say to him now.

…

"_Gai? What are you doing lazy bones? Up! Up! Time to start your day!"_

"_But mom the sun isn't even up!"_

"_Are the birds singing?"_

"_...Maybe that one insane one in another country some where..."_

"_Then its morning! Get up!"_

"_But—"_

"_No 'buts'! It's morning! Time for a run!"_

"_Don't we need to stretch first?!"_

"_The forest will help with that!"_

…

His mother was more insane then he was, he knew and accepted what others thought of him. That's why he strived to push his students so hard, he not only wanted to keep that image up but they were as close to children as he would ever get. He had the misfortune of getting tangled up with the Kiyobi's chakra when it attacked and it wasn't removed in time. He was sterile, there was no questioning it. His students were all he had a chance of passing on his mother's will of fire, the fire that she left with him to carry on.

_I miss her already_... Gai smiled up at the fiery-red sky, it was the exact shade of orange that his mother loved and what she wore as often as she could.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Konohamaru sat at the table with his mother, staring dully at the plate of rice balls before him. The woman sitting across from him sat calmly with her knees tucked under her and long auburn hair pulled back into a high braided bun, letting very little of her bangs lose to frame her pretty but average looking face. She was his mother and he looked very bit like her but he couldn't act like her, much to his own irritation. Konohamaru tried more then once to act as refined and calm as she always was, to keep himself in line like she always seemed to do so effortlessly. Like nothing in the world could ever surprise her, despite all of his antics and attempts or the absurd amount of respect the villager's still obsessed in showing to her.

"Why don't you eat lunch, son?" his mother asked kindly, soft doe eyes barely even looking up from her cup of tea, "I'll let you practice some of your ninjutsu if you do." Konohamaru looked at his mother with a soft frown twisting his features, as if he was unsure of how to respond to her bribe—one he usually never forgot to ensure right away.

"Mama," Konohamaru called softly, drawing his mother's attention as he only ever called her that when he got nightmares, "...can you... tell me about Dad?"

The cup of tea his mother was holding slipped from her hand and splashed against the table

Konohamaru has never caught his mother off guard

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

_We'd better hurry,_ Kabuto thought as they ran, "down!" he hissed suddenly. Kimimaro quickly fell back and followed Kabuto into the semi-small hole he dived into. Inside the hole, the roots of the ancient red wood formed a beautiful three-roomed cavern. A space for what looked like a kitchen, dinning and entertaining area which was about ten-by-ten and two rooms further back that were at least the same size if not slightly larger. Kimimaro carefully pressed his head close to the small entrance, watching the outside carefully before he rejoined Kabuto in one of the back rooms that housed Karin.

_Run now,_ that small voice in the back of his mind whispered, _alert someone and bring them here, tell them everything. Save her with Konoha's help—_

_Be silent,_ Kimimaro thought, turning away from the entrance and pressing a hand to his throbbing forehead, _none of your non-sense I have more important matters to deal with_

_...Just protect Karin,_ the voice sighed, _protect her, focus on her, let nothing happen to her._

_She is my mission,_ he snorted, tempted to roll his eyes at the obvious objective he needed to please Orochimaru

_Not in the sense you think,_ the voice shot back, as if knowing something that he didn't.

_What do you mean?_ His eyes narrowed at the semi-darkness of the semi-large room he stood in but the voice in the back of his mind didn't respond, settling instead to chuckle at him annoyingly.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Naruto laid in his bed, face berried into his pillow. He remembered what had happened one week ago when he met his mother for the first time thanks to Tayuya's strange bloodline.

…

"_My name is Kushina Uzumaki," the woman smiled at him, "I'm your mother."_

"_...my mother?" Naruto questioned with a frown, "but then... is that why you were never there for me when I was growing up? Because... because of..."_

"_Because I was dead?" Kushina asked, her serine smile never faltering, "Yes. I died the day you were born. Oh! Please don't take that to heart! It's not your fault!" It was too late, fat tears were already rolling down Naruto's round cheeks, the red head immanently wrapped her arms around Naruto, letting him sob uncontrollably on her golden glowing chest._

"_Please don't cry Naruto," Kushina whispered, her own eyes brimming with tears, "We both tried, as hard as we could to survive for you... its just that, not everything can be as we wish it to be. Your father created the forbidden jutsu not just to protect the village but also to protect you. That's why you only hold half of the Kiyobi's power and he holds the other half in the other world."_

"_Dad... he created the seal array on my stomach?" Naruto asked wide-eyed_

"_He did," Kushina sighed, pulling back to whip his tears away, "please belief me love. He fought long and hard to keep us both living for you but it couldn't be helped. That strange man appeared just as you had been born and ripped the Kiyobi from me, by doing so he put me on the fast track to the other world." Naruto sniffed and tried his best to keep what she was saying in his heart, trying his best to memorize every word she said. "There was no saving me, the Yondaime Hokage knew that so he sealed a fraction of my soul into you. When it comes time for the last of your seal to truly fail, we will meet again. As it is, it is time for me to go. But I would like to hear something from you if that's okay..."_

"_What is it... Okaa-chan?" Naruto sniffed, whipping at his eye with one wrist_

"_Will you sing with me?" Kushina smiled cheerfully at him_

…

Naruto rolled over in his bed, the song he sang with her sounding in the back of his mind like a distant lullaby he once knew. He wasn't sure what to do with the knowledge he had gained from just that short moment with his mother, he was already both looking forward to and dreading the final unravel of his seal. A part of him wanted it to be done and over with so he could speak to his mother again and another part prayed that it would happen because he was afraid of what it would mean if the seal did come undone and what would happen to those around him when the Kiyobi got released.

_My Okaa-chan was murdered,_ Naruto sighed, _and I helped..._

"_oh yeah, Naruto!" his mother clapped and laughed, her smile glowing as brightly as the lights that were slowly sending her to the other side, "I need you to go to the Uzumaki clan compound! It's your birth right!"_

Now what was he supposed to do? He didn't know where the Uzumaki clan compound was anymore then he knew that there was an Uzumaki clan! There weren't many people around that were even nice to him because of the Kiyobi—his mother said that a stranger had ripped the Kiyobi from _her_. That meant she was a jinchūriki too, so then that meant that there were a few people who liked her just as there were a few people who liked him. So then, there were people in the village who saw past what they carried as the sacrifice to their village and befriended them anyways. There weren't many people who were the same age as his mother and still saw past what she carried... just the parents of the others his age... and of course the village elders and maybe the other clan heads...

_Oh!_ Naruto's eyes widened in realization, now the random acts of kindles from some of the elders made sense. They weren't being nice to him because they pitied him but because they knew his parents!

"_No Mizuki! It's forbidden!"_

"_You're the Kiyobi! The Yondaime sealed that beast into you!"_

And it was forbidden to talk about his jinchūriki status because... because people could use him against the village! They would target him and take the Kiyobi from him like that stranger did to his mother! That's why Jiji forbid anyone from talking about it! He was trying to protect him!

_That means I can't con anyone into telling me who my parents are..._ Naruto thought, if that's the case then what was he supposed to do? Just wander into the Uzumaki compound without a care in the world?!

"Arg! Damn it!" Naruto pulled his pillow over his face and screamed into it for good measure, "Just what am I supposed to do?!"

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

_Not here either_, he swept through the columns of books with sharp red eyes, taking in the titles of books with a glance and moving on almost before they registered in his mind. He had already gone through the tomb created to explain everything chakra related: its creation, founder, the clans that stemmed from him and so on. He didn't particularly care for that (the most interesting part were the two warring brothers who started the Senju and Uchiha clans respectfully), he was interested in finding anything related to the Uzumaki clan and was having a remarkably hard time finding anything on them.

He had already asked the librarian if they had anything on the Uzumaki clan and she had assured him that there was a book stationed in the 105.985th sector of the library. This meant that it was on the first floor, the fifth section (at the back of the building), the ninth row, on the eighth shelf, fifth in line. That didn't mean he hadn't gone through that sector a hundred times already since he got there at noon; the problem was that there was no ninth row. Hell, there wasn't a fifth sector to the first floor, it ended at four then led to the stairs for the second level. He double-checked with the librarian and she assured him that they still had it in their archives but she was so busy with other shinobi checking out books that he couldn't pull her aside to show her that massive problem with her computer system. So that left him with now running up and down the stairs looking for anything that might be concealed with chakra, that led him to a meeting with an Anbu agent on the third floor who just so happened to be a fellow Uchiha—and a close friend to his mother if the threat she gave had any promise to it.

_There has to be something,_ Sasuke thought as he returned to the first floor, crimson eyes glaring at the wall sitting innocently before him. _That row there says 104.989 on it... there has to be a 105 around here somewhere..._ if he was a book about a clan that apparently didn't exist, where would he hide?

"Now I feel stupid," Sasuke grumbled, glaring at the wall with only an elaborate looking mural on it of the four previous Hokage's. If he was going to hide information yet have his compute systems claim about its existence then he would hide it in plain view. Approaching the wall carefully, Sasuke let his Sharingan eyes roll over the mural thoughtfully before de-activating the technique and observing it carefully.

If he looked close enough, he swore the three first Hokage's were all looking towards the back of the fourth...

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Mebuki hummed to herself as she went through her daily chores, chores she should've had her daughters do, she had already swept and vacuumed, done the dishes and cleaned the windows. Now she was doing laundry... the task was originally Naruto's but he some how managed to dye everything orange the first time he used it so they got a new washer machine and he was banned from laundry. Then it fell to Sakura to do laundry just for the simple fact that she was the only one who went through everyone's pockets and made sure nothing was left behind that could potentially ruin their washer or destroy their clothes.

_Misfits, the lot of them!_ Mebuki thought with the sudden urge to scold her children, knowing that the youngest two were still home with her. Naruto was, for some reason, still pouting in his room and Sakura was hiding from everyone who might've decided to drag her back to the hospital (her sisters included).

"Mebuki-san?" she stilled at the soft voice, blinking Mebuki turned to look at her youngest son standing unsurely in the door way to the dinning room where she was folding the clean laundry.

"Naruto-kun, it's not like you to be up before noon," Mebuki observed in shock, slowing putting down the pair of dark slacks she was holding, "...You've never called by my name before... what is it? Is there something wrong?"

"Do you... do you know who... my mother—parent's is—are?" Naruto stumbled over his words, refusing to look at her, his arms tightening around the giant stuffed frog he got when he moved in with them.

"...I suppose that would depend on which ones you're talking about," Mebuki sighed, leaning against the table with crossed arms. "Your biological parent's... I can't tell you who they are because the Sandaime forbid anyone to speak of them, least of all _their_ enemies come here seeking you."

Naruto nodded slowly, tears prickling the edges of his eyes, "I thought as much..."

"... As for your adoptive parents," Mebuki shrugged, noting how Naruto's head snapped up to look at her in surprise. "I'm impressed that you forgot about us honestly. We did adopt you, you live with us for crying out loud, you just refuse to leave that apartment complex."

"W-we?" Naruto stuttered

"Yes 'we'" Mebuki chuckled, "Kizashi and I are your adoptive parents. And trust me, it has nothing to do with the fact that your mother was my teammate—I mean, you didn't hear that!" Naruto chuckled as Mebuki flustered over her mistake

"So you do know her!"

"It's imposable for anyone to _not_ know her after meeting her," Mebuki sighed, "in that aspect, you take after your mother greatly."

"He-he-he, I'm glade!" Naruto chuckled, ignoring the urge to cry even as Mebuki stared at him with eyes swimming in tears, "that means, I look like dad right?"

"...right," Mebuki turned back around and continued again with her task of laundry. It was quite in their large home for a moment, to the point that Mebuki was startled when she felt a pair of arms wrap around her stomach, a small body pressing into her tightly as the boy responsible started crying as quietly as he could. Mebuki smiled sadly and set the pale shirt down before she turned in her son's embrace and hugged him as tightly as he was hugging her.

"You're parent's..." Mebuki whispered into his blonde hair, refusing to let her tears fall, "they would be so, _so_ proud of you."

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Orochimaru walked through the lab carefully, keen yellow eyes searching out the right labels upon each machine he came across, searching for the one he needed. He was aware of his little shadow, the young boy was silent as he moved to follow him, keeping a respectful distance between them as they traveled through the large laboratory.

_Where is that blasted machine,_ Orochimaru thought as he walked, trying hard to appear as if he knew exactly what he was looking for, _damn Kabuto for moving everything around. I thought he said the results would be back by now?_

"What is it that you are looking for?" the young boy asked at last, his voice soft enough to be ignored or assumed to be one's imagination, but Orochimaru hadn't forgotten the boy's presence and was only momentarily surprised by his sudden willingness to speak without being prompted.

"A machine," Orochimaru answered courtly

"What dose it do?" the boy asked as he followed silently

"It can take blood apart and tell me what the small DNA information says," he answered smoothly, unhindered by the boy's suddenly curiosity. Orochimaru continued moving through the rows and rows of machines, searching for the one that was supposed to tell him what he was searching for. It was only after he noticed that the boy wasn't following him any more that Orochimaru realized that the boy must have been confused.

"Boy," Orochimaru called, turning on his heal and examining the surprisingly short child standing like a statue a little more then a dozen feet behind him, "What do you know about DNA?"

"I've never heard of it before," the boy answered, tilting his head to the side childishly, "is it a book you can read?"

"Something like that," Orochimaru chuckled, gesturing for the boy to follow him as he returned to his search, "DNA is something that all living _things_ in this world have. It determines the difference between red or yellow hair, blue and brown eyes, light or dark skin. It can even determine someone's personality, based on that person's parent's respective personalities."

"Someone's parents?" the boy questioned, "what is that?" Orochimaru sighed, he never had to explain what a 'parent' was before, the complexities of a seal or the importance of an organ maybe but not something as vital as a parent.

"When a man impregnates a woman, both the man and woman become parents," Orochimaru explained, leaning against a desk and crossing his arms. "The man becomes a 'father' and the woman becomes a 'mother', but both are referred to as 'parents'—and everyone in this world has them. The dead and the living, we all have parents."

"Really?" the boy asked, "even me?"

"You couldn't exist without them," Orochimaru rolled his eyes

"...what is the importance of impregnating a woman?" the boy asked, tilting his head to the side, "why only the woman? Could a man not become pregnant?"

"No a man can not become pregnant," Orochimaru sighed, "It's not in our genetic code. Pregnancy is a woman's trait only, as it is in their genetic code."

"...genetic code?"

Orochimaru sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, _Danzo, your teaching methods need to be adjusted_

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

_It's been a long time since I last visited them,_ Iruka thought as he moved through the seemingly endless rows of gravestones of the victims of the Kiyobi attack. The only thing he had in his favor was that his parents said they were proud of him, which meant they weren't mad at him for befriending Naruto (not that he was surprised). Coming to a stop at a familiar plate with two very familiar looking names inscribed upon it's surface, Iruka kneeled and placed the small group of flowers on the surface.

_Atsuko Umino and Kenji Umino_

_In loving memory of your sacrifice_

"Oka-chan, Oto-san... would you be mad at me if I chose to move on?" Iruka asked softly, smiling gently down at the tombstone. Somewhere in the distance, he heard a bird sing and felt the wind pick up around him, surrounding him in a comfortable warm embrace.

_Thank you_, Iruka thought with a fond smile, _I think it's time that I really do make you proud. I've put it off long enough..._

It was time he took a certain blond under his wing in academics and life

* * *

><p>…<p>

…

He sat at his bedroom desk, dark eyes dull and lifeless as he stared out his window without seeing anything that was beyond the window glass. His head was prompt on one wrist while his other hand was poised to write something in a fairly small scroll. He didn't know who long the sun had been up but he didn't recall it ever reaching so high in the sky, not that he particularly cared at the moment, his mother's words rang loud and clear in his mind.

"Son?" he nearly jumped out of his skin at the soft voice of his father, "are you alright?"

"I'm fine Oto-san," Shisui sighed, spinning in his seat and smiling at the frail looking old man. His parents had both been fairly old (by Uchiha standards) when they married and it was difficult for his mother conceive children, she was nearly put into a coma with her first and _he_ had damn near killed her. "What time is it? Have you taken your medicine?"

"I have," his soft-spoken father agreed, not moving from the entrance to his room despite Shisui rising from his seat. "What is it that you are writing?"

"Hmm? Oh..." Shisui sighed as he looked back at the completely blank scroll, "It's my report about what happened four days ago... last week..."

"...can you add something to it for me?" his father asked, shifting uncomfortably, "I am not a shinobi but... I feel as if what I have to say... it might have an effect for lady Hokage..."

"What is it?" Shisui asked, generally curious

"...last week, during the spirit revival..." he paused as if he wasn't sure if it had actually happened, Shisui nodded his head just to make sure his father knew he understood. "...I met your sister, Miyako."

"My sister?" Shisui interrupted dumbly, "When did I get a sister?"

"About a month before Obito died," his father sighed, "the news of his death lead your mother to miscarry. It was the primary reason for her personality after his death; she couldn't forgive herself for grieving so much she killed her unborn child."

"Oh," Shisui felt like hiding his head under the pillow like he used when he was still little and feeling particularly stupid for one stunt or another.

"Anyways, it's about what Miyako told me," his father coughed to draw both of their attentions at the matter at hand, "She said... it's about your older brother—"

"He's alive?" Shisui questioned sadly, the back of his mind filled with familiar laughter of a boy he could barely remember, "Yeah I know. Oka-chan told me..."

"She told you? Just like that? No riddle?" his father asked in disbelief, "My, she must've felt charitable... that or she sent Miyako to give me that annoying habit of hers..."

"Dad... what are you talking about?" Shisui asked slowly, "mom never talked in riddles to me..."

_Well, now I know which of us you favor most,_ Shisui's father huffed and walked out of his son's room. Reaching the end of the hall, he swore that the picture of his wife staring back at him had an unusual looking smirk to it.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

She sat meditative before her once lover's tomb stone, she still remembered what it was like to feel his arms wrapped around her like he used to when her nightmares got a little too much for her to handle alone. He was always there when she needed him most and in that black darkness where her nightmares came to life and she was just about to end it all; he appeared and wrapped her in his arms, rocking back and forth like he used.

"_Let me protect you for once,_" that was what he said to her, more then once he had grumbled about being unable to protect her on _her_ missions because of his lung condition.

_If you lived just a little longer I could tell you the good news,_ she smiled soft at the tombstone, one hand rising to press lightly at her stomach. "I told lady Hokage this morning, she yelled at me for being reckless for so long... but you get your wish at last. I'll be retiring from Anbu service tomorrow and I won't be able to reinsert myself into the ranks until our child is old enough for the academy... or has graduated the academy... which do you think is the better option?_"_

She could almost feel her once lover smiling at her, she could nearly hear his horse laughter in the wind...

_Wait a moment,_ her eyes flashed and like lighting she threw two kunai and forced _three_ men out of the tree nearest her. "Why you little sneaks!"

"We're sorry captain!" the men apologized quickly, each backing away in their own panicky way

"We didn't know you were pregnant, we swear!" her glare intensified on the center man, the one with the bear mask

"Nice going idiot," the one with the owl mask muttered

"You knew?" she asked softly, dark eyes narrowing at them, "for how long?"

"Right about the same time you found out," the third muttered, still backing away slowly

"oh really?" she asked, relaxing her features with only one brow raised and putting her hands on her hips, relaxing her body. She swore her relaxed body and little smirk made all three grown men shiver. "Since that's the case, congratulations boys, you three got degraded to baby-sitting duty."

She promptly turned on her heal and started walking away

"Whoa! Wait up captain!" owl shouted, jumping his feet and hurrying after her quickly, "you mean you're trusting us, _us_, the most mentally unstable men in the entire black op division, to care for your hormonal, crying, _screaming_ child... _with us_?"

"Yes," she chuckled, looking up at the tall brunet with a smile

"On one condition," owl sighed, taking a slight step away from her

"Hmm?"

"Don't laugh, it's creepy"

She ignored his whining about her breaking his arm with a punch, _again_. Honestly it wasn't that big of a feat to realize that a broken bone is never as strong as it once was after it heals, all it took was the right amount of pressure, timing and careful aiming—the bone would do the rest.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

_This is bad_, Kabuto thought as he rubbed at his brow, leaning against the 'bedroom' door way lazily. Karin stared up at him from her bed with a sleepy smile and hazy eyes, as if she was blind to the world and just so happen to be missing a few important genetics in her brain to make her... well, 'normal' in terms of not being... what was the term? Retarded? That wasn't right, it's crude and rude and not the term he was looking for...it's a mental disorder, but what was it called again?

"Buto-nii!" Karin giggled childishly, flopping one arm uselessly at him

To hell with it, Mental deficiency will have to do

_I screwed up and then some,_ Kabuto thought with a groan. "What is it now, Karin-chan?" he asked with a patient smile, figures that his repair job on the memory transferee-mind control jutsu would wreck with someth—

"Potty!" Karin giggled, little spit bubbles spilling past her lips. It was then the smell reached him and Kabuto resisted the urge to smash his face into the nearest wall, he hated dealing with children in general but nothing was worse then an adult with the same mentality as a toddler.

_I better figure something out or I'M goanna kill her!_

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"I can't believe he's missing!" Mikoto shouted as she marched through the compound with fury echoing in her eyes and frustration in her steps. "I was gonna help with his training!"

"Maybe that's why he ran," Fugaku said absentmindedly before realizing what he said and paling

"What was that?" Mikoto asked dangerously, dark eyes glinting as she rounded onto her husband

"Nothing love, I didn't say anything," Fugaku said quickly, hoping his wife didn't hear that tilt to his voice. Mikoto narrowed her eyes at him and watched him for a moment, Fugaku let his face slip into a mask of indifference and stared right back at her, internally hoping that she wouldn't open up her Sharingan just to see his chakra system.

"Humph, I was only going to teach him a few genjutsu that he could use," Mikoto huffed and walked way from Fugaku, never really realization just how relieved her husband was to not have her anger aimed at him anymore.

_Kami-sama why did you have to give women a foul temper?_ Fugaku thought internally, turning his eyes sky word, _Mikoto was scary enough __**without**__ her hormones..._

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

**Thoughts are helpful**

**Opinions are wonderful**

**Helpful criticism****is**** lovely! Just don't cripple me okay?**

**Please no cursing!**

**And don't forget to**** rate and**** review!**

**Page 26**


	55. Chapter 55

**There is a reason**

Chapter 55: recovery time, one week later—continuation

Koomahana

**I had to chop the previous chapter in half, this is a continuation of the previous chapter**

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Shizune sighed as she sat and sipped at a cup of tea, one hand propped her head up as she stared at the wall directly in front of her.

…

"_Promise me you'll at least try to be happy," Dan said softly as he crouched in front of her, "I can't watch over you twenty-four seven like I used to."_

"_I learned that the hard way," Shizune shot back without thinking about it, a pout in place_

"_True," her uncle chuckled, not taking the anger and hurt in her voice to heart, "You've grown up well under Tsunade-chan's watch. Why don't you find someone who'll make you happy?"_

"_Tsunade-Hime dose make me happy," Shizune pointed out, deliberately diving around what her uncle was hinting at_

"_Shizune, you know what I'm talking about," Dan sighed, "You're already thirty. Please find someone before your forty."_

"_Why?" Shizune frowned at him_

"_Because Shizu-chan," Dan smiled at her, "it is better to have loved and lost then to have never loved at all."_

…

_You're an idiot uncle,_ Shizune thought with a heavy sigh. _Of all the things you could've told me, why did you request that I see someone?_

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

_Her chakra is steadily growing..._ Tsunade thought as she moved through the hospital corridors, file in hand, eyes scanning through the information almost faster then her brain could possess the information. _Faster then before... did that jutsu she used last week help with her healing rate?_ Tsunade paused at the thought, back straightening as her eyes snapped to look out the window beside her, instantly locking in on the white haired man tree hopping towards her.

…

"_Tsunade-Hime I need you to do something for me," Dan whispered, crouching in front of her, one hand raised to whip the tears from her eyes, "I want you to be happy, okay?"_

"_B-But—"_

"_He's right Nee-chan," Nawaki snickered, smirk widening as Dan turned to Shizune, "We don't like it when you cry over us. Didn't that Naruto-boy you're so fond of teach you anything yet?"_

"_Naruto?" Tsunade questioned, "What about him?"_

"_He is our nephew," Nawaki snickered, "Well, great nephew. He's Kushina's son and she's our niece right?"_

"_Something to that effect," Tsunade chuckled_

"_Ah!" Nawaki gasped, head perking up as if he heard something, "Dan it's time!"_

"_I know," Dan sighed, straightening from his crouch, "I want you both to be happy from now on."_

_Shizune and Tsunade shared a look before looking back at the two males in front of them_

"_We'll try,"_

…

_Happiness huh?_ Tsunade thought, staring dully at Jiraiya as he landed on the open window ledge beside her, a smirk stretching into a familiar cocky grin.

"Yo Tsunade, I just heard what happened last week," Jiraiya said, dark eyes gleaming, "Care to tell me more about it?"

"...whatever Jutsu Tayuya used, healed the majority of the wounds that had been sustained since the last set of chunin exams," Tsunade answered dully, moving down the hall while her eyes locked back onto the file in her hand.

"...Say what?" Jiraiya asked as he jumped into the hall and followed after Tsunade quickly

"The wounds Itachi Uchiha sustained trying to awaken Tayuya Haruno from her trance are almost completely healed," Tsunade clarified dully, "As well as the wounds the other Anbu in that fight sustained. They are all healed to a near perfect hundred percent. Itachi's being the most noticeable difference. Although his muscles remain undeveloped for not being in use for so many months, his chakra burns and other related injuries to chakra are all healed. Not even a scar was left behind to declare what he survived through."

"Really? That's cool!"

"No it's not," Tsunade sighed, shooting Jiraiya an irritated look, "it nearly drained Tayuya dry, healing so many bodies the way she did and all of them were in different decries of severity. The technique that stupid girl performed must be at least S-class if not forbidden."

"That serious huh?" Jiraiya snickered, "So, how many casualties do we have from that technique of her's?"

"None that I can find," Tsunade huffed, "It doesn't appear as if that mass of darkness got farther then the faces of the monument. It seems that the light reversed any and all damage the darkness did, from the human wounds to the building damages."

"Seriously? That really is a nifty trick," Jiraiya snickered again, his smile never failing despite his teammate's endless seriousness.

"You wanna talk to her, don't you?" Tsunade accused more then asked, her accusation caught Jiraya off guard and sent the white haired man into a sputtering mess. Just as Jiraiya was about to respond to Tsunade, a small lightly glowing orange orb floated towards them, drawing both Shinobi's attention.

"_Are you Tsunade Senju, the Godaime Hokage?_" the orb asked in a soft feminine voice, it's shape glowing brightly with each soft spoken word.

"I am," Tsunade said with a narrow eyed look at the floating orb

"_Tayuya has awoken,_" the orb informed them, turning in place and gently floating back down the hall again, "_please follow me._"

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

She hummed cheerfully as she gently folded her necessities into the last box and smiled encouragingly as one of the village genin walked over and carefully lifted the box into his arms.

"Is this all ms?" the boy asked with a smile

"Yes," Tsubame smiled at him, he nodded and headed for the door

"Were are you moving to again?" the boy asked as he watched her close and lock up her apartment door

"To the Haruno house," Tsubame answered, "I'm moving in with my aunt and uncle"

"Oh~ okay," the boy chuckled and walked with her to the nearest stairs, "oh yeah, my team and I have been curious Ms. Just how far along are you?"

"Hmm? Oh, about... four months now," Tsubame smiled, "my aunt said the second I start having trouble moving around, I need to move in with her and her girls. Something about it being easier for me or something..."

"Five months? Really?! Wow you're big!"

On cue his teacher was there and thumping him on the head

"Kiba Inuzuka you'll show manners or so help me!"

"I'm going!" Kiba shouted, all but diving into the nearby cart full of Tsubame's things

"I'm so sorry for that boy's lack of manners," Kurenai sighed, "anyways, is that all? Is there anything else you need?"

"No, nothing comes to mind," Tsubame smiled patiently, letting the red-eyed woman take an arm and help her the rest of the way down the stairs and towards the cart. "You do know the way to the Haruno house, yes?"

"Yes we do," Kurenai reinsured, "one of my students all but lives there."

"We're ready, Kurenai-sensei, Tsubame-san," the two women turned at the soft voice and smiled at the three children standing beside the cart full (over flowing) with the pretty, almost red haired, woman's things.

"Let's get going then," Kurenai smiled

"You four might as well move on," Tsubame said quickly, looking nervously at a few not-so-happy looking people nearby, "I'm really slow at the moment so I'll only hold you back—"

"No sweat!" Kiba laughed, throwing his arms behind his head, "We can walk with ya! It's not gonna kill us!"

"That's right," Hinata smiled, "there's no reason for us to move on ahead."

"No she's right," Kurenai spook up, unintentionally cutting Shino off, "you three move on ahead, we'll catch up."

"But—"

"No 'buts' Tsubame-san," Kurenai smiled, "I see how those men look at you, I'm not leaving you alone. Not in your condition."

"I'm pregnant not wounded," Tsubame huffed, "and besides, I don't want you to get hurt—"

"You seriously think those morons can hurt us?" Kiba interjected with a raised eyebrow, "you do realize that two of us kids are clan heirs, I'm the younger sibling to a clan heir, and our sensei just so happens to be the best genjutsu-est in the entire village, right?"

"Really?" Tsubame asked innocently, "I didn't know that, congrats Ms. Yuhi, it must've been very difficult to learn and accomplish with my cousin throwing genjutsu around like it's nothing."

"Not really," Kurenai smiled, ignoring the jab that the younger woman hadn't meant. Instead, the Jonin slowly moved forward with Tsubame, throwing a warning look over the shorter woman's head at the men they were just talking about. "I have a knack for the art, it comes naturally to me—just like with your cousin Tayuya."

How convenient that the group of men decided that entering the nearby bar was suddenly a better idea then approaching the pregnant woman

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

_I wonder when he's going to shut up,_ Itachi thought as he stared at the board sitting between him and Shikan, Hotaru was sitting the bed beside him talking about something cookies...

"Damn it Hotaru-san!" Shikan hissed, glaring over the befuddled looking Uchiha, "you distracted me!" as if to make a point, Shikan's stomach rumbled loudly, earning laughter from the jabbering Uchiha and a smirk from Itachi. "If you're so damn hungry stop talking about it and get something!"

"But I'm not supposed to leave my bed!" Hotaru whined, making a near perfect imitation of Shisui, "Doctors orders!"

"That's never stopped you before!" Shikan shot back, knowing the older male made it a point to escape when doctors weren't looking

"But out of the two of us, you're the only one who can walk!" Hotaru whined annoyingly, pointing at his broken leg with a flaying hand

"Shikan, please get us some food," Itachi sighed, "that way we're all fed and he'll shut up."

"Fine," Shikan sighed, getting up and marching towards the door, only to pause as a signature suddenly appeared in the hall way. A glance at the other two Uchiha showed that they felt it too, sliding the door open softly, Shikan backed away and watched the hall closely. It wasn't long before they found themselves staring at a little orange ball floating down the hall, followed closely by Tsunade and Jiraiya.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"Lady Hokage," Tayuya greated sleepily, "wha... took yo... so ong?"

"You need your sleep," Tsunade sighed, gently pressing a hand against Tayuya's shoulder to keep her from rising any further then her attempt at lifting her head. "You can't even talk ri—"

"He's live," Tayuya whispered, "S-Sato-oshi~..." Tsunade's eyes widened but just as she was about to ask Tayuya a question, the pinkette decided that it was time for another nap.

"_Perhaps, I can be of assistance..._" Tsunade turned to stare at the little floating orange orb that stationed itself beside the open window.

"And just who might you be?" Tsunade asked, crossing her arms and frowning at the orange orb

"_Ah, my apologies,_" the orb chuckled, with a flare of sunlight and a slight burst of chakra, the orb lengthened and expanded, all but exploding into the form of a beautiful woman. "_I am Tayuya's and Satoshi's mother_" the woman smiled patently at Tsunade, ignoring Jiraiya's lecherous expression at the sight of her ample chest. "_My name is Hikari Himura, it's a pleasure to finally meet you"_

"I'll say," Jiraiya drooled, earning a punch from Tsunade that made him face plant the white washed floors

"How do you know that Satoshi is alive?" Tsunade asked, crossing her arms and regarding the pretty woman with narrowed eyes.

"_It is apart of our bloodline_," Hikari smiled, settling on the window seal, knees touching and tilted to the side. "_When one of us dies, our spirit immanently seeks out the nearest kinsmen. Neither one of us has seen Satoshi's soul, there for he must still be alive_."

"Your bloodline tells you about the death of one of your kinsmen?" Jiraiya wheezed, slowly picking hiss head up from the floor. "What else dose it do?"

"..._There is a technique we call 'Hero's light', it is the technique you witnessed four days ago, last Thursday._" Hikari answered, smiling fondly at her daughter, "_only the strongest of our kind can perform it without dyeing._"

"Just how strong is Tayuya?" Tsunade asked, glancing at the pinkette sleeping soundly in the bed

"_I don't know_," Hikari shrugged

"How about her recovery?" Tsunade asked, "Before last week she was slowly dying, now her chakra is re-growing at a significant rate. Is that a part of your bloodline?"

"_I honestly don't know,_" Hikari shrugged with a light sigh, "_there were rumors of binding our bloodline with another's and the child gaining significant healing powers but I doubt that is the case here. Her father wasn't a shinobi and had no bloodline to speak of; there for it is possible that my daughter is a genius in our bloodline technique. How strong or powerful Tayuya is or will be, is unknown..._" Hikari looked away from her daughter and out the nearby window, eyes misty and sad as she stared out at the vast village. "_As is her brother's..._" she glanced back at Tsunade and Jiraiya sadly, "_there is a saying in our clan; one sibling will be light and the other dark. Tayuya specializes in our life techniques and Satoshi specializes in our forbidden techniques._"

"They'll always fight each other," Jiraiya sighed, "just like Yin and Yang, ne?"

"_That is regretfully accurate,_" Hikari sighed, "_If one dies, so dose the other._"

"Their lives are bound to each other?" Tsunade asked, lifting her head to stare wide eyed at the spirit

The once beautiful woman smiled sadly in answer, "_there must be balance._"

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

_Damn it,_ he coughed hoarsely, the sound of an endless waterfall sounded in his ears, drowning out all other sound but his own thoughts. _A week of recovery and I'm still weak..._ he had made it to the very edge of fire country, hiding behind a waterfall that separated two large statues. He had barely made contact with the hidden tunnel when the sun peaked over the horizon, as it was the sun still burnt the dark mass trailing behind him like a smoky cloak. The worst part was that he could feel the burning on his own back, like everything that happened to the dark mass happened to him.

_Ch, this is becoming more of a problem then a benefit!_ Satoshi glared out at the bright nearly white glowing waterfall a hundred feet from his position. He could feel the darkness around him curling uneasily, as if what little sunlight he could see was making the shadowy creatures—still trying to latch onto him—tremble in fear. He was going to have issues if he couldn't move during the day, it was bad enough he couldn't leave the second stage of his curse mark. If he didn't do something soon he was going to die from chakra exhaustion, he's spent too long in the second stage, it was never meant to last this long.

Satoshi turned a thoughtful look on the constantly shifting black cloak that had yet to leave his side since the dark spirits decided to attach themselves to his curse mark. In unison, the dark mass perked up at the feel of his attention, like a hundred puppies snapping to attention, eager to follow his orders. He could still feel the burns coating his body since the light of the leaf village pushed him out, burning him with their determination to protect the village. With a low growl Satoshi lashed out at the cave wall, the cloak he now adorned eagerly snapped out and carved out another tunnel. Interested with unique turn of events, Satoshi's hazel eyes glowed a bright, amused gold, a smirk tugging at his charred brown lips.

_This just might work in my favor..._

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

She smiled as she woke up to the sound of birds chirping and soft snoring, she could feel two bodies cuddled up close to her body, hanging on to her legs tightly so they wouldn't fall off the bed. She took even, steady breaths before she dared to open her eyes and then she moved very slowly to sit up in her bed and stare fondly down at the two brothers sleeping on either side of her.

"I'm glad you're awake," she looked up quickly in alarm, not used to anyone sneaking up on her. "My apologies Ms. I didn't mean to startle you," the young nurse whispered to her, hands raised placidly. "You've been out for the past four days; you've had us all worried, even those boys."

"I can see that," her throat was dry and horse, forcing her to lace her throat with as little chakra as she could so she could speak without causing a ruckus that would awaken said brothers.

"Here," the nurse whispered, quickly handing her a cup of water. "The boys haven't left you since you got put back into bed, they've become quite protective of you."

"Really?" Nira whispered, smile fond as she patted the brother's heads gently, "I wonder why..."

"It's because you look like their mother," the nurse said softly, "Well, guess I shouldn't say that. You act more like her then you look like her. She had brown hair and brown eyes, while you have red hair and blue eyes."

"Ah," Nira whispered

"I... I hope you don't mind," the nurse fumbled in her skirt's pocket a moment before she hesitantly pulled out a small white envelop. "I took this the other day... I'm sorry but I couldn't help it, you were all so cute." Nira smiled as she opened the envelop and then stared at the picture that stared up at her from inside

"...it's... pretty," Nira whispered softly

It was beyond pretty, the image was beautiful

Especially her own image, she didn't know she could look so beautiful while asleep

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"How is she?" Kidōmaru asked the second they saw Kabuto and Kimimaro catch up to their newest 'bunker/shelter'.

"Buto-nii!" Karin giggled from Kabuto's back, "Hungry!"

"Bad," Kabuto sighed irated, "the repair job for the jutsu seemed to have back fired some where in her head."

"I can see that," Sakon said, his lips twitching with the urge to smirk but not willing to push his limits, "you gonna fix her to be useful yet?"

"Of course," Kabuto narrowed his eyes at the pale haired boy, "everything takes time."

"A week's past," Jirobo replied with a frown, "How much more are we going to have to wait?"

"Karin has no use dead," Kabuto reminded them; "if she's alive she can watch your back and make you aware of the Anbu rounds through the forest. She can also pin-point our target and her weakest moment, so that she'll put up the least amount of fight."

"Okay, I get that but..." Sakon looked pointedly at a childish Karin, who giggled when a butterfly landed on her head, "She's like... four—"

"Months," Kidōmaru interrupted strait faced

"—right now, how're we supposed to use her?" Sakon continued, not even fazed by his teammate's interruption

"It'll take a few more days for me to repair the damage done to her head," Kabuto sighed, shifting his hold on the red head, "but it can be done. I just need you four to be patient."

"There are only three of us in _our_ team," Sakon drawled lazily, "True we'll be getting our fourth member soon but I'm fairly sure bone boy looks nothing like our target."

"I have no wish to be apart of your team," Kimimaro replied tonelessly, "you'll only hold me back."

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"You want to what?" Tsunade asked, staring at the two boys standing in front of her with pouting faces and halfhearted glares at the couple standing behind them.

"I wanna go to the Uzumaki compound," Naruto grumbled, pouting at Mikoto who stood beside him, knowing she was at fault for the large lump growing on the side of his head. "Okaa-chan said it was my birth right..."

"You met Kushina?" Tsunade asked, her head snapping up to look closely at Naruto, "During the spirit revival?"

"Uh-huh," Naruto bobbed his head

"What did she tell you?" Tsunade asked, leaning forward in her seat, "tell me everything she said!"

"She said..." Naruto hesitated a moment, not sure how to translate Tsunade's expression, as if she was in pain but happy at the same time. "She said she was the previous jinchūriki of the nine tails and that a strange man attacked just after my birth and that he ripped the Kiyobi from her. It was the main reason behind her death..."

_I was afraid of that..._ Tsunade thought, leaning back in her chair. Thinking what she could and couldn't do, if Karin was there she could sanction the request because the girl had training in—Nira! Nira Uzumaki trained Karin! She could guild Naruto through the old compound without setting anything off! "Where is Nira-san?" Tsunade asked, snapping around in her seat to look at her current aids, Kotetsu and Genma, "Is she still here?"

"She's still resting in the hospital Tsunade-Hime," Kotetsu answered, looking at a clipboard that was in his hands. "Whatever jutsu she used during the attack and then again with Sakura when you arrived seemed to have done a fair amount of damage to her. She's remained in the hospital all this time..."

"Heaven's we didn't forget about her did we?" Tsunade asked, _at least the nurses better not have!_

"The nurses didn't appear to," Kotetsu answered, flipping through the papers in his hand easily, "she's asked the nurses to discharge her multiple times but it would appear that the head doctor refused to do so..."

"Wait, which one?" Tsunade asked, sitting up a little higher in her chair, "Yakushi or Iwasa?"

"...Daisuke Iwasa," Kotetsu answered slowly, "He seemed to be concerned with her abnormally low chakra levels..."

"We might as well pay her a visit before we show him the way to the compound," Tsunade replied thoughtfully, "under—what the hell?!" before her stood Fugaku and Sasuke, both slowly stepping away from a trembling Mikoto Uchiha, Naruto was gone from sight. "He went to the hospital didn't he?"

Mikoto's head snapped up and she glared heatedly at Tsunade "You knew his mother was Kushina and you didn't tell him?!"

"The Sandaime's orders!" Tsunade snapped back, "Letting Naruto bear the name 'Namikaze' would've put a target on the back of his head! Uzumaki was a hell of lot safer option! Or did you forget that the Tsuchikage swore to annihilate Minato's entire freaking family?!" Fugaku and Sasuke slowly retreated from the office while Tsunade and Mikoto argued loudly about the decision made to protect Naruto. Kotetsu shot them a look of pleading but it was ignored by the two Uchiha's, leaving the young black haired man to fend for himself in the office of arguing alpha women.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"How's sis?" Sakura asked as she pushed herself up in her bed, letting Fubuki fluff up the pillows behind her, knowing that her escape from the hospital was only left for as long as it was because Fubuki didn't search for her.

"She'll be fine," Fubuki sighed, "She's doing a whole lot of sleeping though. Her chakra levels are unusually low, even for the amount of sleep she's gotten."

"Yeah but Tayuya-nee has always had small reserves," Sakura replied, "out of all of us, you're the only one with large chakra reserves. Even our parents have small reserves despite their ranks."

"So you think her reserves are at a normal level?" Fubuki asked with a raised eyebrow

"Are the nurses resorting to tranquilizers to keep her in bed?" Sakura asked in amusement

"_Tayuya Haruno! Get back in bed!_" a voice shouted over the intercom, making everyone flinch at the volume

"...Tayuya might not need to be here much longer..." Fubuki said thoughtfully, her head tilted to the side as she sought out the warm signature that she knew so well.

"_Don't tell me what to do!_" Sakura blinked and looked out her window, watching Fubuki slap her face from the corner of her eye, Sakura reached over and opened her window, going so far as poking her head out in curiosity. Two windows down from her own, Sakura watched Hana lean out the window screaming and yelling at Tayuya, who sat in the tree directly across from her hospital room window. Both teammate's were yellowing and screaming at each other, as if they had no regard for everyone else who may have been sleeping around them.

"Both of you SHUT UP!" Fubuki screeched launching herself out the open window and ran across the side of the building towards the two young women in question.

_My sister's are nuts,_ Sakura thought with a sigh, closing her window and pretending to go back to sleep

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

He stared down at the little book in his hand, staring dully at the words scribbled innocently before him. He could tell that the 'letter-diaries' were between his parents, mostly from his mother to his father when he was out on missions and she was left behind to worry for him. However, what surprised him most were the 'letters' his father wrote to his mother, she had kept those in a box hidden beneath her bed. In the very same room that his father refused to enter because it was _her_ room and he didn't feel as if he had the right to step foot in it again. In away, he was more like his father then he thought. Not in the shinobi aspect of who he was but more in his way of morning the dead—kind of like, acknowledging they're gone for good without actually admitting that they are.

_I never knew dad suffered so much without mom,_ Kakashi thought, staring down at one of the last entries to the 'letter-diary' his parents shared. He sighed and leaned back from the desk, relaxing further at the feel of his back popping as it finally straightened.

"What to do now?" Kakashi pondered aloud, observing the room he sat in, noting how there wasn't much dust inside despite the outside having gone to hell in a hand basket. As if to answer his silent ponderings, the front door opened and in walked an old woman with cleaning supplies in hand. "Hello," the poor woman nearly had a heart attack from his voice alone, "may I ask who you are?" The old woman turned very slowly to look at him with slanted black eyes nearly hidden in the wrinkles of her face.

"I am Kanamei," the old woman answered slowly, "I came to clean this house."

"Oh? I'm sorry Kanamei-san but I wasn't aware anyone was—"

"No one dose," Kanamei replied, her sandpaper sounding voice nearly snapping at him, "well, accept for my sweet granddaughter and son. They know I still come here."

"Still?" Kakashi questioned before shaking his head, "Never mind. If I had known there was someone coming here I would've given you money for all of the unnecessary work you've been doing..."

"Don't be stupid brat," Kanamei snapped at him, dark eyes glinting darkly at him, "I was friends with the woman of this house hold. Even after she died, I still came to do my part in helping with the young master and his boy. Even with Sakumo-kun gone and his son too afraid of ghosts to return, I still come."

"One: I am not afraid of ghosts," Kakashi huffed the woman, feeling irritated with the insult. "Two: there is no reason—wait, you knew my mother?"

"Of course I did, we went to school together," Kanamei huffed at him, "What? do I look ancient to you or something?"

"Um... no?"

And that is how a mop ended up sticking out of his home's wall

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"Everything work out alright?" Sakkon asked as he settled beside the campfire tiredly, "I'm starting to get tiered of waiting around for nothing."

"We all are," Kabuto sighed, rubbing at his sore shoulders, "but brain surgery isn't easy, even more so when I'm_ not_ a brain surgeon."

"Then why are you doing the surgery?" Sakkon asked with a frown

"I learned enough from my father," Kabuto sighed, "it's just difficult when one's doing it with pure chakra instead of the semi-normal way."

"Did you figure out the problem?" Kidōmaru asked as he plopped a small dear near the fire and started skinning it

"Fortunately yes," Kabuto sighed, "unfortunately it's just the tip of the ice burg. With so many other souls' interfering with my work, I may not ever have her in her previous condition."

"How much more time do you need?" Jirobo asked lowly, arms crossed where he sat, staring at the fire thoughtfully.

"A few more days at least," Kabuto sighed again, rubbing his tired face with one hand, "two maybe three..."

"Then in four days, with or without her, we're going into Konoha for the East gate," Sakkon replied, giving Kabuto a stern look. "If she's not fixed by then, then this wasn't her mission for proving her loyalty to—"

"Watch it Sakkon," Kabuto hissed immanently, glaring at the white haired boy

"—her loyalty to _sound_," Sakkon hissed, his own navy green eyes glaring at Kabuto. "Believe it or not, we all learned from last time Kabuto, we don't need to be told twice."

Kabuto rolled his eyes and stiffly rose to his feet, "I'm going to get rest while I still can. I have to get up early..."

"Why? You going somewhere?" Sakkon sneered at him

"Yes, I need medical supplies and some books on the human brain," Kabuto snapped back, "the only place to get what I need is in Konoha. You're all are lucky that I still have allies in that village or we'd be calling this mission a failure and going back to sound."

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Konohamaru gasped as he quickly ducked behind a rock to hide from the very real-looking flaming dragon aimed his way. He could nearly hear his mother chuckle over the crackling of the rock behind him.

_My mother is nuts_, Konohamaru thought, dark eyes looking around himself quickly, searching for an escape.

"Better run son!" his mother chuckled when the flames died down, "Water whip!" Konohamaru let out a yelp and dived into the nearest bush before moving into the tree line _away_ from his mother, never looking back.

_I've never trained with this woman before!_ Konohamaru thought in panic, running for everything he was worth, _No wonder dad always looked bad when he came home from training with mom! She's psychotic!_

When he heard his mother's laughter echo after him, Konohamaru swore that she could read minds

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

She stared down at the image now framed and resting beside her bed on the little night stand. The image showed her laying in a bed of white, long crimson hair pulled around her like a cloak, nearly hiding the two brothers cuddled into her sides with soft smiles. The morning sunlight of the picture, coupled with the bright white of the blankets seemed to make everything glow and made the image of have the appearance of being some famous painting from long ago. An image of a Tenshi hugging two little boys close to herself, like a spirit of a mother protecting two little boys in their sleep. Even in the image, Nira swore she could see herself having a small smile on her sleeping features; even her eyes appeared to be half-open, smiling down at the boys cuddled to her sides.

_What ever am I supposed to do with you two?_ Nira thought as she petted both boy's heads affectionately. Nira's head popped up as she heard someone struggling to enter her room through the window, huffing and grunting as he slowly pulled himself over the edge.

"How the hell... can Nee-chan... do this and... make it lo... look like... nothing?" Naruto panted as he pulled himself over the edge and flopped onto the floor panting, "Man... security really has... gotten tight..."

"Hello," Nira greeted, chuckling when Naruto flailed on the ground, "why are you here?"

"Oh! I'm sorry!" Naruto shouted, shooting into a sitting position

"Shhh idiot, are you trying to wake them?" Nira hissed softly, quickly covering the brother's ears and shooting Naruto a disapproving look. "Can't you talk softly? Goodness boy..."

"Ah, I'm sorry," Naruto whispered back, blushing brightly at his mistake, "I didn't mean to wake you..."

"You didn't," Nira sighed, "I've been awake since dawn. Now what is it that you want?"

"Hmm? Oh, I had to sneak in because security has gotten really tight lately," Naruto answered, scrunching his face up in thought. "I cam here to ask Sakura-nee for help in looking for someone... oh, maybe you can help me?"

"Shhh, you raised your voice again." Nira hissed at him, "speak softly child, or I'll have to put a seal on your tong!"

"A seal?" Naruto repeated dumbly

"Yes a seal," Nira huffed, "goodness gracious, don't you know what a seal is?"

"Well of course I do," Naruto huffed, "Fubuki-nee uses them all the time when she's sowing! See!" he held up his sleeve as if to make a point to the red haired woman sitting in her bed.

"I see leafs," Nira drawled with an elegantly raised crimson eyebrow

"That's the point," Naruto huffed, "look closer!" he ran two glowing fingers over a leaf and out popped a kunai knife, he waved it at her pointedly. "Fubuki-nee is a seal mistress! She's the best in the village!"

"The hell she is," Nira hissed, blue eyes narrow and sharp like blades. _I'm the damn seal mistress!_ Suddenly something accord to her, remembering what Karin had once told her a few months ago and then what this little blond had nearly shouted at her. "Oh! You said... Fubuki didn't you? Are you talking about Fubuki Haruno?"

"Uh-huh," Naruto bobbed his head, placing the kunai back over the golden leaf and resealing it. "We're not tied by blood or anything but I really do consider the Haruno family as my own."

"Haruno?" Nira repeated, "heh, you must be Naruto Uzumaki... the little brat Mesume calls 'kin'." _Kushina's boy..._

"Kin?" Naruto repeated dumbly, "Who calls me—" Naruto cut himself off as he took a good look at the red head sitting in the bed before him, his eyes widening and lighting up like a light bulb went off in his head. "You're Karin's mom!"

"I told you to be quiet," Nira hissed at him, blue eyes sharpening into her finest glare. "If the boy's wake I really will put a seal on your tong that you'll never be able to remove!"

"You say that but..." Naruto pushed himself a little away from the fierce kunochi, "you're just as loud as me..."

"Humph," Nira crossed her arms and looked down her nose at the small blond, "Wha'd ya want, _brat_?"

Naruto bristled at the insult, "I _was_ going to ask for your help but seeing how you're too _weak_ to get out of bead..." it was Nira's turn to bristle at the insult, her eyes flashing dangerously as her glare intensified on the blonde. "Guess you couldn't help me if you wanted to, not that you can anyways... _man_ what a waist of time."

"Why you little—"

"Well," Naruto pushed himself up and moved towards the door with a lazy gate, "Might as well visit my sister's while I'm here..."

_You little—_"what was it that you wanted my help with, _little_ _brat_?" Nira hissed at him

"Forget it hag," Naruto frowned at her over his shoulder, earning a livid expression, "You're bed ridden, you can't help me."

"Ch, tell me what you want I just might start thinking of ways to get out and help," Nira shot back, her brow ticking widely. _Defiantly Kushina's son, no one else can piss me off like she can!_

Suddenly the door opened wide, startling everyone inside

"Hello honey, I'm home!"

"Die!" Nira screamed, flinging her pillow straight into Jiraiya's face with enough force to make him stumble back

_And you say I'm loud..._ Naruto watched in something akin to fascination as Nira and Jiraiya argued loudly, both waking up the brother's, to which Nira promptly blamed Jiraiya and started threatening his 'favorite toy'... what ever that was.

"Ghaa! How can you say that to me?!" Jiraiya whined to Nira, "After all the trouble I went to get you, your favorite dish!"

"Don't even think that'll have any—"

"Fried squid and sesame rice balls!" Jiraiya held the bag of 'goodies' in front of Nira, just barely out of her reach. "Karin-chan told me all about your like and dislikes!" _although it took time to convince her..._

"What is it that you want from me?" Nira asked, suddenly very passive with her eyes locked onto the bag suspiciously

"Ne~ just some of your time," Jiraiya smiled, handing the dish over only to find himself staring down into a pair of brown orbs. "Huh? Oh, hello little one, do you mind if I steal Nira-chan for a moment?" the little boy made a strangled noise and launched himself into Nira's lap, wrapping his scrawny arms around her neck and glaring at Jiraiya with childish-possessiveness.

"Easy Kouki," Nira instructed, wrapping her bandaged arms around his small back carefully, "don't strain yourself."

"Huh? Is he hurt?" Naruto and Jiraiya asked together

"No," another, slightly older, boy whispered sitting up and scooting closer to Nira, "We just don't trust you."

"Huh? Why not?" Naruto asked

"You came in through the window and then proceeded to argue with Nira-sama," the boy pointed out with a raised eyebrow. "And you," he turned to Jiraiya with an accusatory look, "you wanna take away the woman who saved our lives. We've been waiting all week for her to wake up, you can wait your turn."

"What?! But I have priority!" Jiraiya whined loudly, "I'm one of the legendary Sanin ya-know!"

"Yet you weren't here when the darkness attacked," the boy drawled, looking severally unimpressed, "I fail to see your importance." Naruto laughed loudly while Jiraiya hunched over in his place beside the bed, where his little brother looked smugly at him and Nira refused to help, choosing instead to laugh at his misfortune.

"You kids are mean," Jiraiya grumbled, shooting Nira a wounded look, "and don't you have anything to say to me? After all the trouble I went through to save you in that attack..."

"Hmm? You did what?" Nira asked innocently, laughter still dancing in her voice, "I don't recall you at all in that attack _three months_ ago..."

"That's because you nearly killed your self," Jiraiya drawled, putting his hands on his hips. "Who did you think carried you away from that bomb blast? Who got you to the medics before you bled to death? Who got you to Karin before she exhausted herself? Huh? Who do you think that was?"

"Alright, alright," Nira sighed, "you made your point. I owe you a debt, now what do you want?"

"Well for starters..." Jiraiya looked pointedly at the two boys still clued to Nira's sides, then glanced at Naruto unsurely

"Boys," Nira called softly, smiling at the brother's cuddled close to her, "Why don't you go with my nephew here and get some ice cream?"

"What? But—"

"No buts, I want strawberry or chocolate, got that?" Nira asked, looking pointedly up at Jiraiya, "he's paying so the three of you splurge."

"Why do I have to pay?" Jiraiya asked, even as he pulled out his wallet

"Because you're interrupting my argument with Naruto _and_ you both are disturbing my sleep with the boys," Nira smirked at him

"Are you sure Nira-sama?" the older boy asked

"I'm sure Kazuki-kun," Nira smiled reassuringly, "besides, you pretty much hit the nail on the head with him." Nira smirked and jerked her thumb at Jiraiya, "he's nothing but a big pervert, he doesn't have much skill in anything else..."

"Hay that's just mean!" Jiraiya whined loudly, the little boy in Nira's arms giggled and jumped off her bed, hurriedly moving to the end to await Kazuki.

"You sure Ototo?" Kazuki asked, tilting his head to the side, the younger brunet smiled brightly and nodded surly. "Alright then," Kazuki shrugged and pushed himself off Nira's bed, moving to the end he gave Jiraiya a pointed look, "Don't hurt her or else you'll have to deal with us."

"Oh Gee, I'm so scared," Jiraiya replied sarcastically

"You should be," Nira smirked at him, blue eyes dancing, "as a survivor of the last war you should know better then to underestimate the enemy, even if that enemy is just a kid."

"Wha—but I only have to be concerned with kids if they're from some kind of blood-line carrying clan!" Jiraiya huffed at the red head

"For all you know they just might belong to a clan," Nira replied with a knowing wink at Kazuki, who smirked back at her. The brother's didn't come from any special clan, their surname was Moriyama a very common civilian name, they couldn't even find their chakra system much less use it; they had no special abilities. They only had weak bodies and each other.

Still, it was nice making Jiraiya doubt his observation skills

"You three brats just go," Jiraiya sighed, bowing his head in defeat. Kouki giggled and hurried to the door, his elder brother in hand.

"You too Naruto," Nira sighed, waving him away

"Wha—but I got here first!"

"As your aunt I'll speak to you when you return," Nira smiled at him, "as a kunochi I must hear what Jiraiya has to say to me."

"...alright fine," Naruto huffed throwing his hands behind his head as he moved for the door, "but I get dibs when we get back!"

"Sure thing," Nira chuckled, waving at the boys as they followed Naruto out the door, "You three stick together and be safe!"

"Sure no problem," Naruto huffed as he walked out

"We'll be back before you know it Nira-sama!" Kazumi waved and closed the door

The two war veterans waited until they couldn't hear the foot steps or giggling before they both looked at each other seriously

"What do you want?" Nira asked seriously

"Three things," Jiraiya replied, crossing his arms and leaning back. "One of them is to teach Naruto all or at least most of what you know."

"That's a major duh if there ever was one," Nira narrowed her eyes at him, "what else?"

"Can you put up a few protection seals around the village?" Jiraiya asked, still regarding her seriously

"What kind of 'protection seals'?" Nira asked, suddenly stiff

"Just ones that'll steal the energy from enemies without killing them," Jiraiya reassured. "Like the trees that protect the village, they're supposed to delay or at least weaken the enemy forces a little bit at a time. However, when the enemy comes in great numbers, the trees can't focus on a single enemy and as such the enemies don't lose as much chakra as they other wise would."

"I understand," Nira sighed. "I can put a few seals at the wall; those who attack it or damage it will be targeted and traced through out the village until they leave the premises. I can design it so that they won't die but they won't be able to produce ninjutsu... or at least, not without _exceptional_ chakra control." _As much as a Bijuu but with absolutely __**perfect**__ control_

"That's good," Jiraiya shifted slightly, as if uncomfortable with something

"Hmm? What is it Jiraiya?" Nira straightened in her bed, blue eyes like daggers to Jiraiya's head as she stared up at him, "What are you holding back?"

"...in a few month's I'm leaving the village," Jiraiya said softly

"So?" Nira asked, it wasn't news that Jiraiya came and went from the hidden village like the wind

"...I'm... taking Naruto with me..."

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

He had gotten his fingers to brush over the Yondaime's back when he heard an ominous sounding throat clearing from behind. Turning slowly, Sasuke observed the cross-armed Anbu Kunochi wirily, not entirely sure how to respond to her not so happy appearance.

"I thought I told you to go home, _Sasuke Uchiha_," she said his name like some kind of demon warning a human away from it's den.

"...and I said I'm looking for something," Sasuke replied as calmly as he could, turning away from the mural and addressing the older woman calmly or at least, as calmly as he could.

"Uh-huh," she didn't sound impressed or convinced, "Shouldn't you be practicing with your mother or brother? Don't you have D-ranks to do?"

"Don't you?" Sasuke shot back without thinking

Let's just say, Sasuke went straight home and ignored the rest of the world for the day

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

He sat at his desk, staring at the scroll laid out in front of him; it was easily the most he had ever written for a report, nearly filling the entire thing. As requested from his father, Shisui added his father's experience into the report and as much detail as he could remember. They had spent just over half the day spilling over the report, filling as much as possible and adding every detail either one of them could remember. it had been finished with his mother's last words about Shisui's elder brother, Obito, and neither one of them was sure if that was all they should put in or if there was something they were forgetting. In the end, Shisui and his father agreed that the younger should take the scroll to the Hokage anyways and that if either one of them remembered something vital they could add it to another scroll.

When Shisui arrived at the Kage tower to deliver his report, he found that the people reporting what had happened to them the previous week were still coming and going from the tower, finally getting around to finishing their reports and submitting them into the register. Instead of delivering it to the sectaries on the first floor, Shisui went to the top floor and delivered it to Tsunade himself, somehow feeling uncomfortable with someone possibly reading it before the blonde.

"Thank you Shisui-san," Tsunade sighed, rubbing at her temple while she took the scroll, "I'll read it soon."

"...lady Hokage, can I ask you something?" Shisui asked softly, not lifting his eyes from the floor, "I know it might sound strange and I couldn't stop you if you said no but..."

"What is it?" Tsunade asked, her attention riveted to the young man standing before her

"...can I ask you to not let anyone else read it?" Shisui asked, shifting uncomfortably, "my father and I... we kind of want to move on and... and we don't want to remember the past anymore... we've agreed to let sleeping dogs lay..."

"...I understand," Tsunade bobbed her head courtly, "you understand that if it pertains to anything about Satoshi Himura that those who are chasing that boy will need to read what you have to say as well, yes?"

"Yes my lady," Shisui bowed, "I trust your judgment."

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

**By the way, should I make Orochimaru, Sai's father?**

**Thoughts are helpful**

**Opinions are wonderful**

**Helpful criticism****is**** lovely! Just don't cripple me okay?**

**Please no cursing!**

**And don't forget to**** rate and**** review!**

**Page 22**


	56. Chapter 56

**There is a reason**

Chapter 56: Sound advances

Koomahana

**Fubuki was 10 when she met Sakura & 11 when she was taken to the leaf village**

**Tayuya was 8 when she met Sakura & 9 when she was taken to the leaf village**

**Sakura was 3 when she was taken and returned to the leaf village**

**Yagura was 20 when he first met Sakura and 21 when he returned to his body.**

**Yagura is 17 years older then Sakura, ten years older then Fubuki and 12 years older then Tayuya**

**Fubuki is 7 years older than Sakura and 2 years older then Tayuya**

**Tayuya is 5 years older than Sakura**

**Fubuki was a genin at 12, Chunin at 14 and Jonin at 16**

**Tayuya was a genin at 12, Chunin at 13 ½ and Jonin at 16**

**They are now:**

**Yagura is now 29 years old—Mizukage—deceased**

**Fubuki is now 19 years old—Jonin for three years (Same age as Shisui—Anbu—and Shikan—Jonin)**

**Tayuya is now 17 years old—Jonin for one year (Same age as Itachi—Anbu—and Hana—Jonin and Kimimaro—Jonin)**

**Sakura is now 12 years old—Genin (Same as Naruto, Sasuke, Karin, Suigetsu, Haku, and Satoshi)**

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

It had been a close call in the village hidden in the leafs, seeking the medicines he needed where rare and difficult to find, the books he wanted were in the restricted and highly guarded sector of the library—where he was very nearly caught three or four times. It was risky, difficult and on the verge of impossible but he pulled it off. The idea of using both illusionary and solid clones to confuse his pursuers was a brilliant one, especially when his shadow clones would hide what he needed and then led the shinobi away long enough to let another take the package and hide it again. This was the process he used to slowly get the packages to the outer wall and too closer and stronger clones who would then find away to take the packages to the original. It took time but he was able to spare Karin's life and to fix the damage done to her in time for the mission's placement.

"How is she?" Sakkon asked as Kabuto emerged from one of the back rooms, drawing everyone's attention to his sweat soaked appearance

"Better," Kabuto whispered tiredly, voice horse and dry from the lack of use, "you can use her tomorrow." And the white haired boy passed into the other room and immanently collapsed into his own 'bed', passing out almost before his head hit the 'pillow'. Curious, Kidōmaru rose to his feet and moved to the only other back room they had, Jirobo and Sakkon close behind. In the middle of the dark bed with only three candles stationed around the room, their female teammate was wrapped in the blankets they brought and the skins of the animals they killed for food. Her crimson eyes stared up at them from a mass of scarlet locks like clear glass, clam and sightless like she was blind.

"How're you feeling?" Kidōmaru asked softly, tilting his head to the side curious about the girl's reaction

"Sleepy," the girl answered whisper soft, "he's back..."

"Who's back?" Sakkon asked

"careful... their searching... too close... sensor... she knows..." like a storm the three young men barreled out of their 'base' their teammate's last words echoing emptily in their mind.

"We're found"

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

He glared at the brunet woman standing at the end of his hospital bed, hands on her hips and black eyes glaring unafraid right back to him.

"We put those chakra suppressant bracelets on you, _for a reason_ Itachi-sama," the woman growled, her own black eyes flashing bright crimson meaningfully. "If I catch you out of bed one more time—"

"Oh lay off already aunty," they both turned at the amused voice, glaring together at the familiar emotional Uchiha standing in the doorway. "He's got bigger—"

"Shisui Uchiha," the nurse growled, snapping around to address the frequent patient-run-away with a furious look, "When did you get out?!"

"When you weren't on duty!" Shisui laughed, quickly ducking into the hall way as the nurse dove straight for him, Sharingan eyes a blaze in fury and irritation while the younger male simply sprinted away from the once kunochi, laughter ringing shrilly around him.

Itachi smirked as he realized what his cousin had just done, _you just redeemed yourself_

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

They all sat together, teams eight and nine, trying to ignore the fact that they were 'discreetly' spying on their respective teachers. Honestly neither one of their sensei's bothered to hide their trails enough to keep Ino from sensing them or to keep Kiba from fallowing their scents.

"Chōji slow down," Ino whispered harshly, tugging her hood further over her blond head, "you're going to give us away."

"Not nearly as much as your insistent whispering," Shikamaru shot back lazily

"I think we got caught two hours ago," Kiba grumbled, head braced on his right fist, left hand snatching a piece of meet from the grill just before Chōji could get to it. Much to Chōji's amusement, Akamaru snatched the piece of meat from Kiba before he could eat it, which seemed to be the perfect vengeance for the young Akimichi.

"Have any of you seen Sakura?" Hinata asked, turning to look expectantly at her teammates

"Isn't she in the hospital again?" Kiba asked, pouting at Akamaru who licked his cheek in response

"She escaped during the emergency drill last week," Hinata answered

"I saw Fubuki dragging her back to the hospital two days ago," Ino said thoughtfully, "Why? Is there something going on?" Hinata and Shikamaru shared a look; both remembering what had happened the day before the strange 'practice evacuation'. "Huh? What're you two hiding?" Hinata dropped her gaze as Shikamaru let out a tired sigh, slumping further in his seat, "Well? Spill it!"

"Be quiet," Shikamaru hissed, glancing around the edge of the seat to look at Asuma and Kurenai, it didn't look like they noticed Ino's louder then usual voice. "Have you talked to your dad since last week?"

"Huh? What dose that have to do with Sakura?" Ino asked

"Please answer the question Yamanaka-san," Hinata sighed, sipping on her tea

"Fine, yes I've spoken to my father since last week, almost daily, why?" Ino asked, looking at Hinata curiously

"Has he mentioned anything about..." Shikamaru paused and glanced at Hinata unsurely

"...have you heard any weird rumors?" Hinata asked instead, drawing curious looks

"Like what?" Ino asked, narrowing her eyes in suspicion. Hinata shrugged carelessly, keeping her silence despite the glare the blonde shot her. "...You're not going tell me are you?" Ino asked, Hinata just smiled back at her

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

_This is taking too long!_ Kidōmaru thought as he dodged another strike aimed for his chest, his golden eyes sparking brightly as he saw the wound on the older male's leg, slowing him down. With a quick tab, Kidōmaru slashed out with one clawed hand, formed a hand sign with two and let his other two arms block the fast moving punches and jabs aimed at his vital areas. Taking a deep breath, Kidōmaru spat out a blast of poisonous silk from his mouth, tangling the Anbu quickly. _I have to hurry, I can't let them get to close!_ Kidōmaru spun on his heal, and quickly returned to the tree with the hollowed out bottom, letting his silk threads sweep out and spread through the trees. Ignoring the nick on his side, Kidōmaru spun and slashed out wildly at the shadow who had barely moved, his poisonous silk wrapping around the shadow's throat and mouth, suffocating them quickly.

"Kidōmaru!" his golden eyes snapped over at the red haired man appearing beside him, "Get to the entrance and hide it in your silk. We'll take care of the others."

"I just took out four," Kidōmaru panted, "how many did you get?"

"Two," Jirobo frowned, "you finished off my third guy. The sensor girl hurt Kimimaro pretty bad, so Sakon and Ukon are dealing with her. I think she was the captain of the team."

"Got it!" Kidōmaru snapped, letting him self fall from the branches and land before the tree housing the large underground placement. _I'm the only one left to protect them huh..._ he spun as he slipped into the dark hole at the base of the tree, letting his limbs drag in after him. He deliberately let his spider silk trail around the tree, letting the wind carry some threads higher while others coated the immanent surroundings of the tree, making it impossible to approach without alerting him.

"Kidōmaru?" he turned at the sound of his name, Kabuto was peaking out from his room, regarding him sleepily, "What's going on?"

"An Anbu team followed Kimimaro," Kidōmaru answered, "They're putting up a good fight and called reinforcements but I've already killed four of the members. Sakon and Ukon are dealing with the other two while Jirobo get's Kimimaro, the captain of the first team wounded him."

"Is he in any immanent danger?" Kabuto asked, suddenly pushing his glasses onto his face

"Not that I know of," Kidōmaru answered, "Jirobo is bringing him here then standing guard outside."

"Got it," Kabuto yawned, "I'll be in here... just in case"

_Yeah, just in case..._ Kidōmaru thought, turning back to his spider silk and sending out another wave to surround the base protectively, along with thousands of his summon spiders.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"I can't thank you enough Aunty," Tsubame said as she carefully walked down the stairs of the two story house, "how did you manage to put up another room in such short notice?"

"We had two months to prepare," Mebuki chuckled, "We hired a friend and a few carpenters. Do you like it?"

"Like it? The room is the same size as my apartment!" Tsubame chuckled sighing in relieve when they reached the first floor and she was led to a comfy looking chair. "It's only going to be me and the baby for a little bit Aunty," Tsubame sighed, relaxing in the chair, "there was no need for you to do so much for us. We'll be out of your hair before you know it."

"I highly doubt that," Mebuki chuckled, "once a Haruno moves in with another, they're stuck for life so you can just rest your pretty little head and not worry about anything, okay?'

"Alright Aunty," Tsubame sighed, letting her aunt move away to the kitchen. _Do you hear that love?_ Tsubame thought, rubbing her stomach lovingly, _even if I don't make it like the doctor thinks, you'll still have a place to go... someone... to love... and accept... you..._

"Oka-chan? I'm home!" Fubuki called as she opened the door and kicked off her shoes, the first thing she noticed was the sleeping orangette on her mother's favorite chair. Raising a brow, Fubuki silently walked forward and carefully placed a cool hand on her cousin's temple before gently pressing it against the older woman's stomach and checking on the child.

_She'll be just fine,_ Smiling to herself, Fubuki straightened and walked away from her sleeping cousin. _All the same... I might as well get some vitamin rich foods ready for her when she wakes..._

Despite her indifference towards pregnant women, Fubuki was looking forward to tending to her cousin and newest relative.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

She glared at the two young men sitting across from her, dark brow twitching wildly as they both continued to converse like she wasn't even there.

"Excuse me," Shizune called frigidly, "but you're crowding my table." Both males blinked at each other and looked dumbly at her, it wasn't long before they both lecherous looks on their average looking faces

"When did you get here sweaty?" the blonde asked with a sickening sweet smile, leaning over the table to get a better look at Shizune's face

"About an hour ago," Shizune drawled, "While you were with your last girlfriend."

"Ha-ha-ha! This one's got a tong on her!" the brunet cackled

"That's okay I like a challenge," the blonde rolled his eyes

"Ah! I found you love!" Shizune blinked dumbly when she felt someone else scoot into the seat beside her, wrapping one arm around her shoulders. "Sorry for being late, the students could be quite a handful"

"Iruka?" Shizune questioned in puzzlement, not quite sure where the man came from

"Huh? Hay beat it man! She's our—"

"She's your nothing," Iruka interrupted, tugging Shizune closer to his side, tilting his head meaningfully towards her face. "Get it brats? Leave before I decide to get violent"

"That's my line," Shizune huffed, understanding and playing along for the time being

"Guess I learned from the best," Iruka smiled at her, "have you seen Naruto or Sakura today? I've got a few new books I thought they'd like to see"

"Sorry no, Lady Tsunade has been keeping me busy all day," Shizune sighed, as if she was disappointed with the news

"Tsu-Tsunade?" the blonde questioned shakily, his face oddly pale, "As in Tsunade Senju, one of the legendary Sanin and the Hokage?"

"Uh-huh," Shizune bobbed her head innocently, as if she couldn't find the significance in her master's name

"We're so sorry ms," the burnt breathed shakily, "We'll go now. Have a nice date!" Together the two young men darted out of the restraint like rocket's. Iruka waited till he couldn't see or hear them before he all but launched himself out of the booth, blushing brightly and stammering over his apology.

"It's alright," Shizune smiled, "I should apologizing for the kunai."

"You were well in your right for placing that," Iruka blushed, one hand unconsciously moving to cover said targeted area. "I'm sorry Shizune-san, I over heard what they were saying and then heard your voice and realized that you've been here since before they sat down and-and..."

"I said it's alright," Shizune sighed, shifting in her seat to lean back and observe the table of food that she didn't order, "at least they paid before they left..."

"I should go and leave you to your dinner," Iruka said softly, scratching at one cheek as he turned on his heal and started to move away.

"Ah, wait a moment Iruka-san," Shizune called, "I didn't order any of this and it'd be a waist to just leave it for the staff to tend to and I couldn't possibly eat it all by my self."

"Umm... I'm not alone, Shizune-san..." Iruka said with an apologetic look

"That's okay, you can bring them over too," Shizune smiled back, "really, I don't mind."

"Really Shizune-san?!" Konohamaru asked, nearly diving around the seat barrier to tackle her in a hug, "you'll really let us eat with you?!"

"Now wait a moment Konohamaru! You just ordered yourself!" Iruka tried to scold the younger boy

"What's this green thing?" Udon asked, appearing from the other side, staring at a plate of _something_ that Shizune's unwanted guests had ordered.

"I don't mind," Shizune said as Konohamaru launched himself out of her arms and across the seat to look at the thing that had Udon's attention. "Really," she smiled reassuringly at Iruka

"Well... since you insist..." Iruka sighed taking a seat across from Shizune, only to get shoved aside when Konohamaru and Udon barreled into him, deliberately moving him off the seat so Moegi would have a seat with them.

"Ah! Sensei!" Moegi called out in worry, watching Iruka land on the restraint floor with a hard thud

"Ow! You brats!" Iruka growled, pulling himself up from the floor "You did that on purpose didn't you?!"

"Sorry Iruka-sensei," Konohamaru said, looking anything but sorry, "We thought you were sitting next to Shizune-san."

"You little brat," Iruka growled, standing to his full height and putting his hands on his hips. Hearing a soft snicker, Iruka blinked dumbly down at Shizune, who had scooted over and was watching them all with amused black eyes.

"Might as well take a seat Iruka-san," Shizune smiled, sipping at her tea, "I don't bite." She waited until Iruka sat beside her with a tired sigh before she added a vindictive 'much' under her breath. While Iruka choked on his stick of Dango, the students laughed at his misfortune and Shizune was left to drink her tea without choking.

_That's just mean Shizune-san!_ Iruka thought as he pounded on his chest to dislodged the stuck treat from his throat.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"How's the brat?" Sakon asked as he retreated to his brother, letting Ukon hover over Kimimaro

"Don't know, he's out cold," his brother replied lowly, "his curse mark isn't activating to heal the damage. I thought this guy was strong? Stronger then us?"

"I doubt they gave him much warning before they stabbed him in the chest," Sakon replied, observing the very week looking man trying to stand protectively in front of the wounded black robed woman. At least Kimimaro had landed a hit before they separated; two of his bones were still lodged in the woman's left leg and another in her left arm, the man had a huge gash on his rib cage.

"Captain we need to retreat!" the woman gasped, tugging uselessly at the bone in her arm, "They're too much for us!"

"Where are the others?" the captain asked, holding his side carefully, crimson eyes glaring furiously at them through his porcelain mask

"...I-I can't feel them," the woman answered regretfully, bowing her head in shame, "I... I think they're gone..."

"Ch, Jirobo and Kidōmaru move fast," Ukon scoffed, "We going to kill them?"

"Yeah, we can't let them escape," Sakon narrowed his eyes at the two, the man growled and immanently went through a few dozen hand signs, "Ukon watch out!"

"Right!" Ukon grabbed Kimimaro and dived into the nearest bush, Sakon close behind

"Fire style: life mimicry!"

"Earth style: earthen dome!" a bright flash of light blinded everyone as a loud boom shook through the forest, tilting trees and liquefying the earth. The twins counted to fifteen before they dared to move, their dark teal eyes opening to stare dumbly at Jirobo who crouched in front of them.

"You get them?" Sakon asked, removing himself from his brother's side and uncovering Kimimaro

"I'm not sure," Jirobo answered, orange eyes observing the earthen dome suspiciously, "It feels like it but..." he could swear that for a moment, there were four signatures instead of two but he was only feeling two signatures in the earthen mound now...

"...Ukon take Kimimaro back now, I'll stand with Jirobo"

"No way, that's too risky," Ukon replied. "If Jirobo some how magically missed his mark," _which has never happened before_ "then we'll need to stand together, got it?"

"Fine, but you're carrying for the brat,"

"Ch, don't remind me,"

_I have to figure it out,_ Jirobo moved quickly, slamming his palms against the earthen dome, orange eyes narrowed. _I can't have missed my mark!_

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

She stared transfixed on the little orange ball floating beside her, listening to her mother's whispers like she used to as a child. She was aware that another had joined her moments ago, listening to the ancient story silently, with only one hand clasped onto her own reassuringly.

"_...and they say that the young woman took the fruit of the great tree and took a small bite._" The orb continued, voice depicting all of her disappointment at the woman's choice. "_She then slept for many days, withering in agony as the great tree's fruit transformed her body agonizingly slowly. Once her enemies heard of what she had done, they gathered and marched against her, eager to end her life for performing the forbidden._"

And so the story went, her mother's voice soft and emotional at the same time, relaying the emotions the people must've felt; the agony the woman must've felt with the rejection of her husband, the joy and regret of the people who loved and feared her. The sorrow of the woman's children and their grand children and great grandchildren and how each generation after the young woman seemed to be cursed in various different ways, just as their ancestor was. One line was cursed with hatred, one with insanity, one in love, one in desperation, one in misfortune, one in luck and some weren't cursed at all while seemed to have the whole world against them. Each decedent was as unique as the next, not just in looks but also abilities. Some could form crystals, some could summon any creature their imagination could provide, some had control over a single element while others had two and still, one clan that her mother spook highly of, could control all the elements while another was full of sages.

_It's as if she's been alive for centuries,_ Tayuya thought, listening to her mother retell her knowledge like an ancient storybook with no main character or favoritism. Just telling things how they were and not holding back the truth no matter the consequences—it was how her mother was in life.

"..._Despite their relation, the children fought and separated and fought some more_," the woman sighed as if she was disappointed in the children herself. "_As time past and generations came and went, some decedents found peace with each other, others could only argue. Eventually the descendents of that sorrow stricken woman married those with none of their own ability. A few centuries later and none of the decedents shared the same blood of the weeping woman, they were divers and yet the same. They were kin but not, dose that make sense?_" The little orange orb shifted back as if to look at the young woman laying beside it, only to find that the young woman was asleep and the person beside her was sitting calmly, watching the orange orb closely. The young man was staring at the orb as if he could memorize everything it was saying or perhaps, it could envision everything that the orb said.

"_Do you wish to hear more?_" the orb asked softly

"Yes please," the young man whispered, "I find it interesting with how much you know."

He could almost feel the spirit-orb smile at him

"_a millennia ago another woman came to the war stained nations,_" the orb whispered gently "_she saw the destruction and sorrow and repeated what had happened a millennia before, repeating history._"

"Who is this second woman you're speaking about now?" The young man asked, tilting his head to the side

"_Her name is Kaguya Ōtsutsuki_," the orb answered gently, "_and she repeated history, do you know the difference between she and our ancestor?_" the orb asked, the man shook his head, confused about her word choice. "_Kaguya ate the entire fruit as apposed to just a single bit as our ancestor had done. While our ancestor felt remorse for her actions and regretted what she had done to achieve peace for her people, Kaguya did not feel remorse for what she had done. Kaguya destroyed her enemies for allying against her, where as our ancestor had begged them to reunite again in peace. Kaguya's only bit of sorrow came from birthing her sons, from there she did not do what our ancestor had done. Kaguya used her power to punish those against her, while our ancestor used it to guild her people towards peace without the use of violence._"

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

She stared out at the village resting peacefully beyond her window. The sky was as pale as it could get and still remain blue, she didn't see any clouds but she couldn't see the entire sky either. She felt numb despite the noon sun streaming through her window, trying to warm her frigid limbs and dully eyes.

…

"_I'm Taking Naruto with me..." her eyes widened and she couldn't stop herself from reaching out and grabbing the white haired man by the collar of his shirt._

"_You ask me to teach him everything I know and then you tell me that you're leaving with Naruto?!" She hissed, blue eyes darkening drastically as she glared at the man, "It'll take years for me to teach that knuckle head everything that I know! Years Jiraiya! Just what do you want from me?!"_

"_I want you to come with us," Jiraiya answered, placing his massive hands on her wrists and gently pulling her away from himself. "When I leave I'll be gathering information on Orochimaru, I'll be searching for his bases and exposing them to Konoha as quickly as possible."_

"_I fail to see why I have to—"_

"_Orochimaru has Karin," Jiraiya interrupted, shocking Nira into silence. "If you come with us we'll be able to find her that much faster, not only that but you'll have more time to teach Naruto. You won't have to worry about Missions or training, you can handle all of his intelligence training and I can beat the crud out of him."_

"_...Orochimaru... he-he has my daughter?" Nira whispered paling drastically and growing limp in her seat on the hospital bed._

"_I'm sorry," Jiraiya whispered, "I... I thought you knew... with that tracking, mind reading seal you have on her..."_

"_It failed the day lady Tsunade arrived," Nira whispered turning to look out her hospital window. "I've been too weak to replace it and Doctor Iwasa refused to let me out of the hospital."_

…

_It's getting late_, Nira thought watching the sun slowly creep lower and lower to the horizon. Slowly she turned to regard the sleeping brother's sharing the bed with her feet, even after the nurse came for them, they had snuck right back out and settled in her bed. A few days ago, Nira had over heard a few of the nurses talking about the two mysterious brothers. Their father was a merchant and had died a few months after Kouki was born while traveling to deliver his goods in a nearby village. Their mother was a cook with a poor immune system; she had passed in the attack of the chunin exams. The brothers had no aunts, uncles, cousins or even grandparents to rely on. Kouki had become mute in the attack after watching his mother get killed in front of him. Kazuki had kidney failure during the attack, though he's been waiting for a transplant sense the village attack he is incapable of leaving the hospital.

Glancing back out the window, Nira decided that it was time for her to rest as well and carefully laid herself down in her bed. Both of her hands stroking the brother's curly brown hair affectionately.

_I wish I could heal you_

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

He stiffened as he felt a sudden lose inside his earthen dome, yet he had heard nothing more then murmurings and felt little to no movement from the two inside.

"What's wrong?" Sakon asked shifting to look at him fully, "You're suddenly tense..."

"Did you get them?" Ukon asked from where he sat beside their heavily wounded 'teammate'. Jirobo narrowed his eyes and released his jutsu, straightening as the earthen dome collapsed on itself.

"Damn," Jirobo growled jumping away from the rubble "retreat!" Sakon and Ukon moved together, lifting a knocked out Kimimaro from the hard ground and chasing after Jirobo as fast as they could.

"Jirobo!" Sakon shouted as they caught up to the orange haired man

"I messed up," Jirobo hissed, gritting his teeth, "I knew something wasn't right but... damn it!"

"Some kind of substitution?" Ukon asked as they ran

"How did they get out of your jutsu?" Sakon asked, choosing to ignore Ukon's question

"They didn't get out of my jutsu," Jirobo growled, fists clenched tightly at his side, "because... they were never caught!"

_What?!_ Sakon stiffened before growling lowly in the back of his throat, "We've been had!"

"Damn it!" Ukon hissed, "They've had to have gotten a message back to Konoha by now!"

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"Fubuki, have you seen your siblings?" Mebuki asked as she stepped out onto the back porch, scratching the back of her head with a face of confusion. Fubuki looked up from where she kneeled beside the back gate of their yard, her whole body covered in the large bushes and plants she's been raising since she was a genin.

"Itachi, Tayuya and Sakura are in the hospital, Naruto said something about visiting Tsunade-sama and Sasuke is properly off somewhere training." Fubuki answered, barely visible amongst the flowering herbs she's been caring for over a decade.

"Alright," Mebuki sighed, returning to her house, mumbling about her children not leaving notes when they disappear on her. Chuckling Fubuki clambered her way out of the far back garden and started pruning a few of her larger herb plants. She was about half way through the largest bush when she heard loud foot steps approaching, turning slightly to look at the slight opening of her back yard fence, Fubuki watched as a young man suddenly slid into view, barely managing to stop in front of the gate. With a shout of 'got it', the young man threw open the back gate and took three hurried steps in—then face planted the ground because his knees gave out. Fubuki stared at the panting young man laying on the ground, harsh panting stirred the dirt and wild black hair obscuring his nicely tanned cheeks.

"Hello," Fubuki greeted, watching the young man flinched at the sound of her voice, turning wide startled black eyes on her. "Welcome to the Haruno house hold, my name is Fubuki and I'm the eldest daughter, how can I help you?" sometimes, Fubuki hated how she always had to be polite to even the most random of people, her mother had trained her well and she ended up getting the village nickname 'polite psychopath'; a name Shisui and Tayuya started for vengeance over something petty. Unfortunately, it stuck with her ever sense. The man blinked dumbly at her, before making a strange almost strangled sound in the back of his throat, his eyes widening further in realization.

"You're Fubuki Haruno?" the young man asked, whipping his chin on the back of his wrist, "I'm Kaharu Uchiha, Shisui-sama has requested your help at his house hold, said it's an emergency."

"I see," Fubuki sighed, it was hardly the first time her eccentric teammate used his clan's runners to deliver some obscure message or his version of an 'emergency'. _I'm impressed you runners still listen to him..._ "Did he say anything else?"

"Yes ma'am," the young man gasped, "uh... something like 'in the snow the scarlet flower blooms'... I think."

"You idiot!" Fubuki snapped, her face draining of color and startling the young man, "You should've said that first!" and with a flourish of water and ice Fubuki disappeared, leaving the confused Uchiha in her back yard where her mother would proceed to interrogate him.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Tsunade growled as she flew through the paper work sitting on her desk, her eyes blazing as she went through with lightning fast movements, her pen blurring across the surfaces of the papers. Her sectaries were barely moving fast enough to keep up with her, swarming in and out of her office as quickly as possible to avoid her wrath and get the paper work she wanted. They weren't entirely sure why she was suddenly in a frenzy to get her paper work done but they weren't about to question her about it.

"More!" Tsunade snapped as the last paper was flung to the side where Kotetsu was barely fast enough to catch it and hurry out the door

"Here Tsunade-sama!" Isomu shouted, slamming a large stack of paper work on Tsunade's desk, quickly followed by another three stacks. Tsunade hummed and continued scanning, writing and reviewing faster then what should've been possible for a human being.

"More stacks," Tsunade hissed, noting the piles shortening as she worked

"But—"

"_Now_," she interrupted

"The village elders are here," Isomu grumbled, Tsunade kept writing for a few more seconds before the information registered in her head.

"Huh?" Tsunade's head snapped up, auburn eyes locking at first onto Homura then Koharu before settling onto Danzo with a glare that could skin a dear. "What in the name of Kami are you three idiots doing here?"

"Did you forget the meeting that was scheduled?" Homura asked evenly

"Did you forget that I have paper work to do?" Tsunade asked, returning to the paperwork in front of her, this time taking her sweet time just to piss off the three elders

"That's why we had the paper work stalled until we're done here," Danzo drawled calmly. "What are your plans regarding the Uzumaki women? The girl has yet to return from the hidden mist, what are you planning to do about that?"

"Are you telling me you don't know?" Tsunade asked, pausing in her work to lean back in her chair with a raised eyebrow

"Know about what?" Homura asked curiously

"The hidden mist sent four teams out with Karin Uzumaki two months ago," Tsunade answered, lounging lazily in her seat. "All five teams, Karin's as well, were massacred when they reached land. There were no survivors and the only bodies missing were that of the kunochi's disguised as Karin, Karin herself and her three teammate's; Kimimaro Kaguya, Suigetsu Hōzuki and Haku Momochi."

"You knew of this and did not tell us of the development?" Koharu asked with narrowed eyes

"With all do respect councilors," Tsunade drawled, "I had assumed that Danzo already knew and had informed you of the development months ago. Especially since the runner mist had sent said they sent a messenger bird about the incident. The message contained the details such as the locations of each platoon, their roots for reaching us, the number of shinobi in each platoon, and the member's names and ranks."

"Tsunade-Hime... why do you think I would keep such information from you?" Danzo asked, "and who is this runner you mentioned?"

"Oh I don't know," Tsunade drawled lowly "properly because all messages and missions scrolls _magically_ travel through your hands before they get even close to my desk."

"Surly you don't think me able to conveniently forget to relay such information to you," Danzo drawled, earning an irated look from the blonde "more so... who is this messenger you mentioned?"

"Tch... Mei-chan's younger sister," Tsunade growled, trying to relax in her seat and ignore the curious look two of the councilor gave her. "She was able to fake her death with the bloodline she carries; did you know she's more adapt at healing then Mei? She can stop her heart and restart it again like a timer, she's quite unique and as such, is _extremely_ difficult to kill."

"...just what is this girl's name?" Koharu asked

"Yuriko," Tsunade smirked, remembering the first time she met the red head, "Yuriko Terumī, younger sister to Terumī Mei the Godaime Mizukage."

"And what has she said about Karin Uzumaki?" Homura asked

"That Orochimaru's men had taken the young girl one week before Yuriko managed to reach us through one of our own Anbu units," Tsunade answered. "One of our teams was sent out to find Karin and they found Yuriko instead. They brought her back and when I arrived, I pulled her out of her coma and she told me everything. That's why I didn't inform you three idiots about her or Karin Uzumaki. I had been under the impression that Danzo knew and had informed you two about the development on our boarder."

"I fail to see how you assume that it is Danzo who is at fault," Koharu replied just as calmly as he was before. "You should've taken the time to inform us regardless of your assumptions."

"Yuriko over heard a few of the men speaking about _him_," Tsunade drawled, waving a hand at a nearby corner where two Anbu immanently appeared with a hunched over form held between them protectively. "Yuriko-san, would you like to repeat everything you told me?"

"I do not mind Lady Hokage," a small whispery voice answered, the pale hooded head of the figure lifted and haunting teal eyes glared out from the dark depths of the hood. "Where would you like me to start?" Just as Tsunade opened her mouth to answer, loud footsteps echoed in the hall, drawing everyone's attention to the door just as it slammed open.

"Lady Hokage!" everyone snapped around, eyes wide as they stared at Shisui who stood in the doorway, "a team has returned home, we have a problem at the hospital!"

"Meeting is adjourned!" Tsunade barked, jumping to her feet and glaring purposefully at the three village elders before glancing at the two Anbu captains holding up a still wounded Yuriko "You two keep Yuriko safe, failure isn't an option!"

"Yes Lady Hokage," the two men agreed with sharp nods, disappearing just as quickly as they appeared

"What is it? What's going on?" Tsunade asked as she marched to the door, nearly barging past the Shisui

"Ten minutes ago we received a message," Shisui said as he trying to keep up with her fast pace. "All four teams sent to north-east sector are all dead! Save two members of the first team!"

"Just them?" Tsunade asked as she glanced back at her teammate, now well aware that he wasn't actually her teammate, "Where are they?!"

"Cell B! In red block!" Shisui gasped, Tsunade stiffened but didn't stop running. Her eyes slid into narrow slits as she glanced back at her panting teammate still trying to keep up with her, she could even smell something metallic like copper and maybe a touch of salt staining the air around them.

"I see," Tsunade whispered, raising one hand and forming a single hand sign. "Time for Asami huh? I'll meet you there"

"Y-Yes my lady," Shisui disappeared in a puff of smoke. Tsunade smirked and let her own jutsu fly, her eyes glowing in amusement and determination as her form split into fifty.

_I will protect you!_ Every Tsunade disappeared under genjutsu, substitution and flash step as quickly as possible, preventing anyone from possibly following her true self. Tsunade smirked within her transformed place, marching straight through the village with swaying hips and auburn hair. It was a little strange to feel the wind on her neck but she could live with the pixy look if she could get to her destination in time. she could feel her clones running around the village, she could even feel a few of them get followed by a shadow or two and for a moment, Tsunade felt as if she was back in the second Great Shinobi War, where it was her mission to infiltrate a restaurant and figure out the owner's allegiance. For a moment, she wasn't Tsunade Senju the Godaime Hokage; she was sixteen year old Asami Fukada, only daughter of Daichi Fukada, an old news paper writer.

_I haven't walked like this in years_, Tsunade thought, smiling as she paused beside an apple stand and observed the prices. Smiling at the booth keeper, Tsunade carefully picked her way through the streets, calculating the best root through the busy streets to get to the meeting place she was needed at. Any other day she'd have ran straight there, but' cell B in red block' was a code amongst only the most trusted captains of the Anbu units. This particular 'red block' was in reference to the housing department closest to the Kage building, more importantly it was 'cell B' which was a large crimson house next to the Hokage's house, which was owned by the Haruno's.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

In a peaceful sector of the forest, between to the Uchiha compound and the far wall, two heavily bleeding Anbu tried to recover in peace. The woman laid on the ground panting, one hand pressed over her stomach to keep it from bleeding heavier then it already was, her left arm was thrust out as far as it could to keep the growing bone from touching her. Her left leg was wrapped in the pasty white bone of her enemy and it already leached onto her other leg, trying to consume it as well. The male Anbu agent, her captain, sat as close as he dared to her, his crimson eyes flashing furiously behind his bone mask. His side still bled but not as bad as it once did, his right ankle had a shard of rock sticking out like a grotesque piercing, he was chakra exhausted and had a splitting headache but that seemed to be little damage compared to what was happening to his teammate. Not far from the only remaining teammate's, paced Shisui, one of the more renowned members of their clan. though the man was grateful the young teen was nearby when they crash landed in a heap on the ground, he were mildly surprised to find that the boy was as emotional as he was.

"Shisui-san, please... calm down," the woman panted heavily, brown eyes drooping sleepily

"How can you ask me to be calm?!" Shisui asked, spinning around to regard the teammate's, arms flaying around himself agitatedly, "I haven't seen either one of you that hurt since the academy!" The incident Shisui was remembering was when they had first discovered Fubuki's talent with ice. It had been winter and she hadn't been with the village long, just long enough to get hated by a few classmates who were determined to prove that she wasn't as strong or as smart as everyone was making her out to be. The three males had ambushed Fubuki before she could get home and dragged her off to the forest where the Anbu and Shisui now waited. At that point Shisui had been walking home and had heard the boy's punching and kicking at a bound Fubuki, he of course jumped right into the fight not thinking twice about it. He ended up taking Fubuki's kick to his chest, slamming him into her, he grunted and Fubuki flat out screamed, at that time Fubuki had a phobia of blood. By catching her kick with his crossed arms, one of his hands had slammed into his mouth, splitting the lip and drawing blood. Fubuki had focused on that blood exclusively and didn't hear a word Shisui said or see his uncle approaching with Itachi in toe. Fubuki simply saw the blood on Shisui's face and started screaming, eventually her power revealed itself by wiping up water and air creating enough ice to freeze everyone in their place. Itachi had to put Fubuki under a sharingan induced sleep just to calm her down enough to quite freaking out over the blood on Shisui. A few days later, Fubuki woke up in the hospital and Shisui decided to be his usual self and told her that she was a crimson flower blooming in the snow. She retaliated by crying hysterically until Mebuki entered and wrapped her up in a hug tight enough to suffocate most adults. It became a reminder of how they first technically met, he had seen her around the village before but had never made an attempt to talk to her, and Shisui was relentless in reminding her about his attempt at being a hero. The words 'Winter's Scarlet flower' became a reference to the location Shisui now waited for Fubuki to arrive, as well as a reminder of just how strong she truly is.

"Shisui, I warned you once about that," the man growled lowly, still not happy about getting turned into an ice sculpture before he could do anything to stop Fubuki, "I will not warn you again."

"You started it!" Shisui shouted indignity, the memory ringing loud and clear in the forefront of his mind, rising up new concerns and old fears.

"Shisui!" the boy snapped around, Sharingan eyes wide

"Fubuki!" Shisui shouted in relief, jumping up and down excitedly "What took you so long? You need to hurry!" Shisui shouted, jumping up and waving at his teammate

"You can use flesh step Baka!" Fubuki screamed jumping and slamming a kick to the side of Shisui's head "Us it next time!" Fubuki landed and, ignoring Shisui's whining about her mistreating him, immanently took stock of the two Anbu's wounds. Mumbling under her breath about the severity of the wounds, Fubuki pressed one glowing palm against the captain's side; deeming him to be less time consuming then the woman.

"Please be careful of Tori-chan's wounds," the man whispered to her, "it appears that the bone is trying to consume her."

"I understand," Fubuki replied with narrowed eyes, "Shisui send for Lady Tsunade."

"I already sent a clone after her," Shisui replied, rubbing at his sore cheek. "She's expecting us at your house."

"Shisui baka!" Fubuki hissed, "Use the seal in my pouch to teleport to the house, then use flash step to get Lady Tsunade here."

"Why can't I just use the same seal to return here?" Shisui asked as he dug in Fubuki's ever present back pouch that she never seemed to get rid of.

"Because it's a one use seal," Fubuki growled, eyes narrowing further as she slowly sealed up the wound on the captain's side. "Do it before I punch you there."

"Later," Shisui was gone in a puff of smoke before Fubuki finished her sentence

"...Why aren't you in Anbu?" the woman wheezed, her voice full of amusement, "he wouldn't... wouldn't be-be nearly so bad..." _if you were there…_ For some reason, Fubuki seemed to know what 'Tori' was talking about and smirked back at the older woman

"Where would be the fun in that?" Fubuki asked, "How're you feeling anyways Tori-chan?"

"I'm... I'm f-fine"

"Do you know the acronym for 'fine'?" Fubuki asked

"Unfortunately," the man replied, rolling his crimson eyes

"N-no," the woman wheezed

"Fantastically Insane Neurotic Example," Fubuki chuckled

"Really?" the captain questioned, "I heard it was Frantic, Insane, Nuts and Egotistical"

"Let me guess, someone said that to you hah?" Fubuki asked, pale eyes dancing, of course the captain snorted and went back to examining Tori's wounds

The woman chuckled amusedly, "So in other words 'fine' means everything but being 'fine'."

"Yup,"

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"Kidōmaru release us!" said male jerked out of his sleep, unaware that he had actually fallen asleep, "Kidōmaru it's an emergency!" he sleepily pocked his head out of the hole, staring dumbly at his mummy wrapped teammate's, he blinked three times before he nodded at a nearby spider.

"What kind of emergency?" a kunai nearly relieved him of his front right hand's middle finger

"That kind!" Sakon shouted, jumping and planting both feet in Kidōmaru's face, Ukon quickly followed with Kimimaro tugged close and Jirobo followed in last, summoning the earth to destroy the surroundings as best as possible. Silently Kidōmaru ordered his spiders to return to their own world while Jirobo left the earth to shake and rumble, turn the surrounding mile of earth into liquid, sucking up everything that dared to touch.

"What's going on?!" Kabuto asked, as they all jumped into the same room

"We were tricked!" Sakon shouted, tugging Ukon and Kimimaro close as they nearly collided atop of Karin, who watched them all with wide, terrified crimson eyes.

"Earth style: hundred foot drop!" Jirobo shouted shrilly, his curse mark activating into the second state almost immanently. Karin couldn't hold back her scream any better then Kabuto could stifle his shout, the earth they sat on was stable but the floor itself dropped just as deep as Jirobo shouted. Then all at once, the ceiling filled with solid rock and they were left in complete, stifling silence, and a darkness almost too much to bear.

"We can't stay down here," Kabuto said at last, trying not to breathe to heavily, "We'll run out of air..."

"We don't have much of a choice," Sakon replied calmly, "They'll be swarming that tree and every inch of a mile around it."

"I can try to find a river near us but it'll be hard," Ukon said softly from behind Sakon, slowly merging himself with his twin. "I'll need to focus"

"Don't summon it towards us," Kabuto hissed, "you'll drown us all."

"No but he could tell me where it is and I can create a platform for us to use so we won't get swallowed up by the river," Jirobo replied. "I'm sure Kidōmaru can get his spiders to bring us food... or we can follow the river to outside and find food ourselves..."

"I'd rather eat spider silk," Kidōmaru grumbled

"I'd say we have an hour maybe two before we all suffocate to death," Kabuto grumbled, turning back to look at Karin, examining her carefully.

"I can make light," Karin whispered, closing her eyes and letting one chain slip out from her back to wrap around the their small 'cave' like a lose outline.

"She'll need to concentrate to keep this up," Kabuto sighed, "we all should go into a meditative state to preserve air. Jirobo, Ukon, both of you work together to get us out of here."

"You don't need to remind us," Jirobo grumbled, settling into his own meditative state, "Wake me when you find some water."

"Right," Ukon nodded settling his forehead against the wall where Sakon sat, placing his hands on it carefully

"I'll summon a spider or two with the request of food," Kidōmaru sighed, as if resigning himself to the fate of a messenger

_Should we tell them?_

_But the threat... is it human?_

_It's too dark to be human but... not massive enough to be inhuman_

_It's getting closer... dose it know about us?_

_Will it hurt us?_

_Will it aid us?_

_What is it?_

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"Sakura-chan~ look who I brought!" She looked up at the bouncy blond dragging to little boys into her room after himself, both dressed in the pale blue Yukata that she wore.

"Naruto Uzumaki!" Sakura snapped her book shut with an echoing 'thwack', "Have you no manners? What did I tell you about dragging people around?! Especially the wounded!"

"Sakura-chan their not wounded!" Naruto whined at her, flinching back her increased glare, "They're just lazing about the hospital pretending to be sick!"

"Naruto... you're an idiot," Sakura sighed, slumping in her seat, sharing an unreadable look with Hinata and Ino who both sat on either side of her.

"Naruto, do you see that yellow band there on that older boy's wrist?" Ino asked, pointing at the red and white cuff wrapped around the older boy's wrist

"Yeah," Naruto grumbled looking down at the band

"That means he's on the waiting list for an organ transplant," Ino sighed, "that means you can't drag him around, he's delegate!"

"The wrong kind of jerk and that organ can fail," Sakura continued, "that can influence the other organs as well, including his heart. If all of his organs shut down then he'll die"

"That mean's no ruff housing!" Ino scolded with a glare

"Oh," Naruto looked down at Kozuki with a really pale face, "S-sorry about that kid... why didn't you tell me?"

"Who could tell you anything when you're talking about Ramen constantly?" the boy asked back, stepping back and crossing his arms, shooting Ino an annoyed look, "and I'm not delegate!" Ino snorted and rolled her eyes, turning back to the vase she was re-arranging for Sakura.

"The younger boy..." Hinata spook up softly, drawing everyone's attention to her, "he's apart of the mental institution here at the hospital..."

"What?! You mean he's-he's retarded?!"

"Naruto that's a crude word!" Sakura snapped, "And in accurate!"

"The green strip means he's not dangerous," Hinata sighed, pointing to the three colors on the younger boy's wrist, "The red and white ones means he's suffering from a mental instability."

"I forgot your aunt works in the mental word doesn't she?" Sakura sighed, leaning back into her raised pillows, "Do you know anything else about her criteria?"

"Just the color coding," Hinata answered, "Since I spend so much time here, Aunt Hina wanted to make sure I remained safe if there was an escapee, so she taught me the color coding system they use to warn the other nurses and doctors."

"Heh, just like your family," Ino chuckled

"Better to be safe then sorry," Sakura shot back, earning rolled eyes from the blonde

"Anyways the reason I'm here!" Naruto interrupted, shaking his head as he remembered what he came for, "Karin's mom is just down the hall! Her name is Nira and she looks just like a grown up version of Karin!" before the girls could reply to Naruto's excited out burst, a young nurse stepped into the room behind the brothers and stopped to look at them before stepping forward and thumping Naruto on the head. "OW!"

"Young man I discreetly remember ordering you not to bother the Moriyama brothers," the nurse drawled, putting her hands on her hips and glaring down at Naruto

"Yikes!" Naruto yelped loudly and dived forward to hide behind the curtain stationed beside Sakura's bed, made to give her some previously from the would-be patient that would one day be stationed with her in the room.

"Ah Yoshie-san," Sakura greeted with a hopeful looking smile, "What did Doctor Mitsuya say about the test?"

"Good afternoon Sakura-chan, Ino-chan, Hinata-chan," Yoshie replied, stepping forward with a soft smile, "the good news is that we got the test results back and that we no longer need to take any more tests to see what's wrong with you." there was an awkward pause and the three girls looked at the older woman with patient expressions, sensing the sudden mood swing Naruto peaked a little further out from the curtain, watching the middle aged nurse curiously.

"The bad news?" Hinata asked softly, suddenly feeling that they were all about to get bad news

"You found the problem didn't you?" Sakura asked at the same time, straightening in her seat to regard Yoshie seriously, "What's wrong? What did you find?"

"I'm sorry Sakura-chan," Yoshie sighed, bowing her head and holding out a small red and green plastic band "Your lung tissue has become fragile like wet paper. As time passes you'll start to cough up blood and mucus, each coughing fit will be worse then the previous..." _until you die..._

"...What dose this mean?" Sakura asked slowly, face draining of color as Ino flopped into her seat beside the window, one trembling hand raised and pressed against her lips

"...Your shinobi carrier," Yoshie gritted her teeth and looked away from the three girls, her hand still held out towards Sakura with scrap of yellow and red plastic in her hand, "... is over." Naruto stared numbly at the older nurse, Hinata gasped, both hands flying to her face as fat tears rolled down her pale cheeks, Ino held her face in both of her hands as she leaned over the edge of Sakura's bed, fighting the sobs that shook her shoulders regardless.

"I'm so sorry," Yoshie whispered, her own tears leaking slowly from her tightly closed eyes, "I'm so-so sorry..."

…

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**By the way, I didn't actually know the acronym for 'Fine' so I had to make it up, the second acronym I looked up **

**Thoughts are helpful**

**Opinions are wonderful**

**Helpful criticism****is**** lovely! Just don't cripple me okay?**

**Please no cursing!**

**And don't forget to**** rate and**** review!**

**Page 24**


	57. Chapter 57

**There is a reason**

Chapter 57: When plans go right

Koomahana

**I haven't finished the next chapter yet, it's barely half way through**

**No promises on next weeks update**

**Benzaiten-Kami-sama-god of love  
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**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

…

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Kabuto straitened in the seemingly endless darkness, dark eyes widening as he felt something-something _sinister_ surround them, even the three with curse marks shot awake while Karin whimpered pathetically on the floor between them. Gritting his teeth, Kabuto slowly moved onto all fours, inching his way in the darkness towards Karin, mildly irritated that she had fallen asleep and retracted her glowing chains in the processes.

"What's going on?" Sakon asked softly, his barely-there mumble nearly echoing in Kabuto's head

"Who's there?" Kidōmaru called, spreading two arms back against the stonewall and two other's on the stone floor, raising his last two into a defensive posture before his body.

"Evil," Karin whimpered, "Hatred, malevolence—"

"Enough jabbering girl," a low voice hissed in the darkness, Karin whimpered shifting in the darkness towards Kidōmaru who wasted no time in yanking hard on Karin's arm. "Tch, when did you get protective of anyone, Kidōmaru?"

"Who's there?" Kidōmaru growled lowly, pressing Karin's head against his shoulder while she clutched at his shirt with white knuckles, "Who are you?" the darkness shifted, making the other's shift that little bit closer to Kidōmaru, determined to protect Karin as their master wanted. Horse laugher echoed around them, low and deep, sounding anything but friendly. If ice had a voice and it laughed suddenly, it would be this man's voice that echoed hauntingly around them like some amused demon.

"What's the matter, don't you recognize me?" the dangerous voice asked mockingly, "it's only been a few months since we last met; surely you couldn't have forgotten me already. Sakon, Ukon, Jirobo, Kidōmaru... oh~ and Kabuto too, how nice of you to take my place on this team."

"Take your place?" Kabuto repeated with narrowed eyes, "don't tell me, you couldn't be—"

"That's right" the voice chuckled, slowly the darkness shifted away from the far wall where the team had assumed the voice to be coming from, revealing a slightly paler figure leaning against the rock wall with limbs crossed lazily. "I'm Satoshi, the eastern gate of the Sound four."

"That's imposable!" Sakon snapped coldly, watching the slightly paler figure open golden-glowing orbs to stare lazily at him, "Satoshi died when that Phoenix flew straight through his body! There's no way he could've survived that!"

"Ch, Idiots," the figure growled, lifting both hands out to either side himself. "Fire style: summer flower" twelve glowing five petal flowers filtered out of his wide sleeves and filled the room, floating around the seven sound nin lazily.

"S-Satoshi," Kabuto stuttered, his black eyes widening, "Wha-what the hell happened?!" the Satoshi standing before them looked nearly unrecognizable to their once silent-genius teammate, he wore the same uniform as them but everything else was different. Satoshi's once curly red hair was a lifeless white and as straight as a pin, his skin was almost as pale as Orochimaru's but didn't hold that sickly gray tint that their master's had, his brown eyes that sometimes flared glowing gold were now a haunting yellow—complete with slit pupils.

"What happened?" Satoshi questioned, tilting his white head to the side curiously, "What ever do you mean? I just grew stronger, that's all."

"That's all?" Kabuto repeated, "You're damn near unrecognizable!"

Satoshi snorted in amusement, "Well... you always did tell me to quite holding back, what you don't like the results?" Kabuto flinched back at the jab, he hadn't actually told Satoshi to quite holding back when he spared with his teammates but that didn't mean he hadn't asked the younger boy why he did.

"Dud, you look grown up," Sakon chuckled, "you sure as hell don't look ten anymore."

Satoshi raised an eyebrow, "How old do I look?"

"Twenty something," Kidōmaru shot out automatically, remembering that he used to torment the boy with the comment. Satoshi immanently glared at him, white-hot fury echoing in his yellow-glowing eyes, the darkness seemed to darken with his irritation and even take a physical pressure against the sound team's bodies.

"I just turned thirteen," Satoshi hissed at them, "I should look twelve if nothing else!" Karin whimpered and curled tighter in Kidōmaru's arms, burying her face into his neck so she wouldn't have to look at the scary boy threatening her and the boys. "Ch, who's the brat?" Satoshi asked, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall again, glowing eyes glaring pointedly at Karin before dropping onto Kimimaro, "What's wrong with him?"

"A few enemies snuck up on him," Kabuto answered immanently, trying to keep Satoshi's complete attention onto him so he'd forget about Karin. "He's wounded and I haven't had the time to tend to him yet."

"Want me to?" Satoshi asked

"No!" Karin screamed shrilly, one golden chain lashing out and wrapping around Kimimaro protectively, "Stay away from him!"

"_You_," Satoshi hissed, suddenly moving into a battle stance, "You were at the village four days ago! You prevented my from killing those brats!" _Not that it would've made a difference with Nee-chan's song_

"That's impossible," Kabuto replied, moving protectively in front of Karin and Kidōmaru, "Karin was wounded last week, I spent the last ten day's trying to heal her so she could complete her mission for lord Orochimaru!"

"Kabuto!" Sakon hissed, immanently moving onto the defensive with Karin, teal eyes sharpening onto her as she trembled in Kidōmaru's arms.

"Lord Orochimaru?" Satoshi questioned, noting how everyone stiffened and turned to watch Karin carefully, "If she's loyal why are you all so on edge?"

"The memory transfer I used on her is incomplete," Kabuto explained slowly, "so long as we don't say our lord's name more then three times, the seal will continue to work. But if we say his name it'll unravel and she'll regain her memories."

"Memory transfer? What kind of technique is that?" Satoshi asked curiously

"A new one our master created a few months ago," Kabuto answered, "I'm the only one who can use it so far."

"And you used it on how many people?" Satoshi asked with a raised eyebrow

"These two," Kabuto gestured at Kimimaro and pointed to Karin, "as well as her four sisters."

"That's all?" Satoshi questioned, "no mistakes, you hit the bulls eye all five-six times?"

"...no," Kabuto answered shifting uncomfortably, "There were a dozen other experiments I practiced on to perfect the technique."

"I see," Satoshi stared at the girl for a moment before he looked back at Kabuto, "So she's an ally?"

"Yes," Kabuto bobbed his head

"Then why won't she let me heal her teammate?" Satoshi asked, Kabuto flinched at the reminder and glanced back at the red haired girl with a frown; if he didn't come up with something, Satoshi just might decide to kill her—and none of them could stop him.

"E-evil" Karin whispered, trembling in Kidōmaru's arms, "E-e-evil." Everyone stared at Karin with wide eyes before hissing and snapping around to regard Satoshi, moving protectively towards the girl while they were at it. Satoshi blinked rapidly before he processed what Karin had said, he chuckled softly at first then a little louder, then suddenly with no warning, Satoshi was laughing so hard he had to brace himself against the wall to keep himself from falling over.

"Oh-oh that's rich right there!" Satoshi laughed, pointing at a trembling, teary-eyed Karin, "you don't even know me and yet you think you can judge me?! That's funny!"

_She doesn't need to know you to pass judgment on you!_ Kidōmaru thought, tugging Karin just that little bit closer to himself, _she can tell by your chakra alone!_

…

_He found her crying in the rain, hiding beneath a great maple tree to keep herself dry, not that it worked well but at least she tried. He approached her slowly and loudly, not wanting to startle her with his suddenly appearance. She sniffed and removed one hand to look up at the sound of his thudding, squashy footsteps; blurry crimson stared up at calm Onex. She was dressed in a violet quipo shirt with tan khakis and blue sandals. Her crimson hair twisted into a single elegant braid that barely reached past her shoulders, her skin seemed to be as pale as new snow in the over cast light of the rainy day._

"_Hello," he said softly, looking down at her from the hood of his dark cloak, "are you lost?"_

"_Uh-huh," she sniffed and hick-upped, "I-I know you... you're from town."_

"_Huh? You saw me there?" he frowned at her, confused by her words because no one was supposed to know about him scoping the small village out. His mission was to be discreet and relay the information back to his handler, he was sure no one had seen him, so how did this little mess of a crying ball?_

"_N-No," the girl blushed brightly, looking away from him, "I... I just recognize your chakra signature... that's all"_

"_Chakra signature?" he questioned, frowning down at the girl, "You know what chakra is?"_

"_D-Don't you?" she questioned, pulling her knees a little closer to herself, as if she could curl into a ball and hide at the base of the tree. "I-I can tell that you use it... it's stronger then most peoples..."_

"_Ah, now I understand," he sighed and shook his head whimsically, "you're a sensor."_

"_um-hm" She nodded and relaxed a little, still staring at him strangely. With a heavy sigh he pushed one hand out from his cloak and offered it to her_

"_Would you like my help?" he asked, "I can take you to the village where you can search for your parents."_

"_B-But my m-mom," she made a strange face as if that wasn't the right word she wanted to use, "She-she's t-training me. I-I have to f-find her b-by suns-set" He nodded and looked out over the village below the hill where they sat together, waiting out the small rainstorm._

"_The rain won't leave until tomorrow morning," He replied, "it's best to return to the village and start there. I doubt she left it for this little test of yours."_

"_Hmm... okay," She slowly took his hand and carefully picked her way down the hill towards the village with him._

"_So, what do I call you?" He asked, helping her down from a steep incline_

"_I-I don't know," she whispered, "Kaa-chan said not to tell anyone my name."_

_He snorted in amusement, "how about I come up with a nick-name for you that okay?"_

"_I-I suppose," she stuttered, holding onto his arm as they carefully walked through ankle deep mud_

"_Hmm... how about red?" he asked, earning a confused look, "What? Your eyes and hair are the same shade of red. So I figure, either red or scarlet, your pick"_

"_Wha-what ever makes you happy," the girl sighed, giving up with rejecting the names_

"_Alright, well I'm in the same boat as you," he said steadying the girl as she slipped, "I can't tell you my name..."_

"_Ah then can I call you silky?" she asked, her eyes dancing with hope as she looked up at him with a cheerful smile_

"_Silky?" he repeated with a twitching eyebrow, "that's a little feminine don't you think?"_

"_Um-hmm," she shook her head vigorously_

"_Why do you want to call me that?" he asked, quickly steadying his feet before could fall_

"_Your chakra," she whispered, fingers tightening on his tanned arms to keep him from falling. "Your chakra feels like silk to me, soft and warm" He couldn't help but laugh at her explanation, no one had ever dared to say he was 'soft and warm'._

"_You're amusing red!" he laughed, "alright, you've got a deal!"_

"_ri-really?" she asked, red eyes wide in surprise_

"_Sure!" he smiled at her, "you call me Silky and I call you red!"_

"_D-Deal!"_

…

"Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha, oh ow! Ha-ha-ha, she's funny!" Satoshi laughed, sliding to the stone floor, pressing his back into the rock, one hand pressed to his face to whip a tear from his glowing eyes. "What's her name anyways?" Satoshi asked, straightening and letting his laughter end short, amusement still dancing in his yellow eyes, "more importantly, why are all of you so protective of her?"

"...her name is Karin," Kabuto answered slowly, "and master has high hopes for her."

"...she is to return to him alive at what ever coast," Sakon continued, dark eyes still sharp as he edged just that little bit closer to her

"Ch, master wants her alive? So what," Satoshi drawled leaning back and dressing the group with an amused smirk, "I'll make sure you idiots won't die. That includes red-head and white-out over there, I won't kill them or any of you."

"...that's awfully charitable of you," Kabuto said suspiciously, "What do you get out of it?"

"I get to return to master's good graces," Satoshi rolled his eyes, "of course I know sparing you lot won't do that but it's a start."

"Just how do you plan to help us?" Kidōmaru asked lowly, dark eyes narrowed suspiciously

"I can teleport at will," Satoshi rolled his eyes, "Close your eyes and count to three, I'll take you to the edge of fire country. You'll be safe there; I'll even attract the Anbu's attention in another section of the country."

"Where will you go? Anywhere close to sound and we'll get caught too" Kabuto informed him

"Hmm, I was thinking Kumo or maybe River," Satoshi mused, "What do you think? Should I lead them to Kumo or Suna?"

"Kumo is too close to Oto," Kabuto replied with a frown

"Hmm? Oh right, that's about as far north as one can get huh?" Satoshi sighed and relaxed against the darkness surrounding him, "Hmm, how about Iwa then?"

"How fast can you even get them to the land of rivers?" Sakon asked with a frown

"I can get anywhere within seconds," Satoshi rolled his eyes and waved a hand towards his right, their left. Blinking dumbly, the group strained their eyes and realized together in some amazement that about hundred and some odd feet to their left was an opening with glowing light and what sounded like rushing water.

"Where... where are we?" Kabuto asked in awe

"At the edge of fire country and sound," Satoshi answered, "the waterfall with two shinobi statues."

"Valley of the end?" Kabuto asked with wide eyes, "it takes two days to get there!"

"Told you I can go anywhere I want to," Satoshi yawned at them, "Although I will admit, I have to make sure those places are nice and dark. Other wise I burn up and my powers fail to work, I'll end up resorting to light jutsu instead of dark."

"What's the difference between light and dark jutsu?" Sakon asked slowly, not sure if he should ask questions

"Light jutsu is what I call normal jutsu," Satoshi explained with a roll of his eyes, "It's basically everything you guys know: Ninjutsu, genjutsu, Taijutsu, Iroyo jutsu, and most kekkei genkai."

"Okay so what's dark jutsu?" Kabuto asked, balancing the balls of his feet

"Basically everything forbidden strengthened a hundred fold," Satoshi answered with a smirk. "I'm stronger in Dark jutsu then I am in light jutsu, that's why I don't like having to rely on it."

"How long will it take for you to attract Konoha's attention?" Kidōmaru asked, gathering Karin up in his arms and carefully rising to his full height

"I can start tonight if your willing to wait," Satoshi replied, "if not I can start terrorizing a few civilians in the western portion of the country. I just have to make sure it's extra dark where I strike or it won't be nearly as effective."

"Tch, what're you going to do?" Sakon asked sarcastically, "make civilians belief in some evil entity that strengthens with darkness?"

"Good, I don't have to explain it to you," Satoshi smirked, annoying his once teammates

_Smart a$$_, the majority of the males thought in irritation

_He's a threat_ she thought, curling around her caretaker as best as she could

_You need get away from him, he's not safe!_

_He's dangerous, get away from him!_

_Let him heal the others but don't let him touch you,_ the familiar voice of reason whispered, _we'll die if he touches us_

_I won't let him touch us_, her eyes sharpened into daggers when she caught sight of the younger boy moving towards her, he stopped short and regarded her levelly before he moved past them and towards the exit

_He won't touch us!_

…

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_I'd better hurry,_ Tsunade sighed and carefully picked her way through the large street, taking great care to look pointedly at the surrounding building number's and to double check a mall slip of paper in her hand, as if to double check an address she was trying to find. _I don't know how bad they are..._

"Hmm? Oh! Asami-chan! Over here!" she turned automatically at the voice, looking curiously at tall man moving towards her. "I take it you got lost?"

"Ah, my apologies," 'Asami' answered serenely, just as her personality dictates, "This is the biggest village I've ever been in..."

"No problem little cozen, I'll steer you to the right way!" Kizashi laughed, wrapping one arm around her shoulders and tugging her through the crowd quickly, seemingly missing everyone despite his fast pace through the streets. "Mebuki can't wait to meet you," Kizashi said as he tugged her along, "She hasn't seen you since you were little!"

"I'm sure," 'Asami' smiled at him, "judging by that mark on your cheek, I take it you're hurt pretty bad on your last mission..."

"Na~ nothing like that," Kizashi smiled, "Fubuki-chan is taken care of all the scrapes and bruises on Mebuki-chan but for some reason she has a bone in her leg that refuses to do much heal'en."

"I see," 'Asami' smiled, "anything vital?"

"None that Fubuki-chan could see," Kizashi smiled, "although she did tell me to give you a message."

"Hmm? What message is that?" 'Asami' asked, tilting her head to the side curiously, blinking up at the Jonin innocently

"Between the border and the fire, the snow dances," Kizashi smiled, his blue eyes flashing bright red for a single moment, "and the shadows await the queen."

"Lead me there" 'Asami' smiled, 'Kizashi' bobbed his head and they were both gone in a matter of seconds, leaving nothing behind to dictate their once location. She blinked and suddenly the people surrounding her where trees, the hot sun was replaced with cool shade, the loud ruckus and voices of the market was replaced by the silence of the clearing and whisperings of a familiar chunin medic. Tsunade dispelled her technique and approached the murmuring medic hovering over the black clothed kunochi laying on the ground.

"Lady Tsunade," the Anbu captain and Fubuki called at the same time, one in panic and one in greeting

"Please be careful," Fubuki continued, as if Tsunade had been beside her the whole time, "the bone structure will begin to absorb you too if you're not careful."

"Any serious wounds?" Tsunade asked, crouching beside the kunochi's left arm

"I've already taken care of the captain," Fubuki answered, "His side is still tender and his chakra is low but he'll live."

"And Toki?" Tsunade questioned

"Toki-chan is slowly being absorbed into a pure bone statue as we speak," Fubuki answered. "I learned that a very close and precise chakra scalpel help's to separate the bone from the skin."

"Ch, can't save the cloth huh?" Tsunade grumbled glancing over at Fubuki's carefully hovered hands, _no skin contact... this isn't going to be easy_, Tsunade thought with narrowed eyes, "anything else?"

"Don't touch the bone," Fubuki answered, "You'll get stuck faster then you can processes that you've been caught."

"Got it," Tsunade bobbed her head, "Shisui make clones and do rounds, Captain Yamada... take a rest then report in to the hospital"

"Yes lady Hokage," 'Yamada' and Shisui answered together, the later then disappearing in the same breath

_I aint going anywhere_, 'Yamada' thought, settling back against the tree closest to 'Toki's' head, watching her closely with his Sharingan eyes. He had lost a good number of his collogues today and he wasn't interested in losing another when he could've done something to help. Bending over slightly, 'Yamada' made eye contact with 'Toki' and put her under a strong Sharingan induced genjutsu that would help her rest and recover as Tsunade and Fubuki worked on her.

"Captain Yamada," Tsunade hissed, only to find the man had fell over, a quick probe reassured her that he had merely passed out. "Ch, idiot" Tsunade growled under her breath, returning to the arduous task of removing the large bone spear that pierced straight through Toki's arm. Concentrating carefully on removing the foreign bone from the upper arm and the surface of skin at the same time, her task made even more difficult with the foreign bone trying to mold perfectly with Toki's arm.

_My Anbu seem particularly gifted in getting the most imposable wounds ever!_ Tsunade thought with a low growl

…

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"Aunt Mebuki, are you here?" Tsubame called softly, slowly walking around a corner of the hospital with one hand pressed against her ever-growing stomach. "The doctor said... ah " Pausing in the doorway to the joint hall, Tsubame caught sight of Mebuki standing just a little further down the hall, back facing her. Curious, Tsubame walked forward as quietly as she could with her softly shuffling footsteps, listening closely to who might be speaking with her aunt.

"... orry for this Haruno-san," the young doctor sighed, bowing to Mebuki deeply as Tsubame approached and caught sight of his apteral. "We'll take care of your daughter in the mean time," the young man said before retreating down the hall, head bowed and hands clenched tight to his sides.

"Aunty?" Tsubame called softly, just behind her yellow haired aunt, "What's wrong?"

"My baby," Mebuki whispered, giving out a shuddering gasp before collapsing to her knees and screaming loudly into her hands, "My baby! My baby! Kyaa-hah-ha-hah!" Tsubame stared in shock at her aunt, having never before seen the woman scream and cry at all in her life, the orange haired woman watched transfixed as Mebuki screamed herself horse. It wasn't long before even Tsubame noticed a few Anbu who were doing rounds just outside the hospital in the nearby forest move onto a nearby tree to see what was wrong; only to see a stunned Tsubame and a wailing Mebuki. Looking up at one Anbu member who moved to approach them from the closest tree, Tsubame softly shook her head at him and watched as he hesitated before nodding in understanding and disappearing once more.

"Come on Aunty," Tsubame whispered, gently placing her hands on the older woman's shoulder's, "Lets get you home..." It took a moment for Tsubame to get enough of a hold on Mebuki but the younger woman did eventually get a good enough hold and helped the older blonde to a nearby waiting station, where she sat and continued to cry her eyes out. It would take Mebuki an hour before she was calm enough to return home with Tsubame, but once they returned to the Haruno residence Mebuki shut herself in her room, ignoring everyone around her.

…

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Somewhere north-east of Konoha

…

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Five men were joyfully bringing in the day's weeping of their whet crops, joking and laughing as they marched back to their village, taking their time despite the quickly setting Sun and the carefully lit torches their wife's set out for them. Suddenly a loud, shrill sound echoed out of the woods from behind them, startling hundreds of their singing companions into a startled fluttering mess high overhead. The men paused in their walking, observing the startled and frightened birds, who often sang with them as they worked the fields. Turning slowly the group observed the dark forest carefully, it wasn't long before they heard the sounds of animals screaming; dear had a tendency of sounding like screaming women, wolfs howled and cats roared—and all of them were bursting out of the forest like a bomb blast. Every animal that the forest could hold barreled through their crops screaming and howling as they ran, flattening nearly everything in their path. Men stuttered and stumbled before shouting themselves and dropping their loads, running for everything they were worth towards the safety of their village. Another shrill scream like sound echoed out of the forest, seemingly moving towards the fleeing animals, which prompted the men to run faster. The sound had alerted the others in the village, everyone lit lanterns and held them as high as possible; gasping and murmuring as wild animals ran past without stopping. Dear, cats, wolfs, chipmunks, they all ran together, not waiting for anyone or carrying if one of their own tripped. Predator and prey ran together, running for everything they were worth the heat of fear and desperation; far, _far_ away from the forest they once called home. A few of the civilians gasped and whispered watching in awe of the creatures running together, other's started to panic. They too ran with lanterns for the coming night, shouting at others to run as well, parents yanked their children from the ground and ran from the village with the animals. Other's remained, moving towards the fields, searching for their friends who had yet to come in for the night.

"Run away!" one man screamed, arms blurring at his sides as he ran, his friends close behind. "RUN!" A shrill scream echoed hauntingly in the air, the villager's gasped as something huge and dark creped out of the forest like a black fog, slowly advancing as the light of day hid itself beyond the horizon. One man tripped, the other's continued without him, one paused to look back, the darkness seemed to cackle as a tendril swept through the shadowed ground of the trampled field. The friend shouted and lunged back for his friend, eager to help him, only to have the darkness wrap around the terrified man and yank him into the black mist.

"Osomu!" the man screamed, one hand out stretched towards the darkness with panic tears in his eyes

"Nii-san!" a feminine voice screamed, the man looked back at the village, a young woman struggled in one of the many villager's arms. "Let me go!" the woman screamed, "Nii-san!"

"Mei!" the man spun on his heals and ran back to the village, tears rolling down his cheeks. _Forgive me Osomu, forgive me!_

"Nii-san!" Mei screamed, brown hair whipping about her face, "Look out!" the man looked back at the darkness chasing him, dark eyes growing wide as the darkness lunged forward and attacked him.

"Mei!" the man screamed at his sister, "RUN!" his farming friends had reached the village limits and one was smart enough to grab Mei and lift her over his shoulder as he ran past, not listening to the woman's screams as she thrashed in his hold, desperate to get to her brother. The darkness consumed the man and for a moment it didn't pursue the other's, choosing instead to focus on its meal before it turned to regard the buzzing village with of amber glowing eyes. Seemingly chuckling, the black fog creped forward slowly, amusement growing as the villager's screamed in terror, some even getting bold enough to fight back. Some held simple farming tools defensively before themselves, others shot arrows into the darkness, panicking anew when it laughed at their meager attempts. In the rising panic of the villager's, ne stepped forward seemingly unafraid. The darkness paused at the very edge of the field, regarding this strange village who dared to stand before it unafraid.

"I am the priestess of Benzaiten-Kami-sama!" the woman shouted, shifting her stance as she her talismans and holy staff, "I will not allow you to harm this village!"

"_Ku-ku-ku-ku-ku-ku, foolish human,_" the darkness chuckled, voice low and deep, sounding like a demon from the underworld. "_You know not of who __**I**__ am_."

"You are a demon!" The woman shouted, "That is all I need to know!" she threw the talismans with a shout of 'disappear evil one!' the talismans hit the wall of darkness, floating against it's surface for a moment before they grumbled into ash. "What? No..." the woman's eyes widened for a fraction of a moment in fear, the darkness laughed shrilly lunging forward towards the priestess. She gasped and grabbed one of her arrows from her appetence, accidentally wrapping a shred of cloth of the girl's sleeve in her hurry and passing the cloth and arrow tip over a nearby fire light and readied it in her bow.

"I won't give up!" the priestess shouted, releasing the arrow hurriedly, realizing too late the cloth had caught fire. The darkness laughed not even bothering to dodge the arrow until it was too late. With another shrill scream that sounded in a mixture of human and animal, the darkness leaped back words, the flaming arrow caught in its wide side. The woman's eyes widened in realization and she quickly turned to the few villager's who remained, but her warning came too late. Some of the darkness had snuck passed and was feasting on the unprotected civilians.

"_Filthy human_," the darkness snarled, drawing the woman's attention to its greater mass in the field, "_I'll kill you first._"

"Aki! Take a torch with you and flee to a safe place!" the woman ordered the girl, "Make sure to surround yourself with small fires and tell the villager's to do the same!"

"H-Hai!" the young girl stuttered quickly ripping off the rest of her torn sleeve, wrapping it around the staff her mistress passed her and lit the cloth in the nearest fire.

"_Die!_" the demon screamed, the priestess heard a noise and looked up, her eyes widening as she saw a bucket of water fall towards her, dousing the flame beside her and leaving her defenseless in the dark.

_Kami-sama, I beg of you_, the woman thought, watching the darkness lunge towards her, hearing the panicked scream of her apprentice, _protect Aki._ The darkness devoured the priestess quickly, savoring her blood before moving on to the next human, amber-glowing eyes dancing as the people tried to fight back with small fires and flaming arrows. The young priestess-in-training, created a large bone fire, surrounded the very center of the village, keeping several of the people protected in the fire's light.

"_Ku-ku-ku-ku-ku-ku-ku-ku! Pathetic humans!_" the darkness laughed shrilly, the civilians gasped, whimpered and cried out in fear, some even lifting their weapons a little higher. "_You think this flame shall deter me?_" the glowing eyes rose higher beyond the light of the fire, towering high over the civilians who cuddled together in fear. "_I have all night! Your fires will die eventually!_" The survivors panicked a new, tears rolling down their faces as they watched the glowing eyes multiple into hundreds of smaller ones, surrounding the fire-protected civilians like pacing wolfs.

_We won't make it through the night_, the priestess in training thought in despair, _we're going to die..._

The darkness laughed at their misfortune

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Konoha—same time

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Tsunade sighed as she finished washing her hands in the sink of the emergency word of the hospital. It had taken until nightfall for her and Fubuki to stabilize Toki enough to move her to the hospital, captain Yamada had been deposited a few hours before hand by Shisui. Once they got Toki to the hospital, Tsunade called for an emergency surgery with the top five best medics of the hospital, Shizune included. Together they were all able to slowly remove the bones from Toki's left side, preventing it from slowly devouring her. However, when they were able to remove the majority of the bone that was wrapped around her legs, they found that the bone wasn't devouring her so much as it was trying to _merge_ with her. Toki's bone density increased nearly fifty percent, not necessarily thickening the bone as much as it was multiplying and condensing the cells of her bones and not just the bones in her legs and left arm. If left untreated and given the opportunity to completely consume her, the foreign bones would've reinforced Toki's entire bone structure to be stronger than steel.

However, they had treated the foreign bone like they would a tumor and had proceeded to cauterize its connection to Toki, preventing the foreign bone from consuming her and strengthening all of her bones to that frightening level of condensed cellular matter. There was no grantee that Toki would be able to move her left leg and arm as they both had been heavily damaged by the foreign bone. If it happened that she wouldn't be able to perform her duties as a kunochi, Toki would be forced to retire from duty and most likely would be placed into the academy to teach the next generation. However, if Toki could move her injured limbs she would be forced to go through physical therapy for six months before she could begin actual training. In all, it would take Toki nearly two years before she was back up to her current level of skill. Tsunade had no doubt that the woman would go through those two years with her head held high and return to her Anbu status before the council could demand her retirement.

_I'll have to perform several tests in the morning,_ Tsunade thought with a sigh. Tsunade walked through the hospital halls, rubbing one hand against the back of her neck, rubbing the tight muscles loose again.

"Tsunade-Hime," she looked up at the soft voice, finding an exhausted looking Fubuki just down the hall, a cried-out Mebuki beside her.

"Fubuki-san, Mebuki-chan, what is it?" Tsunade asked, looking at the two Haruno's curiously, "Is there something wrong?"

"...Yes but..." Mebuki hesitated, "I'm sure you're busy enough Lady Hokage, no need to concern yourself with our problems."

"Don't give me that horse pie," Tsunade frowned at the slightly younger blonde, "What's on your mind?"

"Doctor Mitsuya finally diagnosed Sakura," Fubuki answered softly, dropping her eyes and wrapping one arm around her mother, trying to steady the older woman. "Sakura's lungs... they're deteriorating..." Tsunade stared long and hard at the two Haruno's for five minutes, processing the information given to her.

"You Haruno's," Tsunade sighed, rubbing at her brow to ward off the headache forming, "You're all trouble maker's you know that?"

"We're sorry," Fubuki said with a strained smile

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

They were all sitting in park the rooky nine used to play in as children, huddled under the same great Oak they used to have picnics under; laughing and joking together as if nothing could ever happen to them. The sun had raised high over the park, casting golden light over the orange and red leaves of their favorite oak tree, surrounding those beneath its leaves in soft, cool shade. Naruto looked at the group surrounding him, Ino and Hinata sat on either side of him, eyes red and locked onto their feet. Before them sat Kiba, Shino, Shikamaru, Chōji, Tenten, Hanabi, Neji, Lee and Sasuke in a crescent shape, the nine kids stared at them in a mixture of curiosity and concern, not used to the two tough girls teary-eyed appearance and nor with Naruto's absurd silence.

"What's going on?" Sasuke finally asked, tiered of the silence plaguing them, "Why did you call us out here?"

"Is there something wrong?" Tenten asked softly, brown eyes locked worriedly on the three kids sitting before her. Hanabi seemed to sense something important happening and remained quite, glancing only briefly at her frowning cousin Neji.

"Where is Sakura? Shouldn't she be here?" Lee asked, "I feel as if we're having a secret meeting that she's not included in..."

"You're not far off," Ino murmured, fresh tears gathering at the edges of her red-rimmed eyes

"Did something happen to Sakura?" Neji asked, tilting his head to the side curiously, Hanabi straightened in her kneeled position.

"Yes," Hinata whispered brokenly, "her tests came back from the hospital... they know what's wrong with her..."

"What's wrong with her?" Tenten asked

"Surely lady Tsunade can help with Sakura-chan's illness... what ever it is" Lee commented, earning a sniff from Ino and Hinata

"Her lungs are deteriorating," Naruto said suddenly, not looking at anyone as he stared at the grass between them, "Doctor Mitsuya says there's nothing they can do to save her." Everyone was silent as they stared at the three teens who refused to look at them, all three looking miserable as the other nine kids slowly processed the information.

"Ch," Neji gritted his teeth and quickly moved onto his feet

"Neji-nii-san," Hinata called quickly, a tear breaking lose from her eye as she jerked her head up to look at him

"I'm not going to belief you," Neji growled, "Not until I can see it with my own eyes." The Hyūga genius was gone before anyone could stop him. It wasn't long before Lee and Tenten jumped to their feet and hurried after Neji as quick as they could, not sure what to do but wanting to be with him when he admitted to himself the extensive damage.

"nee-chan," Hanabi called softly, her face still hidden behind her endless curtain of brown hair, "Will Sakura be okay?" Hinata stared wide-eyed at Hanabi before jerking her head away from the younger girl with a sharp in take of breath.

"How bad is she?" Shikamaru asked slowly, eyes oddly dark as he stared at the clouds high overhead

"The nurse said," Ino hick-upped, "Said she has two maybe three years..."

"So... there's a chance she can survive?" Kiba asked, drawing Hanabi's attention to his hopeful look "She can still pull through right?"

"I-I don't know," Ino admitted with a soft sniff, rubbing her wrist against her eye, "I suppose... if a lung specialist saw her..." the blond shared an unsure look with the other two beside her

"We don't have any lung specialists in the village," Hinata sniffed, "at least... none that I know of."

"How bad are her lungs at present?" Shikamaru asked, not looking away from the sky

"The nurse said that it was a slow process," Hinata answered with a slight down turn of her brows. "But... she was wheezing a little in her sleep last night..."

"Fubuki-chan saw her this morning," Ino added thoughtfully, "a little after the nurse told us..."

"Eh? Really?" Naruto asked, "That must've been after I left..."

"It was about an hour after you left," Hinata agreed with a soft, sad, smile before realizing something and frowning once more. "She didn't look to happy either..."

"Knowing Fubuki... she most likely has the exact prognosis," Shikamaru said thoughtfully, _First Tayuya now Sakura... will any of them survive to see the end of the year?_

"What are we going to do?" Hanabi asked, looking at everyone in turn, "how're we going to save her?"

"There's no way of knowing if she'll survive this Hanabi-san," Shino piped up at last, breaking his seemingly endless silence. "It's possible she won't make it to the end of—"

"She has too!" Hanabi snapped out, glaring furiously at the half-hidden boy. "Out of everyone in your year she's the only one who knows how to heal her own body! Even you have to know that she'll be doing research herself about lung tissue and how to heal it!" Hanabi shook herself, trying to regain control of her rampaging emotions, she may not have liked Sakura at first (mostly because in her childish mind the pinkette was taking her sister away), but that didn't mean she hated the older girl. Hanabi had eventually grown used to Sakura, after that she just accepted the pink haired girl's constant presence beside her elder sister and had even accepted Sakura being a surrogate sister.

"Out of everyone in this village, Sakura-nee has to pull through!" Hanabi realized her mistake too late, her white eyes widening as she slapped her hands to her mouth, horrified that she let out the honorific she never said outside of her own mind.

"Tch, so... even you call her kin," Shikamaru drawled with a lazy smirk

"Shut up!" Hanabi screeched, still horrified with herself

"Heh, I'm glade," Hinata giggled softly, whipping away one tear from the corner of her eye

_And to think you used to be so hateful of her_, Sasuke thought, recalling an incident were Hanabi had replaced sugar with salt for Sakura's jell-o dissert. _Still..._ Sasuke leaned back on his palms, observing the sky while Hanabi, Ino, Naruto and Hinata all recounted incidents where Hanabi had pulled a rather ingenious prank on Sakura and Ino when she was still little; even Kiba piped up occasionally. However, it appeared that only Shikamaru and Sasuke remained thinking about the problem with Sakura's lungs, with Shino still observing everyone around him thoughtfully.

_I'll have to talk to Okaa-san,_ Shikamaru thought, wondering for the first time just how good a medic his mother truly was.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

The large caravan stared in shock and awe at the gray landscape that sat before them, the entire place had the appearance of a great fire that happened some years before but no signs of life willing to return to the land of charcoal gray. Even the skies appeared to be drearier then before, the not cold but not warm air conjured goose bumps, and the endless silence played tricks on the traveling people, making them imagine the endless screaming and terror that must have happened to this once beautiful place.

"Otou-san," a little girl called out with a frightened shiver, wrapping her woolen blanket tightly around her, "What happened here? Was it like this when you came by before?"

"No," her father answered softly, reaching back from the wagon's seat and patting his daughter's brown head in distracted affection, "I've never seen anything like it..."

"Should we continue?" one of the worried mothers's asked softly, tightening her hold on her toddler

"Should we just turn back and go to the next village?" another traveler asked just as fearfully, "it'll take longer but... it should be safer then traveling though this waste land..."

"...Kintaro-sama..." one of the younger men called out softly, "I don't think we should continue on this path... the children seem to be getting worse and worse nightmares the closer we get to this village you were so fond of."

"I know," Kintaro sighed, "but still... they were here three months ago when we came by for the chunin exams, what could have happened between then and now?"

"I don't know but I'm voting for back tracking!" one of the mother's said backing away from the gray edge of the path, she didn't wait for anyone else as she started to walk back in the direction they had just came. Kintaro glanced back at the woman before he looked again at the ash-covered landscape before him, dark eyes narrowed in thought.

"Kintaro-kun?" his wife called softly, peaking out from the wagon curiously, "are we heading back?"

"...yes," Kintaro sighed, "however... Osomu-kun was promising me some fresh grain we could use this winter..."

"Do you want to send someone to the village, to search out Osomu-kun and gather the grain if possible?" his wife questioned softly, brown eyes staring out at the white and gray washed landscape wirily, as if some hidden sense was screaming at her to run away from this destroyed place.

"I do," Kintaro admitted, "however... I don't want to risk anyone's lives..."

"hmm... you can always hire a shinobi team to do it," his wife reminded him, bracing herself on the dip of bridge of the wagon and seat, brown eyes lost in thought as she continued to stare out at the mass of grayness before them.

"I suppose," Kintaro admitted, "but what if they demand more then what we can pay?"

"I suppose that'll depend on what they find," his wife sighed, ducking back into the wagon and tugging their daughter in after her. "Either way, none of our people should go any further... it'll spell trouble if we do."

_I suppose you're right_, Kintaro thought with a heavy sigh, backing up his horses before making them turn around by going off the road and turning around slowly in the slightly lower grassland beside the road. Unknown to Kintaro was that his back wheels of the wagon had accidentally crossed the ash-covered portion of the road, earning an ominous sounding chuckle. Curious Kintaro's daughter peaked out the back of the wagon, wondering if they left someone behind or if it was just her imagination.

"Mesume?" her mother called, "what are you doing?"

"Nothing Okaa-chan," the girl called back, turning back to her mother and closing the back of the wagon without looking back again, "Will this place go back to being green again?"

"I suppose," the woman chuckle, "the world works in cycles after all. It'll take time but this land should return to being green again by the time you're old enough to marry."

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"Ah man," Iruka grumbled, staring at the papers in his hands with a look of dismay, "He's already taken." The Haruno family already got custody of—

_Hold on_, Iruka thought, observing the papers a little more closely. It looked like the village council fought long and hard about the Haruno's getting custody of Naruto, especially Danzo. He seemed particularly irritated that the Haruno family was trying so hard to get custody of the blonde. In the end, the Haruno family had to settle for having a partial custody of Naruto, shared in part with Jiraiya and the village itself. The three village elders seemed to be of the opinion that Naruto was a weapon and nothing more, that he didn't need a home with parents and siblings. Thankfully Hiruzen and the Haruno's weren't of the same mind set and had brutally bulldozed straight through the council's demands, making only the partial custody agreement as a compromise.

_Strange,_ Iruka thought with narrowed eyes, leaning back in his chair as he stared at the papers laid out before him, _why would Danzo question the Haruno's loyalty? More importantly, why did he try so hard to not let them get custody of Naruto?_

"Umino-san?" said man jumped at the librarian's soft voice

"Ah, I'm sorry," Iruka stammered quickly, "I'm not making you go into over time am I?"

"Of course not," the man smiled kindly at him, "We're open twenty-four hours Umino-san. I was merely wondering if you were ready to go yet."

"Uh... not quite," Iruka answered in puzzlement, "Why?"

"Oh... it's just that someone else is looking for those documents," the librarian replied calmly, "he wants to take a look at them."

"Really?" Iruka asked, suddenly not feeling so hot about the documents, "uh... okay... can you tell him I'll be done with them soon?"

"I told him when we handed them over to you fifteen minutes ago," the man sighed, "he seems to be very impatient about it... he's been pacing outside this room for the past five minutes."

"He has?" Iruka questioned, he glanced outside the door's small window, wondering if he'd catch a glimpse of this 'man'. However, he saw nothing, even the extension of his senses revealed nothing to him. "Liberian-san, how did you get in here if not though that door?"

"Hmm? Oh, there's a hidden door over there," the man answered pointing to the far wall out of sight of the door, "It was built in case of emergencies. The occupant can leave discreetly without enemy shinobi catching on to his whereabouts. It worked very well in the invasion during the last chunin exams, many librarians were able to escape through rooms like this one."

"Really? Then why did you use it just now if it's for emergencies?" Iruka questioned curiously

"Because," the Liberian seemed to shiver, "that man is creepy!"

"Alright then," Iruka nodded his head, "leave the same way you came and I'll finish up here."

"I hadn't intended to leave any other way," the librarian huffed, "I suggest locking that door until you leave."

"Right, I'll do that," Iruka smiled at him, "Could you do something else for me?"

"Sure what is it?" the Liberian asked, turning back to Iruka curiously

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Tsunade stared dully at the request sitting on her desk, not sure how she should respond to the request or who she should send on the semi-strange request. The caravan who normally traveled through a village on their way to the village came across an ash-covered landscape instead and were too startled and afraid to proceed to their normal destination. So they turned back to the village they had left the morning before and found one of the ninja carriers passing through. They immanently wrote out a very detailed letter to Tsunade about the incident and handed it over to the shinobi, telling him it was important and possibly a national security risk. And to her amazement, the man who wrote the letter had a very good reason to call it a possible national incident, for a huge piece of land to suddenly turn into ash without anyone reporting it before hand. This said that the incident was recent, how recent no one knew. But the man did mention that the closer they got to the ash land the more frequent the children in his caravan had nightmares. Distance seemed to hinder that strange occurrence however his own daughter seemed to be experience more nightmares then any of the other children, to the point that her dreams have been leaving bruises on her body and she could no longer sleep in the dark like she once could. She now slept outside beside a large bon fire, keeping it fed throughout the night regardless of the elders who were responsible for making sure it didn't go out.

_The team I send... _Tsunade thought with narrowed eyes, _I should properly send more then one..._

"Shizune," Tsunade called softly, still reading more of the large scroll and ignoring the messenger shinobi standing at attention before her. "Gather a team of sensors, healers, trackers and... make sure they're all Jonin or higher."

"Anbu as well my lady?" Shizune questioned in surprise

"Yeah... Anbu as well... especially the medics and sensors," Tsunade mumbled, still lost in thought.

"yes my lady," Shizune bowed and hurried out the office, leaving the messenger to stare silently at the Hokage

"What is it?" Tsunade asked sharply, still not looking up from the scroll

"I was requested to bring back a response from you Lady Hokage," the messenger said calmly

"You'll get it when the team has gathered," Tsunade replied, "in the mean time make yourself comfortable in the village."

"How long will it be for the team to be chosen and gathered?" the messenger asked curiously

"Depends on how fast Shizune moves," Tsunade answered, "Why don't you go get yourself lunch?"

"...yes my lady," the messenger bowed and quietly left the office

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"I can't belief this," Sakon hissed, glaring off to the side as he watched the other side of the river, "Why do we have to wait out here? Can't we just use the cave to transport back to our previous station?"

"Only Satoshi can use the darkness to teleport like that," Kidōmaru answered, nearly startling Sakon as he didn't know the slightly younger boy was there. "We can't possibly mimic his absurd talent—at least not without dying."

"Ch, I know that," Sakon drawled, glaring back at his six-armed teammate. "What I don't understand is, why can't we wait in the cave for his return? It's dark enough, he'll have enough access and we don't have to worry about any leaf-brats catching sight of us."

"You're right Sakon," both teens gritted their teeth and glared at Kabuto as he came out from his hiding place behind a large tree, several sticks in his arms. "However we can't start a fire in that cave, it's too damp and the light would do damage to Satoshi-san when he returns."

"San?" Sakon questioned with a raised eyebrow, "Since when did you show that brat respect?"

"Since he could kill us all without blinking or thinking twice about it," Kabuto replied without blinking or feeling insulted at the question. "Come on you two, we'll need to return to camp." Kidōmaru and Sakon followed Kabuto back to camp but with a fair amount of distance between then, not even they could trust Kabuto despite his 'relationship' with lord Orochimaru.

"I wonder..." Kidōmaru suddenly murmured, drawing the twin's attention, "...I wonder how that boy is doing..."

"Boy?" Sakon questioned just as softly, before recalling that there was a white haired boy Kabuto fretted over like a worried hen before he 'mastered' the memory transfer technique. "Oh yeah, _that_ boy... what was his name again?"

"Ta... ta... ah! Takao!"

"Huh? What was that?" Kabuto asked, turning to look back at the two teens, "What are you two doing so far back? Don't you trust me?"

"Do you trust us?" Sakon asked calmly, raising a curious brow

"Fair enough," Kabuto chuckled, shaking his head as he moved back towards the camp again, not seeing the glare Sakon gave Kidōmaru.

"Can't you talk quietly?" Sakon hissed softly, shooting a glare that could skin a cat

"Sorry man," Kidōmaru replied just as softly, "I swear that man has bat ears..."

"Ch, be more careful Kidōmaru, if Kabuto hears us talking about _that_ man he'll properly attempt an interrogation on us." Sakon scolded, "and by 'attempt' I mean, getting Orochimaru-sama involved"

"Alright, alright I won't bring it up again," Kidōmaru sighed, "I still wonder about him though..."

"...*sight* I doubt he'll last much longer," Sakon sighed, glancing up at Kabuto before he dared to continue his sentence. "His hair already turned white from the stress of the seals and he has difficulty moving around, plus Karin hasn't had the time to attempt removing the seals on him." Sakon paused as he evaluated the distance between them and Kabuto, checking again if the gray haired teen could hear them. "I doubt Takao-san will still be alive when we return from this mission..." Kidōmaru sighed and nodded his head in agreement, he remembered just how pale that boy was and the black smudges under the boy's eyes when they met last. He also remembered what Takao looked like when they first met and was still socked about the near-complete transformation.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"there you go," the nurse smiled at her, stepping back with the cast wrappings on her platter, smiling fondly while the pinkette flexed her write hand carefully. Twisting and bending her fingers, twisting her wrist carefully, before smiling calmly up at the black haired medic.

"Thank you Ms." Fubuki smiled, green eyes calm as she returned her attention back to her newly released wrist, "I'm glade I don't have to worry about stressing the muscles and tendons anymore..."

"I'm surprised you wore that cast for so long," the nurse said, "you could've been using a brace for the past month if you wanted too."

"I'd rather be safe then sorry," Fubuki replied calmly, rising to her feet smoothly, "Thank you for all your help."

"No problem Fubuki-sama," the nurse blushed lightly, scooting out of the pinkette's way. Just as she reached for the handle of the exam room's door, the door slammed open to reveal a jittery looking Shisui.

"Fubuki-chan! We have a mission!"

"Baka!" the nurse and Fubuki hissed at the same time, "Lower your voice!"

"S-sorry," Shisui pouted, rubbing at his sore head where Fubuki hit him, "Anyway Lady Hokage wants us ASAP"

"Un," Fubuki nodded at Shisui, pushing him out she shot one last thankful look back at the nurse. "What's our mission?" Fubuki asked as she pushed Shisui away from her exam room and further down the hall towards the exit

"Not a clue," Shisui said with a smile, wrapping one arm around Fubuki

"Don't you—" Fubuki grunted as she was pulled with Shisui through his _very_ uncomfortable teleportation technique, the flash step was a teleportation technique it was just overly dramatized and used in short bursts instead of long distances like traditional teleportation techniques. "_Dare_" Fubuki gasped, immanently sliding onto the red-carpeted floor, curling up into a ball and trying her best to ignore Shisui's chuckling.

"I told you she said ASAP," Shisui chuckled, trying to defend himself weakly

"I will kill you later," Fubuki grumbled, trying to calm her tilting vision

"You and flash-step don't get along do you?" a familiar voice questioned, making Fubuki huff as she tried to look in the direction of the speaker.

"L-Lady Tsunade," Fubuki sighed, slowly pressing a palm against once eye as she rolled onto her back, "Can I kill my overly emotional teammate?"

"No," Tsunade chuckled, "Although..." Tsunade looked at Shisui pointedly, "When I said teammate's I hadn't thought you'd summon your genin cell." As if to make a point Shikan grumbled lowly from where he huddled himself over a trash can, shooting Shisui a lethal glare.

"Well, in all honestly Lady Hokage," Shisui smiled at her, one hand rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly, "Itachi is still hospitalized because of his legs and Toki-chan and Yamada were hospitalized last night too. They were the only ones I could think of."

"And what are we? Chopped liver?" questioned another group of Anbu standing nearby

"Well to be fair 'Yuzuru', you do eat liver on a regular basis," Shisui grinned back. The resulting glare from the masked man should've scared Shisui but he'd been on the receiving end of Itachi, Tayuya and Fubuki's glares for years and had convinced himself to be immune to them.

"Are we waiting for anyone else?" Tsunade asked Shizune with a sigh, "Who're our trackers?"

"Torune Aburame, Iroha Hyūga, Inojin Yamanaka, Gaku Inuzuka," Shizune answered, "our medics are: Inojin Yamanaka, Suzaku Nara and now Fubuki Haruno."

"The medic's guards are?" Tsunade questioned, earning an amused snort from Fubuki

"The offensive members are: Torune Aburame, Iroha Hyūga, Gaku Inuzuka, Shikan Nara and Shisui Uchiha," Shizune answered

"So... we only have Torune, Iroha, Inojin, Gaku, Suzaku, Fubuki, Shikan and Shisui available for this mission?" Tsunade asked, slouching back in her seat. "Well... that's two teams of medics and trackers," Tsunade sighed and rubbed at her temple, "but what if there's a fight like the contractor thinks?"

"Hay, you think I can't fight?" Shisui and Fubuki asked at the same time

"Not if you're preoccupied," Tsunade replied, pointing at Fubuki. "If you're tending to someone wounded you can't exactly defend yourself if an enemy approaches from behind." Again Shisui and Fubuki snorted, this time accompanied by a strangled chuckle from Shikan and Inojin, both having spared with Fubuki before. "What are you snorting at?" Tsunade asked

"Lady Hokage," Fubuki started, pushing herself up with an irated look at her teammate for his stunt. "I purposefully wound one of my teammates so that the other will constantly attack me _while_ I heal them. I've actually gotten very good at keeping my ice-shield up while I heal someone."

"Impressive," Tsunade commented, "I forgot you're more renowned for kicking someone's ass then actually healing them."

"Old habits die hard," Fubuki smirked at Shisui, a silent promise for what she was going to do to him later

"...well I'm going to be assigning one more person to your team," Tsunade sighed, re-reading the message scroll, "Shizune... go get Tenzo." _Should I add Kakashi?_

"Right," Shizune nodded and disappeared once more from the office

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

**I haven't finished the next chapter yet, it's barely half way through**

**No promises on next weeks update**

**Benzaiten-Kami-sama-god of love  
><strong>

**Thoughts are helpful**

**Opinions are wonderful**

**Helpful criticism****is**** lovely! Just don't cripple me okay?**

**Please no cursing!**

**And don't forget to**** rate and**** review!**

**Page 24**


	58. Chapter 58

**There is a reason**

Chapter 58: When plans go right

Koomahana

**Fubuki was 10 when she met Sakura & 11 when she was taken to the leaf village**

**Tayuya was 8 when she met Sakura & 9 when she was taken to the leaf village**

**Sakura was 3 when she was taken and returned to the leaf village**

**Yagura was 20 when he first met Sakura and 21 when he returned to his body.**

**Yagura is 17 years older than Sakura, ten years older than Fubuki and 12 years older than Tayuya**

**Fubuki is 7 years older than Sakura and 2 years older than Tayuya**

**Tayuya is 5 years older than Sakura**

**Fubuki was a genin at 12, Chunin at 14 and Jonin at 16**

**Tayuya was a genin at 12, Chunin at 13 ½ and Jonin at 16**

**They are now:**

**Yagura is now 29 years old—Mizukage—deceased**

**Fubuki is now 19 years old—Jonin for three years (Same age as Shisui—Anbu—and Shikan—Jonin)**

**Tayuya is now 17 years old—Jonin for one year (Same age as Itachi—Anbu—and Hana—Jonin and Kimimaro—Jonin)**

**Sakura is now 12 years old—Genin (Same as Naruto, Sasuke, Karin, Suigetsu, Haku, and Satoshi)**

* * *

><p><strong>Yamato—Tenzo, Team captain<strong>

**Shisui Uchiha—Saru (monkey), Offensive captain**

**Fubuki Haruno—Eagle (Washi), Lead medic and Offensive member**

**Gaku Inuzuka—Wolf (Enrō), Lead tracker and Offensive member**

**Iroha Hyūga—Spider (Jorogumo), tracker and Offensive member**

**Torune Aburame—Black Cat (Kureko, I remembed 'o' and 'n' to make it fit), Tracker and Offensive member**

**Inojin Yamanka— Rabbit (Usagi) / Squirrel (Risu), chakra Tracker and medic**

**Shikan Nara—Deer (Kanoko), Offensive member**

**Suzaku Nara—Owl (Rukuō), Medic**

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site<strong>

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

It took them two days to get to the location where they were required to meet up with their employer, when they got there, the sound of a child's screaming alarmed them and sent the faster two members bearing into a tent without asking where they were to go. Inside the tent sat a frantic mother trying to placate her hysteric daughter and the father turning around to regard them sharply, stepping between his wife and daughter and the strangers who barged into his tent uninvited. Before the man stood eight figures dressed in purest black, each figure as different looking as the next and each with their own, unique porcine mask. The tall male with the mask of a snarling Monkey stepped forward, crimson eyes spinning furiously behind the slits of his mask.

"Washi!" the man in the monkey mask snapped coldly, needing only a glance with his sharingan to see the dark but familiar chakra strangling the young girl. His female teammate burst past him, her dark hood slipping down and revealing her nearly platinum locks just inches long and flared into sharp peaks like the tail feathers of a great bird. Her porcelain mask was the simple face of any normal looking bird, sharp blue feathers dusted around her eyes like high-lights, three prominent feathers stood proud against her forehead edged in beautiful silver. The beak stretched from the tip of her nose to a sharp, barely curved tip that dusted the very edge of her chin, carved in glimmering silver with acid etchings of elegant leafs and hidden seals. The round holes for her eyes were barely large enough to encase her furious glowing jade orbs as pure and round as the revered gem. From the high sweeping brows of the mask that stood tall against the edge of her hair line, a single string dangled from each side, both were adorned with large puffs of white fur. The bottoms of the brown strings were tipped in elegant loops of fur like it was mocking her assailants with a moving target that they would never be able to touch.

"I know!" the woman, Washi, hissed as she landed on the dirt floor, keen jade eyes sharpening onto the thrashing child, barely registering the girl's mother's panicked attempt at stilling the girl before she hurt herself.

"You… are you from the Hokage?" The woman asked, teary-eyed and panicked

"I'm Fubu—Washi," the woman quickly corrected herself, silently cursing herself for messing up, "I'm a medic, please move." The woman carefully relented her daughter to the blonde, watching her carefully while her husband spoke with the assumed captain of the large squad.

"What's going on here?" Saru asked, ignoring his teammate's who landed behind him carefully; the masks of a deer and cat were as silent as ever, creeping into the tent like the bugs and shadows they favored.

"She's my daughter," the man said quickly gesturing to the girl struggling in the kunochi's grasp, "She just laid down for a nap like usual when she suddenly started screaming and thrashing."

"Is this normal?" the man in the deer mask asked, peering around the man to observe Washi struggle with the little girl before carefully immobilizing her. His eyes narrowed imperceptibly behind his porcelain mask, the shadows from the fires hiding his thoughtful gaze and quick intake of his new surroundings. The peering face of the seemingly innocent looking deer face was unnerving, even more so when the fires seemed to gleam off the round glass eyes of the mask.

"Yes I mean no-I mean," the man sighed, bowing his head in shame, "Some of the children have been getting nightmares and my daughter is amongst that number but none of have ever been this bad before."

"When did these nightmares begin?" Saru asked, crimson eyes narrowing in thought as he turned to continue observing the large tent that surrounded him still, as if he was expecting for someone to pop out and attack him.

"Three days ago when we started traveling on the last road to a small farming village just outside of Konoha," the man answered. "Once we reached the borders of the village… everything was different. We decided to retreat to this village… that was yesterday morning."

"Did you send anyone into the village or did you just retreat?" Saru asked, "More importantly… why did you retreat?"

"No I'm afraid we didn't send anyone further into the ash lands, as some of the more wiry women of my troop call it," the man murmured the last part in some kind of ironic amusement. "There was something wrong with the air around the borders of the village, none of my people are willing to trespass the ash covered ground."

"That's your reason for retreating from the village?" Saru asked, as if surprised by the mere fact, "The ashy-grounds creped you guys out?"

"…You'll understand when you reach the village," the man sighed. "I would like it if you could find a man named Osamu and bring back the goods he promised me but if that's not possible I understand. I would also like it if you brought back anyone who might have survived the attack, my people and I will take care of them for as long as we can."

"Anything else?" Saru asked, a frown sounding in his voice

"If there appears to be any danger…" the man hesitated, glancing back at his calmer daughter, "…just don't get hurt. I can't afford a higher ranked mission because one of your people got hurt."

"Is that why you asked for medics and trackers?" Bambi asked with a raised eyebrow

"Yes and no," the man answered, turning back to them, "I asked for medics because our children's nightmares seemed to have gotten worse since we left the village borders; my daughter is by far the worst of them all. I asked for trackers because of Osamu-kun, and I asked for your Hokage to send a squad that can protect the trackers and the medics so that none of your people get hurt or killed, forcing me to fork out more money that I can't afford to spare."

"I think I understand," Saru murmured, peering around the man to look at Washi, noticing how she was rocking the little girl back and forth, murmuring softly to the child. "It sounds like your daughter is better…"

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Satoshi was smirking when he walked out of the gloom of the forest just beyond the valley of the end. The sound team had been waiting for two weeks, listening to his updates when he decided to send one.

"Well?" Kabuto asked, rising to his full height and regarding the younger boy curiously

"It is done," Satoshi smirked, golden eyes glowing with something more than just his power, "the Hokage is sending a team of Anbu to investigate the village I destroyed two weeks ago." He snickered to himself, a sadistic smile spreading over his face, "just wait till she finds the other two! No one was smart in those ones so they all died!"

"Did you lay your little seeds of doubt and hate?" Sakon asked sarcastically

"Of course," Satoshi smirked, "the other villages in my way have already started to take precautions. They don't want to end up like the ones I already destroyed."

"Did you leave anyone alive in that first village?" Kabuto asked, hearing about the destruction for the first time

"Only the one apprentice," Satoshi answered flippantly, as if he didn't care, "She was so scared she actually caught her hair on fire to save herself. It was hilarious. I decided to let her die from her own stupidity."

_His heart has blackened since the last time we met,_ Kabuto thought with narrowed eyes at the younger boy, "What about us? Master wants his new East gate."

"Yeah, yeah don't remind me," Satoshi hissed, still pissed that his sister was going to replace him at Orochimaru's side. That didn't mean he couldn't see the benefit of having both of them loyal to Orochimaru and no one else, even Satoshi could see the merit of that. "You can leave in a few hours or tonight if you want, it won't matter which you chose. You'll be protected till you reach Konoha." With that Satoshi disappeared within the darkness of the forest once more. Kabuto stared out at the darkness for a moment, silent and thoughtful as he weighed the pros and cons of each action he could take.

"Alright everyone," Kabuto said softly, slowly, "get ready. We'll leave at Sunrise."

"So we've got six hours," Kidōmaru sighed

"Might as well rest up, we've got a long run" Kabuto replied, taking his own place beside the fire of their camp

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

He sat beside her hospital bed, calmly listening to her sleepy breathing with the lightest tilt of a pitch. Currently the girl was asleep, her pale skin seemingly paler against the white of the pillow beneath her head, even the faint bruises beneath her eyes seemed a little darker than usual. Still, he sat beside her hospital bed, his own head prompted against his right hand while his left held onto the girl's fingers. With a tiered sigh, he let his eyes fall close and he too fell into a deep sleep. Unbeknownst to the young teen, someone else entered the room just then, walking carefully into the room to view both teens silently.

"Like father like son," Hiashi sighed, carefully loosening Neji's fingers from Sakura's and just as carefully lifted him from the seat. _Why do you both have to fall in love with a girl destined for death?_ With a final, unsure, glace back at the sleeping pinkette, Hiashi turned and walked away from the room, intending to return his nephew to his room in the compound.

Now, if only his daughter was so easy to find

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Washi hissed as she slid to a stop beside the very edge of the 'ash land'. True to their employer's description, the once beautiful farming village was coated in a thick gray-white ash with few black timbers remaining of the once buildings. She shared a nervous look with her 'team captain' and carefully stepped onto the white washed land of ash, she imminently felt like running in another direction. A shiver rolled over her back, her blood seemed to freeze with dread, her body was suddenly sweating, she could hear cold laughter on the wind and—

"Washi-chan?" She turned at the soft voice, staring through her unpainted mask of a fox at her captain; even from her distance she could see the faint red flexes of his sharingan. "What do you feel?"

"…like running home and hiding under my bed," Washi answered honestly. Her captain nodded his head in approval, as if she past some test, and carefully tapped her shoulder with chakra laced finger tips. The feeling of dread was slow to disappear but it did make her feel a little bit better about being in the ash covered grounds of the once village borders.

"Everyone be careful," her captain ordered coldly, "When you step onto the ash a thick and strong genjutsu is triggered. Try to dispel it but if you can't we'll get rid of it for you."

"If that's the case we all should hold hands and prepare ourselves for the genjutsu," Fubuki whispered softly, "if we can dissipate the genjutsu before it takes hold we might be able to stop the technique from growing on us."

"…alright," her captain nodded, "something is better than nothing."

"It's better than not being consumed by a genjutsu," one of her teammates drawled calmly, his own mask was in the shape of a large crane. Washi nodded slowly and held her hands out to both of her teammates, she watched as each of her new teammates took hands, and with the feel of her chakra swirling protectively around them, stepped onto the ash covered grounds of the once prosperous village.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Leaning against a tree, the three of them panted long and hard, having taken the most direct route and refusing to stop had tiered all of them out. It had only taken them two days to reach the border of the hidden leaf, but it would take them another day before they could successfully infiltrate the without being seen. The only good thing they had was the fact that Konoha's Anbu agents were now focusing on the western sector of Fire country, which gave them plenty of room to run towards the village without getting caught.

"How are the target's wounds?" he asked, turning dark eyes onto the small girl leaning against a nearby tree like a broken doll. They knew their target was wounded, they just didn't know how bad; the amount of damage would depend on how fast they could move against her.

"Her chakra is weak but is growing..." the young girl answered softly, crimson eyes lost in her trance

"Good," he smirked, "Tonight we'll move, we'll capture her tonight..."

"She isn't alone," the red head whispered making him stiffen, "there are others around her... strong chakras..."

"Tell me when she is alone"

"There is no pattern yet" she answered softly. They waited just outside of the village for four days before they found the pattern to the wall guards and by then, the pattern had registered in their minds just as their little charge noticed a pattern to her target. They were all sitting around the small fire in their little hidden cavity under the tree when her whisper soft voice finally sounded.

"I've found it," she whispered in the darkness of her cage, "...the pattern... she's alone... night when everyone sleeps... she's alone..."

"Good job," one smirked triumphantly, revealing sharp teeth

"Hurry it won't last long," she whispered, as if she didn't hear him "it won't be long she's never alone for long... hurry... if you seek her... hurry..."

"Move out," he ordered coldly with gritted teeth, "Don't miss this chance!" It wasn't long before they reached the village wall. They watched the high walls closely, watching the guards rotate before moving forward swiftly. Jumping over the wall, landing in a tree and taking off over the roofs faster than the next shift could processes the odd burst of wind that flew passed them.

"Don't get caught," one ordered, glancing to either side at his teammates. They didn't want this new gatekeeper but they also knew that she had made their previous gatekeeper useless to them, which meant that she was good enough to stand beside them.

Besides, their master wanted her, so their master is going to get her

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

She stilled at the edge of what was once the center of the village, her jade eyes clued to the high and gray skies as if the sky itself felt the dread and uneasy of the valley below it. Just staring at the bleak and uncolored sky set that little ball of unease into a cinder of apprehension mixed with discomfort, as if her body knew that something dark lurked in every growing shadow that she couldn't see.

"Is there something wrong Washi–chan?" she turned slightly to look at her team captain, her once genin teammate had grown up into an Anbu captain and walk as if he carried the weight of the world without feeling an ounce of its weight. "You've been staring off in space for the past five minutes… are you still feeling uneasy?"

"…It's getting dark," she answered simply, returning her eyes back to the bleak sky. Thanks to her, none of her teammates suffered from the effects of the genjutsu that plagued the 'Ashland'. She alone suffered from the uneasy and apprehension of something dangerous approaching; she felt as if she was a rabbit caught in the sights of a great predator that she couldn't hope to out run.

"Ch, you're getting the hang of being an Anbu agent faster than I thought you would," Her teammate sighed. "And here I thought it'd take you a week at least!"

…

"_For all of your protection I am forced to assign you none Anbu member's temporary masks," Tsunade sighed, "the second you return home they'll be destroyed and your mission will be S-class. Meaning no one will have knowledge of it other than your current teammates, yourself and me."_

"_Um, Lady Tsunade?" Fubuki raised her hand, a look of doubt on her face and unease shimmering half hidden in her eyes, "What does it mean to be Anbu?"_

"_Geez Fubuki-chan!" Shisui laughed, "I thought you knew that one at least!"_

"_I know what the academy has taught me," Fubuki huffed, "Beyond that I'm as blind as any other civilian in the village."_

"_Anbu are the ones who're assigned the missions that the village can't or shouldn't be associated with," Tsunade answered, "Well, at least that's the civilian view-point. In all actuality Anbu members protect the village from the shadows, never leaving a trace behind in their missions and destroying their bodies if they can't make it back to the village on their own."_

"_Basically it's full of suicidal idiots," Fubuki huffed_

"_Hay that's me!" Shisui whined_

"_That's my point," Fubuki grinned sharply back at him, unfazed by the glare of the other Anbu members and the pout Shisui gave her_

"_Enough," Tsunade ordered, "Fubuki Haruno, Shikan Nara, Suzaku Nara, Gaku Inuzuka; You four are not a part of the Anbu black ops division." Fubuki glanced at the two other mask-less people in the room, the woman Suzaku nodded firmly, thick black lines were like painted stripes beneath her eyes. The man Gaku seemed board out of his mind, simply choosing to run his fingers through his 'familiar's' furry head, unconcerned with the knowledge being presented to him._

"_You four will be given temporary un-painted masks," Tsunade continued, leaning back in her seat and bobbing her head approvingly at Shizune, who imminently placed a large sack atop her desk. "Of course," Tsunade carefully untied the package, revealing what laid inside, "Each of you can pick your masks—what the hell?! Shizune!"_

"_I'm sorry!" Shizune shrieked automatically, Leaning away from Tsunade and the glare aimed her way, "that's all the mask maker had! He wouldn't let me look at anything else!" Tsunade visibly quivered a for a moment, her body shaking as finally as the softly mumbled curses she used beneath her breath, just soft enough that no one else could hear what she said but still knew that a sail would be proud of her all the same._

"_I'll kill him later," Tsunade sighed, rubbing one hand against the bridge of her nose, "alright you four, pick out your masks."_

"_Fubuki-chan gets this one!" Shisui shouted suddenly, swiping a blue mask out from the stack_

"_Idiot!" Fubuki hissed, punching him in the head, "I get to choose my own mask! Your input doesn't count!"_

"_This is the only one that's fitting," Shisui pouted at her, showing her the elegantly carved bird mask, complete with blue feathers and silver high-lights._

"_The mask maker said he's already looked at each of your files," Shizune piped up softly, "he says that each of these are in accordance to your personalities."_

"_Did that damned man plan this?!" Tsunade hissed lowly, glaring off to the side as if she was thinking of jumping up and charging to the 'mask-maker's' place of residence and beat the answers out of him._

"_See Fubuki-chan?" Shisui cooed at her, "isn't it adorable?"_

"…_Keep it up and I'll make sure you fulfill your birth name," Fubuki threatened, snatching the mask out of Shisui's hand. "Lady Tsunade, I have a slight problem," Fubuki said as she pulled the beautiful mask over her face, ignoring her teammate's sulking beside Shikan who ignored him mercilessly._

"_Huh what is it?" Tsunade asked, twisting to look at the pinkette, "oh…"_

"_Every Anbu member is permitted to wear a wig with their mask," the only Anbu kunochi Anbu member spook up, based on her long brown hair pulled down into a low pony tail, Fubuki assumed her to be 'Iroha Hyūga'. "Most Anbu members have to wear them anyways because of their distinctive hair colors, it's not mandatory but it is wise to use them."_

"_I see," Fubuki sighed, looking over at the masked woman, "Do the wigs come in different colors or am I doomed to the hideous gray that Shisui wears from time to time."_

"_How many times do I have to say that it wasn't me?!" Shisui shouted, snapping around to scowl at Fubuki who ignored him completely._

"_Because we are kunochi's, we have the options from several different colors," the woman answered, also ignoring Shisui. "However, they are average and normal looking so as not to draw attention… I once saw one that appeared to have been made completely out of feathers. That is the one I suggest you use"_

"_With this mask I don't have much of a choice," Fubuki sighed_

"_If you three are done talking like I'm not here," Tsunade interrupted, "let us continue with the debriefing"_

"_Yes my lady," the Anbu kunochi and Fubuki chimed together, bowing at the same time, "please forgive us"_

…

"Fubuki-chan?" she turned automatically at her name, staring dully up at her once teammate. Strange how she never noticed that trait before…

"Are you okay?" Saru asked, monkey mask tilted to the side, "Do you sense something?"

"I don't know," She answered looking down at the ground, she nudged the little piece of burnt wood that surrounded the center of the village, inside the once circle was a pile of burnt… something. "Something doesn't feel right…" she whispered softly, eyes clued to the large brunt pile.

"Could it be the genjutsu still?" Saru asked, "Could you still be under its effects?" _even after all we've done to free you from it?_

"…You used my name," Fubuki sighed, spinning on her heal and punching Saru in the stomach, "We've agreed to our code names—use them."

"O-okay," Saru wheezed, "did you… did you have to punch me?"

"Yes," Fubuki smirked under her mask, turning on her heal and stepping into the circular thing she had attempted to investigate herself. It was strange this ring of barrels and trash, inside the ring there wasn't much other than the bodies of what she guessed to be animals.

Stooping into a low crouch, Fubuki lifted a burnt piece of cloth and promptly shrieked

"What is it?" Shisui was there in an instant, pulling her away from the burnt and ash covered pile of something she was trying to investigate

"What's going on?!" Shikan arrived a split second later, shadows already lifting to protect them from the threat

"Wh-what the hell?" Shisui gasped, crimson eyes wide as he stared down at the cause of Fubuki's shriek

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Ino shifted calmly through the library's records, Hinata was sitting at a desk surrounded by large books based on anything related to lungs, Shikamaru was with his own mother trying to figure out what herbs would work best for Sakura's coughing fit, Neji was most likely training somewhere with Naruto and Sasuke; and there was no sign of any of their sensei's or parents. Ino suspected that the more mobile adults took missions to help the village work that little bit faster towards recovery.

"Excuse me miss," Ino jumped at the soft voice, she snapped around hurriedly with wide eyes, not sure of what to do with the young chunin kunochi standing just behind her. "It's closing time, please check out what you need and leave"

"Oh, uh, okay, I'll do that," Ino said hurriedly, the librarian nodded and walked away. Ino let out a soft sigh when the woman turned the corner, glancing back at the direction the woman took, Ino carefully turned and hurried back to where Hinata was reading through the books she had collected.

"You'll never guess what just happened," Ino chuckled as she calmly took her place across from Hinata, "the librarian just ordered us to pack up, check out and leave."

"None of these can be checked out," Hinata replied calmly, writing and reading at the same time

_It's creepy when you get a one track mind,_ Ino thought with a sigh as she leaned back in her chair and looked out the window high over their heads, giving her the perfect view of the night sky and the rising moon.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

A flash of pink caught their attention, prompting them to slide to a stop and exam it a little more closely

"That her?" The girl was younger than them, hanging out the hospital window with a pout on her impish face

"Yeah, that's her" he remembered what happened the last time he was within the village, that hadn't ended well. He was determined to get it right this time, he didn't want another kid to die because of _his_ mistake.

"...How long do we wait?"

"...one more hour when everyone is defiantly sleeping" he smirked at the pouting pinkette, glaring up at the night sky as if it was at fault for her misery. _You really do look like that girl…_

…

"_Hay Nii-san! Look what I found!"_

"_How cute"_

_She giggled as he ruffled her strawberry pink locks_

…

_I guess it couldn't be avoided back then_, he turned and disappeared with his teammates, _you are siblings after all and we didn't know you had a sister. We only knew your hair color…_ He closed his eyes briefly as he remembered that day so long ago, the greatest failure he ever had the misfortune of performing for his master. They didn't need to kill that girl, she really didn't know anything vital about them, and she was asleep most of the time anyway.

…They really didn't need to kill that girl…

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

He glanced into the one of the only remaining buildings of the village, brown eyes dull and lifeless as he stared at the curled up figure of his temporary teammate. It was true that finding the remaining villagers was a shock, but he thought that the famed Pinkette was acting a little over board for the deaths of so many villagers. It was true that he didn't know much about the woman, just what few rumors he bothered to listen too, but he had also seen the woman fight and found her sudden reaction to the bodies strange. Perhaps it was the way the bodies of the villagers were all huddled together and yet ripped apart at the same time, as if they were compressed and burned at the same time, like someone had attempted to mummify the survivors at the same time, with a cruel and unusual trick of ash and flame.

"How is she?" he looked up to find his commander standing beside him, peaking into the half destroyed cottage himself, "not doing so good huh? Guess I should've seen that one coming"

"How so?" he asked, tilting his black mask at his commander curiously.

The snarling monkey mask tilted back at him in mild interest, "you don't know much about Fubuki Haruno, do you?"

"No sir," how strange that his commander was using their head medic's name, were they not stressed on the use of their temporary code names? His commander was the famed flash-step master, yet he acted little better than most children, how was that possible?

"Fubuki-chan watched her parents and siblings get murdered right in front of her," his captain explained, "those corpses properly brought up some bad memories." He glanced back at the large pile, the other medic was hurling off to the side, while their senior but not in charge medic was examining the remaining bodies like they were pieces of an interesting puzzle. "Suzaku-chan maybe a Jonin medic but she's never actually left the village for missions," his commander continued, "she's still not used to the ugly side of shinobi life, despite her age."

"Out of all three medics, one reverted to a terrified little girl and the other is unexperienced," he said, turning his eyes back onto his commander, "We are down to one medic now. What'll happen to us if we get hurt? Two of our three medics are useless…"

"Don't be so harsh," Saru seemed to smile at him, glancing back into the small shed of a building, red eyes staring fondly at his genin teammate. "Fubuki will pull herself out of this, we just need to give her time and space. If we need her, she'll show up and be even stronger than before."

He watched as his commander turned and started to walk away

"Don't worry about her," Saru ordered, swinging his hands behind his head and humming cheerfully, "You haven't seen in her inaction yet."

_That maybe,_ he thought, turning his eyes towards the black washed sky, _but it's dark out now… none of us can see without a torch…_ he looked back at his curled up teammate and the other mysterious Anbu member who had appeared at the village gates, already informed and ready to travel, sitting in the room beside her as if he was just a part of the shack. He was beginning to wonder if they would be able to pull off this mission in success, it was starting to worry him with the famed 'ice queen's' sudden reaction to corpses.

However, all he could do now was sit back and wait, praying silently that nothing horrible would happen to them during the night

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Sakura glared out her hospital window, it was nearing night and she still didn't quite know what to do about her current predicament. Her friends were visiting her daily but it appeared that all of them had come up with a schedule for visitation rights, three of them at a time and each team got to visit once a day. She appreciated the thought and everything, but at this point it was starting to get a little boring with their rather forced talk about the village's latest gossip. At least Hinata and Ino tried to help with her research about Lung tissues and chakra control.

_Sleeping is getting a little better,_ Sakura thought, watching the stars pop out of sky one by one. She had the feeling that a certain Hyūga was visiting her at night and tampering with her chakra system while she slept. Her chakra was growing, strong and steady, and her muscles didn't hurt as much as they once did.

With a loud sigh, Sakura flopped back onto her pillow and threw an arm over her face, covering her eyes with an annoyed groan

"Everything is getting out of hand"

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

It had taken a month and a half for Tsunade to heal Tayuya enough to move around without aid but because they no longer knew how much time she had left they had to be careful, treating her like a frail glass doll. Tayuya hated it when people did that, she wasn't a doll—not by a long shot—she was thorns. Sharp, quick to draw blood, and straight to the point.

She was like the thorns on a rose—just like the rose tattooed on the back of her neck

…

"_Eh~ you mean this little prankster is your younger sister, peaches?" he asked staring down at her in bewilderment, "Why she's hardly a flower at all, she's more like the thorns on a rose!"_

"_I wouldn't suggest you continue calling her that," Fubuki replied with a smirk, watching Tayuya glare venomously up at Jiraya_

"_Eh I'm sure a pretty girl like you won't mind right sweetie?" Jiraya asked with a cheeky grin, "So? How about it Thorns? You wanna—"_

"_DIE!"_

"_Ahhh!"_

"_I did warn you"_

…

Tayuya smirked at the memory, relaxing in the tree just outside her hospital room, watching the moon crawl across the sky like the lazy clouds the Nara clan like to watch. She didn't understand why they like to watch the clouds but she guessed they felt the same way she felt when she watched the moon—peaceful. Glancing at the hospital Tayuya sighed when she caught sight of pink curtains swinging in the wind, her little sister wouldn't be leaving the hospital for another week and _she_ couldn't leave for another two.

_She has a long life ahead of her,_ Tayuya thought with a please sigh, settling further into her branch. _Unlike me... I wonder how much time I have left..._ She remembered what Itachi had said when she first woke up after the attach, fifteen minutes that meant fifteen years had been removed from her life span.

…

"_Alright class I want you to write out what you want to in fifteen years" the teacher said, they'd be graduating soon so everyone wasn't surprised by the question, knowing that it impacted their futures greatly._

"_Married!" Tayuya cheered, unaffected by the bewildered looks her classmates gave her, that wasn't something they pegged her to say. "I want to be married with three boys and three girls!" because that was how many children her parents had and they were doing just fine, they seemed like the perfect future for her to have, she wanted to be just like them._

"_Tayuya-chan I said to write it down," the teacher chuckled in amusement, used to her shouting out her answers instead of writing or raising her hand. "You do realize that means you'll have six children to raise right?"_

"_My parents have six kids and they're doing just fine!" Tayuya shot back with a pout, "I want to be just like them! And a Jonin too!"_

"_Really?" he asked, shaking his head in amusement_

"_Yes!" She nodded in conviction, just like Sakura did when she was absolutely sure about something, "I want to be happy, just like them!"_

"_You do realize that's a tall order to ask of your partner, right?" he asked with a smirk, amused with his most vocal student, "Just who are you planning to merry anyways?" Tayuya sat back down in her seat and thought for a moment, obviously not having thought that far ahead_

"_Whoever is strongest," Tayuya smiled brightly, giggling to herself despite the several looks thrown her way "Whoever is strongest! I'll marry the strongest man I can find by the time I'm twenty!"_

…

Tayuya chuckled at the memory. Here she was at seventeen, still uninterested in anyone, a Jonin, and her life was hanging in balance. If she died today, did that mean she would have lived to be 32? Would she have accomplished all of her dreams if she hadn't played that damn song? How much time did she have left anyways? Should she hurry to find a partner to get started on her dream? Did she—

_What the hell is that?_ Tayuya stared dumbly up at the moon, not sure of what to make of the three forms falling down towards her, one that was huge, one that looked as if it had two heads and one that looked like it had six arms... what in the world could they—

"SH*T!" Tayuya cursed as she jumped away from her tree branch, grunting as she ran across the limb to avoid the crash of the three bodies landing right where she had been sitting. At least she recognized them now, they were the 'gate keepers' who protected Orochimaru while he fought against her, Anko, Fubuki and their Hokage, Hiruzen.

"Ch, just bloody lovely," Tayuya growled, jumping from the branch and arcing midair to avoid two heads as he lunged at her, she smirked and used him as launching board to reach the roof. She landed and kept moving in the familiar spin of the blossom dance drilled into her at the music studio she's been attending since childhood.

"Who are you?" Tayuya asked spinning into a low crouch that housed her hands on the tile of the roof, "What do you want?"

"We are the sound Four," two heads commented with a grin, confusing Tayuya

"Um, did you not pass grade school or something? Because I'm only counting three of you," Tayuya said tilting her head to the side and preparing her chakra for a long and arduous fight.

"You wounded our fourth bad enough that he can no longer hold his place as our east gate," six arms informed her, "Do you know what that means pinky?"

"That I get to remove a few of your arms for the unnecessary name-calling?" Tayuya asked with a pointed glare at the older boy

"It means you're good enough to join us," two heads commented with a smirk, eyes dancing in the moonlight

"...Why in the seven hells would I give you freak-a-zooids the time of day?" Tayuya asked with a raised eyebrow, letting her chakra carve into the soft tile beneath her without them noticing it, all she had to do now was get cut—suddenly her world was dark and filled with pain.

"A Jonin should be more aware of their surroundings," a familiar voice taunted over her, coughing hoarsely (and spitting out some blood, added plus for her) she hissed as the boy over her slammed a foot into her tender back repeatedly, trying to shock her system into giving out and making her faint. It did work, just not as fast as he thought.

"tr-tray-t-tor-r" Tayuya gasped as her world turned dark

There is more to a Jonin then just simple observation

A Jonin isn't easy pray

A Jonin leaves clues

A Jonin _never_ gives up

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

It wasn't even midnight yet when all of them felt a sudden chill roll through the air, creating white puffs of air around their masks where their breath escaped. The wind blew and the torches danced mysteriously, as if giving warning of something dangerous coming or creating a beautiful effect to a tense story. The blackened sky didn't show a single star nor shed a single tear; the darkness around them was thick and heavy as if they were in the black waters of the deep sea. Slowly, each team member came together at the center of the once-village, their fires standing strong but ominous in the darkness. When the wind flew past each of them, a horse kind of laugher seemed to follow, the kind that would make even the coldest of men shiver in dread.

"Risu, you sense anything?" Saru asked, putting his back to the man in question

"I told you not to call me that," the blonde hissed in response, "I told you the ears broke off but I'm a rabbit, my name is Usagi!"

"Your mask looks like a squirrel, deal with it," Saru hissed back, crimson eyes flashing dangerously around himself, standing protectively in front of the only two medics present. The fierce spider mask looked as if it snarled back at the strange darkness and the shy smiling owl seemed to shrink into that of a baby chick, hiding nearly perfectly within the shadow of the snarling spider and the mound of bodies.

"Well Risu? Anyone out there?" Saru asked again, turning slightly to look at the stiff figures of the patient cat and the wiry wolf, the actual black wolf was crouched protectively beside his partner, amber eyes glowing fiercely in the firelight.

"I don't sense anything," Usagi replied softly, "although… what about captain? And the girl?"

"Washi-chan will be fine," Saru answered as calmly as he could, "She'll snap out of it once she realizes we're in danger."  
>"Have you seen her that shaken up?" Usagi asked, ducking his head as he glanced back at his commander<p>

"Once," Saru admitted softly

"Did she wake up in time?" Usagi waited patiently for an answer, but it appeared that Saru refused to answer the question. "…I was afraid of that," Usagi sighed, pulling his sword out and readying it before himself

"She'll wake up," Saru replied softly, sounding more like he was trying to convince himself more than his temporary teammate. Suddenly the darkness surrounding them thickened into a soup like mist, blocking their view of the half burnt down cottage. "This is getting worse," Saru mumbled, glancing back at his teammates. He stilled, his sharingan whirling lazily, locked onto the large mound of bodies like locked on missiles—suddenly realization hit him.

"Look out!" Shisui spun on the ball of his foot, moving hurriedly towards the two medics still huddled against the base of the half formed pile. _I'm not going to make it!_

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"Tayuya" Hana called pushing her teammate's door aside and then pushing Itachi in before her, "Tayuya? Oh did she seriously ditch the hospital?" Hana asked eyeing the open window

"She's properly watching the moon," Itachi said, a gentile smile on his face as he was placed beside Tayuya's bed, "it's late, can you try to convince her to come to bed before the nurses find my room?"

"Like she listens to me," Hana snorted, rolling her eyes and moving towards the window anyways, "Oi Tayuya!" Ignoring Itachi's amused chuckled, Hana launched herself out of the room, flipping over the roof railing and onto the roof like it was nothing. Rolling her eyes, Hana examined the roof and took a deep breath as the wind whispered against her. Coughing instantly at the scent that rushed up her nose, making her eyes tear up, Hana took a few steps forward and crouched at the odd-looking piece of crimson tile.

It took her three seconds to understand the little squabble lines

"Itachi!" Hana shrieked over the edge of the roof, "Hit the emergency button!"

Itachi didn't hesitate

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Sakura sighed as she stared at the rising sun, eyes narrowed and a frown twisting her lips. It was strange enough for her to see a sun as bright and blinding as the one she was seeing now, but recently it was even stranger to see her awake to watch the sun rise. Her detreating lungs seemed to dissolve a percent a day; her sleeps, although painless, lasted in shorter and shorter amounts. The books Hinata and Ino had brought her were scattered around her bed, mostly sitting on chairs and her night stand, the books nearly dwarfing the stand itself. Based on everything she had learned from the dozens of books, the doctor's constant updates and Tsunade's weekly prognosis, told Sakura that her lungs were detreating faster than expected. However, that didn't explain the uneasy feeling Sakura had watching that strangely bloody sun slowly creep over the distant horizon.

_What is wrong?_ Sakura thought, blinking as the last of the bloody sun crept over the edge of the distant trees. _What is this feeling?_

Something inside told her that she wasn't going to like today

_I better just talk to Ta-Nee_, Sakura thought with a sigh, _She'll make me feel better_. Sakura flipped her blankets over and carefully tip-toed towards the door, the last thing she needed was to walk out of her room just as a nurse was walking by—they'd attempt to knock her out or at least bind her back to her bed again. Pausing at the door way, Sakura frowned at her closed door before she tucked herself close to the wall and opened her door carefully. In the hall way stood several Anbu agents, a few nurses and who appeared to be Itachi and Hana talking with a white robed Anbu.

"I swear to you that's Tayuya's blood!" Hana suddenly shouted, Sakura paled, her legs turning into jelly and forcing her to collapse against the wall of her hospital room. "How dare you insult my nose! I'm the heir to the Inuzuka clan!" Sakura's eyes widened, her body was trembling and Hana's voice seemed to echo between almost mockingly in her mind.

"Hana calm down," Itachi's calm voice was firm, sending silence throughout the hallway and giving Sakura a straighter back, she had never heard Itachi's voice sound both calm and threatening at the same time. "You are forgetting that Sakura is next door, if you keep shouting she'll wake up."

"Oh… right," Hana was calmer instantly, her voice going whisper soft

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Tsunade stared dully at the photo in front of her, not sure what to make of the bloody symbol of a sound note and another of two ovals connected with a single bar. Looking up at the two adults in front of her, Tsunade suppress a sigh at their conditions; Hana with her still broken leg and Itachi with both of his legs still heavily wrapped in burn ointments.

"What is this supposed to mean?" Tsunade asked, staring at the three who were still huddled together in Tayuya's hospital room, refusing to leave it.

"After Orochimaru marked her when we were genin, we came up with a system of Genjutsu and clues," Hana spoke up with a sniffle, "It was a way for us to communicate. Tayuya would write the message in blood" Hana taped her nose to indicate that she'd smell it "and put a small Genjutsu over it" here she pointed to Itachi's face, indicating his bloodline. "I could smell her blood and Itachi can see through Genjutsu. It was our way of communicating if one of us got captured or had to move out quickly"

"You three are smart," Tsunade sighed, having already that the three had long ago found out how to communicate silently

"Tayuya is the one who came up with it," Itachi said, "We need to send a team after her. The sound note indicates that Orochimaru's men took her, the glasses drawing means that Kabuto had to have been involved."

"I'll see who I can't spare," Tsunade sighed heavily, dread settling in her stomach, "All of my Jonin are out of the village on missions and the same with most of my Anbu..." _that mission to the west…_

"What does that mean?" Hana asked, her face paling

"You're not... You're not thinking of sending chunin after her are you?" Itachi asked with wide eyes

"I already sent Shikamaru Nara to collect his teammates," Tsunade answered seriously "he's the only one I could spare."

"Great" Itachi sighed, slumping in his seat, "That means you're sending out a bunch of Genin after Sound Jonin."

"This isn't going to end well," Hana sighed, burying her face in her hands, already knowing that somehow her brother was going to end up on this suicide mission

_I know_, Tsunade sighed, lifting herself off the window seal and leaving the room to the two wounded teammates, _but I have no choice..._ Tsunade stopped outside the doorway of the hospital room next door to Tayuya's, the plaque read 'Sakura Haruno' but the door was slightly ajar and she could hear a feint whistling from the wind inside. With narrowed eyes, Tsunade swept a hand out and slammed the hospital door wide open, amber eyes narrowed into a glare at the empty bed.

"Damn it!"

Sakura Haruno already knew and was already on her way to save her sister

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"Are you sure this is going to work?" Sakon asked, lifting the pink haired woman from the ground and back into his arms

"Why? Don't you trust in my ability?" Kabuto asked with a smirk, stepping away from the dazed woman

_No_, Sakon thought with a glare pointed to Kidōmaru who was cradling one of his burnt arms. Sakon adjusted his hold and walked over to the circular box they would use to transport the woman; his teammates, old and temporary, stood back to watch and others stepped forward to take their rightful places.

"Eh, no worries," Kabuto shrugged carelessly, "Now I have a meeting to go keep, so I'm taking bones with me. Redhead will keep you in the clear until you get to the base, I expect her to be returned in the best of health." Kabuto was gone before he could get a sarcastic reply from the three men, their newest white haired member quickly taking after him without looking back at his once teammate.

"Come on," Sakon sighed, splitting from his brother to cover for their east point "Let's get this done and over with. They're bound to have noticed by now."

"They have" the red haired girl answered, eyes still clouded over, unmoving in her position against the base of a nearby tree. "They're gathering together... it won't be long before they move towards us..." Sakon groaned as he set the girl into the casket; he felt his eyes widen when he saw warm hazel stare up at him, sleepily blinking at him, as if she couldn't decide if she was awake or dreaming.

"Eat it," Sakon ordered pressing a little black pill between her lips, she smiled and did as she was told, like a child following their parent's instructions. "Let's go," he said backing away and following his teammates as they each performed the barrier jutsu required to keep her in the box. Once that was done, his brother returned to his body and Kidōmaru lifted the casket into his arms while Jirobo lifted red head onto his back.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Shikamaru sighed as he walked out of the Hokage building, figures that his first mission as a chunin would involve _that_ damned woman. So he had gathered Naruto as a teammate and they were on their way over to Chōji's place. Shikamaru sighed as Naruto continued talking, not noticing Shikamaru's strange silence as he stared at the picture of Tayuya, still not knowing what his next mission was about. Shikamaru took a deep breath and let the memory of his first meeting with Tayuya take over his mind.

…

_The day really hadn't been any different than any other; he was walking to class with Chōji beside him and their fathers walking calmly behind them. When they went to turn down the last hall to their classroom, he had bumped into the older girl, nearly collided face first into her chest. No sane boy at that age, presented with that kind of view, could hide a blush. As such, his father snickered and quickly tugged Chōji's father around the corner and out of sight. The older girl wasn't even looking at them; her eyes were focused down the hall as if something more important had captured her attention._

_Shikamaru had taken that chance to study her, staring at her long mane of dark cheery locks pulled into a high, elegant ponytail with her soft bangs brushing at the sides of her face in the illusion of a calm Hime; her eyes were the perfect shade of brown, the sunlight streaming in through the window beside them made her eyes glow like amber flames._

_He honestly didn't expect her next words and her threat had startled him, he didn't quite know what to make of her. She really wasn't anything like he had been expecting that day and as he grew up and he saw her from time to time, he learned that she wasn't someone who could be predicted._

_She was too much like the wind, she was simply... she was simply too free..._

…

"Hay Shikamaru," Chōji greeted warmly, breaking Shikamaru's concentration on his memory, "What's up?"

"We have a mission, if you want to take it," Shikamaru answered, smiling in thanks at his child hood friend.

"Sure just let me get ready," Chōji smiled, "Oh is he coming?" blinking dumbly, Shikamaru looked in the direction Chōji was pointing and saw both Naruto and Kiba staring right back at him.

"You wanna come?" Shikamaru asked, with a careless shrug

"...You didn't hear a word I said, did you?" Kiba asked with a twitching eyebrow, "Did you even notice me?" Shikamaru rolled his eyes and turned away from him, choosing not to answer.

"He was too busy~" Naruto chuckled swiping forward and snatching the picture out of Shikamaru's hand

"Hay! Give that back!" Shikamaru shouted turning to jerk the picture back from the blonde

"With this~!" Naruto cackled moving out of Shikamaru's reach, "Let's see eh~"

"Naruto," Shikamaru grumbled glaring the blond as he showed Kiba the picture in his hand, both boys stare dumbly at the photo, Naruto's smile falling and his demeanor changing instantly at the familiar face smiling up at him.

"Hay Shikamaru, why do you have Tayuya-nee's photo?" Naruto asked, oddly serious as he raised his calm blue eyes to lock eyes with the young chunin.

"Because Naruto," Shikamaru sighed, stuffing his hands into his pockets and looking away, "_She's_ the mission."

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

**Yamato—Tenzo, Team captain ō**

**Shisui Uchiha—Saru (monkey), Offensive captain**

**Fubuki Haruno—Eagle (Washi), Lead medic and Offensive member**

**Gaku Inuzuka—Wolf (Enrō), Lead tracker and Offensive member**

**Iroha Hyūga—Spider (Jorogumo), tracker and Offensive member**

**Torune Aburame—Black Cat (Kureko, I removed 'o' and 'n' to make it fit), Tracker and Offensive member**

**Inojin Yamanka—Rabbit (Usagi) / Squirrel (Risu), chakra Tracker and medic**

**Shikan Nara—Deer (Kanoko), Offensive member**

**Suzaku Nara—Owl (Rukuō), Medic**

* * *

><p><strong>Thoughts are helpful<strong>

**Opinions are wonderful**

**Helpful criticism****is**** lovely! Just don't cripple me okay?**

**Please no cursing!**

**And don't forget to**** rate and**** review!**

**Page 24**


	59. Chapter 59

**There is a reason**

Chapter 59: Family is more than blood or name

Koomahana

**Yamato—Tenzo, Team ****commander**

**Shisui Uchiha—Saru (monkey), Offensive captain**

**Fubuki Haruno—Eagle (Washi), Lead medic and Offensive member**

**Gaku Inuzuka—Wolf (Enrō), Lead tracker and Offensive member**

**Iroha Hyūga—Spider (Jorogumo), tracker and Offensive member**

**Torune Aburame—Black Cat (Kureko, I removed 'o' and 'n' to make it fit), Tracker and Offensive member**

**Inojin Yamanka—Rabbit (Usagi) / Squirrel (Risu), chakra Tracker and medic**

**Shikan Nara—Deer (Kanoko), Offensive member**

**Suzaku Nara—Owl (Rukuō), Medic**

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine; you want the real stuff get off this site**

_Thoughts_

_Paragraphs are memories_

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Sakura panted as she ran through the streets of her village, from her aching legs to her dumbing head, her entire body was burning as if it were on fire. She had ran from the hospital the second she got the chance, returning home would pacify her doctors and Tsunade, if the blonde decided to visit her house to find Sakura. All she had to do was make it back home before anyone noticed she was gone from the hospital, a certain blond was making that task particularly difficult.

"Sakura!" Said blonde shouted, voice full of annoyance, "Get back to the hospital!"

"Leave me alone!" Sakura screamed back, adding chakra to her legs to out run the blonde

"You can't ditch me!" Ino screamed back, her own chakra flaring as she charged after Sakura with a glare. Sakura growled and kept running, going so far as to jump onto a nearby rooftop and started sprinting towards home. She didn't have time before the hospital raised the alarm—_Scree!_—Sakura groaned at the loud siren echoed through the air, alerting to everyone that a patient was missing and that anyone found in a hospital garb was to be brought back to the hospital imminently.

_Just great,_ Sakura thought, glancing briefly at a group of chunin who looked up at the sound and found her instead

"Stop!" Ino screamed behind her, Sakura snorted and burst forward as fast as she could ignoring the shouting of her friend and the annoyed shouts of the chunin following said blonde.

_Almost there,_ Sakura thought, eyes lighting up as she caught sight of her two-story house, _a little further…_

"SAKURA!" Ino screamed in irritation, blue eyes widening as Sakura jumped and sailed through the air. Not about to be outdone, the furious blonde quickly mimicked her child hood friend, ignoring the frantic stumbling of the two chunin behind her. Both girls froze as their eyes locked with a particularly furious looking pair of blue orbs glaring up at them as they sailed through the air. Sakura and Ino were so distracted that they very nearly missed their landing placements, which was quickly followed by frantic dodging of weapons from a trap one of them set off.

_I'm gonna end up dead before I can reach the boys!_ Sakura thought in distress as she ran across the bright red roof towards her bed room window. She didn't have much time left if she wanted to be of use to Shikamaru's team, she was the only medic of their generation and if they were going after Tayuya, they were going to be in need of a medic.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Saru panted harshly, leaning against the half burnt down building of the Ashland, a nickname his teammates came up with the land covered in the perfect shade of gray. A single glance over at his teammates told him their various states of health, both mental and physical. Kureko was cradling his left, and highly burnt, arm; Wolf was curled up beside his partner trying to sleep and regain some strength; Rabbit and Rukuō were both hovered over Jorogumo, working together to heal the spider masked woman; his teammate Shikan was standing beside Fubuki, both just a few dozen steps away from the cottage, Fubuki was staring up at the gray sky with an unreadable expression and Shikan was watching her back carefully. His commander, Tenzo as he knew him, was leaning against the cottage wall beside him, head bowed. As far as Shisui knew, the man was asleep standing up.

"It was an interesting night," his commander said suddenly, making Saru flinch at the sudden voice, "Who knew there'd be a survivor?" Saru looked around the edge of the door frame of the cottage, inside was a heavily bound body, a young woman wrapped from head to toe in thick bandages.

…

"_She'll wake up," Saru replied softly, sounding more like he was trying to convince himself more than his temporary teammate. Suddenly the darkness surrounding them thickened into a soup like mist, blocking their view of the half burnt down cottage. "This is getting worse," Saru mumbled, glancing back at his teammates. He stilled, his sharingan whirling lazily, locked onto the large mound of bodies like locked on missiles—suddenly realization hit him._

"_Look out!" Shisui spun on the ball of his foot, moving hurriedly towards the two medics still huddled against the base of the half formed pile. __I'm not going to make it!__ Rukuō screamed as something from the pile latched onto her shoulder and yanked itself out of the pile of corpses, using her as a launching board to jump closer to the darkness threatening to suffocate their fires._

"_By the power of Ai-sama!" a woman's voice screamed out from the dark blur that burst from the pile of dead bodies, "and the power of the ten guardians of life! Be gone demon!" the light in the girl's hand glowed brightly, revealing her red and white priestess robes, glowing golden eyes glaring furiously at the mass of darkness blocking their view of the half destroyed cottage._

"_**You!**__" the darkness seemed to howl as the light in the woman's hands glowed brightly and attacked the darkness like massive blades. They flinched back from the blinding light, the howling of the darkness and tried to gather together to protect each other just that little bit better. However, the light of that strange woman's technique froze each of them, preventing them moving._

…

"I still haven't decided who saved who," Saru commented softly, "After that blast of light she feinted, leaving the rest of us to pick up where she left off."

"At least we learned that the thing doesn't like light," his captain commented, "it was threw her that we figured this out."

"True," Saru sighed, "but Jorogumo got hurt trying to protect her…"

"But her scream woke Fu-Washi-chan from her trance," His captain counted, quickly covering for his almost mistake. "and it was with her ice style combined with your fire style that really done the trick," Saru glanced up at his captain before he sighed and turned away, choosing instead to stare at his genin teammates, the very same team that pushed him to be as fast as he was today. Without Shikan's shadows or Fubuki's water-ice manipulation ability he never would've learned how to flash step without the hand signs and now he can do so with barely even thinking about it. He still has to make the sign when he brings someone with him, but other than that he could almost do it in his sleep.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"Hurry up and tell us already!" Naruto ordered the second the rest of them had gathered at front of the gates of their village, Naruto hadn't let go of the picture Shikamaru had, "Seriously Shikamaru _explain it_!"

"If you shut up I will," Shikamaru replied, crouching before the four other boys. So far he had been able to gather Neji, Chōji, Kiba and Naruto as teammates for this mission and he still wasn't sure if it could be considered a suicidal mission or not. "Tayuya Haruno, Sakura's older sister, was kidnapped last night by sound shinobi, it's presumed that Kabuto Yakushi was amongst the team that took her but that's not confirmed, just a possibility."

Naruto gritted his teeth and clenched his hands, the photo crinkling in his grasp, "I understand, what else?"

"Our mission is a find and rescue mission," Shikamaru continued, eyes locked pointedly on the blonde, "We're to find Tayuya Haruno and bring her back to the village, so she can finish healing."

"Whoa wait up, you mean she's still wounded?" Kiba asked with wide eyes, "Who would kidnap a wounded girl?"

"A smart team," Neji answered trying to remain calm with the information given to him. "Think about it. If you want to take someone away from a highly guarded location you want to make sure they can't create too much of a fuss, the weaker the target the easier the mission."

"Great, just great" Kiba groaned, "so not only do we have to track her but we have to be careful when we take her or risk leaving a trail behind for them to follow."

"You don't have to worry about anything like that," Shikamaru said, catching his new teammate's attentions quickly, "Tayuya is just in a fragile state and she's not physically wounded or anything."

"So her chakra network is damaged and she's trying to recover?" Neji asked with a frown, knowing that damage to the chakra network was a serious wound and not easily recoverable

"Something like that," Shikamaru agreed, "You guys re—"

"Wait!" the four boys turned at the shout, watching Sakura and Ino hurry towards them, both dressed in similar out fits as their chunin exam ones. "Please wait a moment Shika—"

"No," Shikamaru said instantly, staring up at Sakura from where he crouched in front of his team

"Wha-but you don't—"

"I can't let you come Sakura," Shikamaru cut Sakura off again as he rose to his feet, eyes still locked on the pinket. "It's been six months since the attach on the village and a week since you woke up from your last mission, you shouldn't even have left the hospital."

"I'm just fine," Sakura snapped in irritation, "If anyone knows Tayuya's style it's me, if she's being controlled I'm the only one who can counter her attaches without much of a problem—"

"You shouldn't even be out of the hospital," Shikamaru repeated, looking irritated at the girl, "No matter what you say I can't—"

"You'll end up needing a medic," Sakura cut him off, "I know the basics I can tend to your wounds while we—"

"There is no 'we' Sakura," Shikamaru said, his irritated glare increasing

"I can help!" Sakura insisted

"I can't let you on this mission," Shikamaru hissed, losing patience with her, "You're still woun—"

"I'm all healed!" Sakura snapped out, "I'm just fine for this mission—"

"Fine, prove it," Shikamaru ordered, rubbing at his brow in irritation

"Huh?" every looked at Shikamaru like he was cracked

"Take a deep breath and hold it," Shikamaru instructed, "if you can hold it I'll let you on this mission but if you can't then you return to the hospital." Sakura stiffened and gritted her teeth, glaring at Shikamaru as if he'd just killed her pet dog. She was determined to glare at him until he let her on the mission, however, Shikamaru just didn't give a damn about her glare. "If you can't—" Sakura took a deep breath and instantly started coughing, her hands flew to her mouth as her eyes teared up at the force of her coughing, staggering slightly Ino stepped forward and steadied Sakura before she collapsed.

"You can't come Sakura," Shikamaru sighed, looking like he regretted making Sakura prove her health to him, "you guys ready?" Shikamaru asked looking at the four other boys, who all nodded and took their assigned placements for the mission.

"But she's _my_ _sister_," Sakura sobbed, kneeling on the ground

"...We'll bring her back," Shikamaru said just before the whole team burst forward in a dead sprint, taking to the trees as quickly as possible.

This wasn't a mission they could afford to lose

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"_Ice Style: Crystal chandelier!"_

"_Fire style: Phoenix flame!"_

"_Strangle stitches!"_

…

As they had done as children they had done as adults. When each of them chose to work together they could truly be a force to be reckoned with. Fubuki would make the Ice in the sky, smooth and polished like glass; Shisui would use a fire jutsu that wouldn't harm her ice but create enough light to be manipulated by Fubuki herself; Shikan would then use the shadows in the gaps of the reflected light from ice and fire and attack their enemy while they were blinded by the excessive amount of light. So long as Shisui could keep up the fire, Fubuki could manipulate it by adjusting her ice shards to reflect the light off of each other and sometimes she could reflect it so much that she could blind their enemies—it was all dependent on how she moved the ice.

"You three worked well together," his captain drawled, "I've never seen anyone combine so many chakra natures before… epically like that."

"It was mostly Fubuki-chan's skill," Saru clarified, only to realize his mistake, "oh! Uh, I mean Wa—"

"It's alright I already know who she is," his captain chuckled, _her ice manipulation last night revealed her identity_. "Although… I am curious about how you three came up with that combination attack," He watched as 'Saru' looked up at him, crimson eyes blazing guardedly through the holes of the monkey mask, "Care to tell me about it?"

"…" Saru tilted his head to the side, curly black locks peeking out of his gray wig teasingly

…

"_Are you alright Shisui?" Fubuki asked, panting hard as she tried to lift him from the icy floor. They had been targeted and trapped by the enemy, trying to protect their charge at whatever coast, they had dived into a cave of what they thought to be a mountain and ran for everything they were worth. However, that mountain turned out to be a giant iceberg and they were forced to realize that they had done exactly what their enemies wanted them to do. It was like the snow shinobi had flipped a switch; suddenly their power was nearly twice as what it was outside of the cave. Fubuki had been forced to freeze the young princess to her back as she ran so she could fight without dropping the girl, Shikan himself slipped and fell through a whole, separating from them accidentally._

"_I'm fine," Shisui hissed, trying to ignore the colder than usual sting of Fubuki's healing chakra, she really wasn't that great at it but she was determined to heal him and he wasn't about to stop her. "The princess—?"_

"_She's fine," Fubuki answered swiftly, not letting her teammate finish his sentence, "You're the one who got hurt."_

"_About that," Shisui flinched as Fubuki yanked a chunk of ice out of his arm, "can you tell how bad it is?"_

"_Bad enough that you'll lose that arm," a voice full of mockery chimed at them. Fubuki and Shisui stiffened, turning to look down the icy hall, watching the white washed darkness as someone dressed in gray and white approached. "It's what you deserve after all, for everything you've taken from us."_

"_We didn't take anything from you," Fubuki growled, spinning on her feet and slamming her palms against the slick surface of the icy-floor, "Ice style: shatter clatter!" their enemy gasped and jumped away as the top of the cave started to crumble, sending large shards of ice plummet through the hall floor. "Come on!" Fubuki snapped, tugging Shisui's arm over her shoulder as she started running, ignoring the frightened whimper and tightening of tiny legs around her waist from her young charge._

"_It'll be okay princess," Shisui tried to smile at the young girl as they ran through the hall, trying to ignore the furious shout of their enemy as he charged through the blocked off hall and started chasing them. "We'll take you to Konoha were you'll be safe, from there we'll find a relative to take care of you."_

"_I'd worry less of about me and more about you if I were you!" The little girl whimpered, looking over her own shoulder into the distant darkness as the sound of running caught up with them, "He really means business!"_

"_So do we little one," Fubuki panted, "So do we!"_

"_Whoa Fubuki!" Shisui gasped, raising one hand to protect his eyes from the sudden brightness up ahead, "What's that up ahead?!"_

"_How should I know?" Fubuki asked back, slamming on the breaks, going so far as to lean back as her feet went forward, "We can't stop!" Shisui did some cursing and Fubuki couldn't scold him about doing it in front of a child because she was doing the same thing in her own mind._

"_Wings would be great right about now!" Shisui snapped as the light revealed an end to their hall—an end as in a cliff drop_

"_I can't do that with her on my back!" Fubuki snapped, her ice around the girl already melting_

"_So move her!"_

"_I am!" Fubuki gasped as she lost balance and sent the both of them skidding across what little was left of the hall floor, when they landed their charge was flipped off her back and into her lap. Thinking quickly, Fubuki grabbed hold of the young girl and her teammate and pulled them both close, hoping that with the princess between them they could cushion the girl's fall and save her life._

"_Fubuki!" Shisui snapped just as they launched out of the ice tunnel, "Your wings!" Fubuki blinked as they started to fall, with a gasp she summoned the water and air that surrounded her and forced it to do her bidding. With a loud shout from Shisui and a terrified scream from the princess, Fubuki let go of her teammates and took flight to a new level. Shisui wrapped his arms around the princess tightly, teeth grinding together as tears pricked his eyes, only to gasp as he landed on something hard and cold. It took him several more seconds then it should've for him to realize that he was still in the air but not falling. Coughing because of the pain in his back, Shisui rolled over carefully, crimson eyes widening as he watched Fubuki steady her flight path carefully._

"_Wha…what is this?" the princess asked softly, clinging a little closer to Shisui for safety_

"_This… This is Fubuki's power," Shisui smiled, sitting back and pulling the girl into his lap. Suddenly a chuckle escaped him and he couldn't help laughing just a little bit louder than usual, "the power of imagination is truly endless!" Fubuki smirked from her placement, it had taken a lot of effort for her to bring her imagination into life, using the air to over freeze the water that dragged her clothes down with too much weight. In the end, she had been able to create a bird big enough to catch Shisui and the princess, though she was stuck in the center of the bird, being its heart and all._

"_Hold on tight!" Fubuki ordered, observing the canyon they ended up in, "I think we've got company!"_

"_You don't say?" Shisui asked as he looked up at the high canyon walls that surrounded them, "I never would've guessed!"_

"_Don't be smart!" Fubuki snapped, "If one manages to get on me, I'll be forced to let you take care of it! I'm having enough trouble trying to keep this thing up!"_

_Yeah, because people are that stu—__"huh?" Shisui blinked as several snow shinobi jumped from above, with only two who managed to land on the ice and water bird Fubuki created. "Oh… so people are that dumb after all" he heard a groan from Fubuki and a growl from the two teens just behind him, the three other snow shinobi who missed had used wires and kunai knifes to latch onto the bird and swing for its underbelly—where Fubuki currently glared back at them._

"_Return what you've taken, leaf scum!" the purple haired teen snapped, "How dare you steel her from us!"_

"_Uh~, you do remember that your mission is to kill the girl right?" Shisui asked, glancing down at the little black haired girl in his lap, "I can't allow that, sorry dude, not going to happen."_

"_I'm not talking about pipsqueak!" the boy snapped, "I'm talking about Kakuyoko-sama!" he pointed below the surface of the ice-water bird at Fubuki, who was beginning to wonder why she felt like everyone was staring at her. "You stole her from us six years ago! You even went so far as to murder her parents and little brother!"_

_Fubuki's concentration snapped at the mention of her once family_

_Her ice bird shattered into ice dust and blobs of water_

…

"…I'd rather not think about it," Shisui whispered softly, watching how Fubuki and Shikan slowly turned and started to walk towards them.

"Bad memory?" his captain asked, not expecting an answer

"Something like that," Shisui answered anyways, his mind taking him back to that day so long ago

…

_Shisui cursed, quickly twisting to wrap his arms around the princess even as Fubuki twisted in the air and wrapped them both up in an icy shield, the left over ice and water surrounded her and forming her famed butterfly wings. Shisui watched as Fubuki glared furiously at the falling Snow shinobi and yanked her teammate and charge away from them, pulling all three of them to the closest wall. Fubuki hissed when she landed, her left ankle stinging like needles and flames; ignoring the pain as best a she could, Fubuki forced half of the ice shield to melt into the wall, creating a small landing for Shisui and the girl. She snapped around and glared at the shinobi who found their own ways of reaching the sheer ice wall. Well at least, she would've glared at them if it weren't for the sun streaming in through above, trying in vain to blind her._

"_Oh," Fubuki breathed softly, her green eyes widening slightly_

"_Fubuki-chan, you okay?" Shisui asked placing a hand on her arm, "You're going to slip if you're not careful…"_

"_I'll be fine," Fubuki smirked, looking around the cavern carefully, "I've got a plan"_

"_Do I want to know?" Shisui asked, seeing the familiar look of mischief and trouble, a look he saw more than once on little Naruto's face and knew well to avoid said blonde after seeing it._

"_You remember in the academy about bouncing light?" Fubuki asked, stationing herself closer to him so that her feet were on a stable ground and she wouldn't have to worry about falling to her death. "Ice is a pretty good reflector…"_

"…_We're going to die aren't we?"_

"_Don't you trust me?"_

"_Not with that smirk I don't"_

_Fubuki snickered and raised her hands into the air, Shisui watched her with his sharingan for a moment, wondering what she could be doing. Sadly he didn't quite understand until he realized that Fubuki was moving the ice around them to manipulate the flow and strength of the sunlight overhead. His eyes winded in realization as slowly the strength of the sunlight built and build until the walls nearly glowed white with the reflected light. He watched their enemies carefully; they seemed unhindered by the growing heat and even less hindered by the wetter ice surrounding them._

"_It's not enough," Shisui whispered, gritting his teeth_

"_I noticed," Fubuki panted, gasping slightly as she tried to focus the light even further, "I need… more light…" Shisui watched as their enemies slowly gathered closer and closer, their focus and determination unnerving as they approached._

"_Would fire help?" Shisui asked softly, not really seeking an answer from his distracted teammate, already taking in consideration of every icicle, wall, and curve of their canyon like Ice burg. "Focus Fubuki I have an idea!"_

"_Don't kill us!" Fubuki snapped, looking paler than usual in white light of the hidden sun_

"_Fire style: phoenix flower!"_

_The temperature sky rocketed_

_The light became blinding_

_The snow shinobi retreated… right into lethal spikes of ice and shadow_

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"They're coming," She whispered, "They're coming..." they each paused on a tree, turning to stare iratedly at the red head clutching to the back of their multi-armed teammate. Carefully they each made their way to the ground and hovered around the young girl, listening closely to what she had to say.

"Can we beat them?" the one holding her asked, trying to ignore the burning in his arm

"...surprises, surprises," she whispered back, a dreamy smile pulling at her lips, "No one knows the future..."

"Ch," sharing a look they each burst off the ground and sped as fast as they could through the high thick branches of the forest. Each of them was hoping that if they were fast enough, they would be able to lose the team tracking them. If only their target didn't fight back, they would be further away by now but as it was, they would have to wait for nightfall to have any kind of hope of escaping.

Their new East gatekeeper had better be worth all the trouble they were going through for her

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"Shi—Saru-san," He perked at the sound of his name (both of them), "We should send a message home." He stared at the suddenly cold blue of his teammate's mask, red eyes taking in the strange appearance for his teammate with careful measures and curious blinking.

"I suppose that'll be to reinforce our power here…" Shisui thought aloud, "Do we really want to risk more lives with this Cretan?"

"Lady Hokage needs to know what we're going up against," Washi replied as calm as any senior Anbu captain. He hummed thoughtfully, leaning back against the wall of the half standing cottage before looking up at his captain. The tall brunet nodded solemnly, as if someone had asked him to berry his dead dog before it stank up the joint.

"Might as well," Shisui agreed, "leave nothing out."

"Including your snoring habits?" amusement laced Washi's voice and Shisui was tempted to throw something at the 'blonde' woman for the comment.

"Leave nothing out _pertaining_ to the mission _at hand,_" Shisui ordered, a hard glare and a stern voice solidifying his order to his sometimes mischievous teammate.

"Yes ca~ptai~n"

Why did he get a bad feeling when she said that?

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

He cursed as he saw the sun begin to lower even further in the sky, they've been chasing the team since noon and still they haven't caught up to them. The only thing they had to reassure them that they hadn't killed Tayuya yet was their campgrounds, three miles behind them. Kiba had said that Kabuto's scent had been there, along with two others who were familiar but he didn't quite know why; Kabuto had darted off in another direction with one of the others while the four others, including one of the familiar scents, darted off in another. The four others had Tayuya with them so Shikamaru had decided to have Kiba follow Tayuya's scent, he didn't question how the boy knew her scent he just followed him, knowing better than to question the Inuzuka in his tracking skills.

_Her smile was sweet and innocent, it wasn't even directed at him but it still caught his attention_

He gritted his teeth at the memory, now was not the time to get distracted! He had to focus or else his team might—_bomb!_

"Stop!" Shikamaru ordered loudly, nearly falling out of the tree he landed on in his hast to follow his own advice

"What is it?" Naruto asked, "We need to catch up to Tayuya-nee!"

"Not at the risk of blowing up half the damn forest," Shikamaru replied, hurrying over to the explosive tag, "Figures they'd set up a trap..."

"What kind of trap is one paper bomb?" Naruto asked

"It's not one bomb," Neji sighed, ignoring his surprise that the blond was the same blond who beat him over a month ago. "They set up an area bomb, in other words they put several bombs in different places but are lined up; when you hit the center the bombs go off and you end up dead."

"Oh" Naruto watched as Shikamaru carefully removed the explosive with a kunai knife

"Great," Shikamaru smirked as he held up the tag, "I can save this for later."

"Please tell me you aren't taking after Sakura-chan," Naruto frowned at Shikamaru

"You only have to worry about that if find the other three," Shikamaru replied, rolling his eyes, "Let's go we're burning daylight."

_She laughed as she walked, not even seeing him as she passed. He watched her leave, surprised by her laughter and blinding smile. How lucky his cousin was to spend so much time with that girl who never even looked at him. True to her word she never crossed paths with him again, at least not when she saw him first. The monthly clan celebrations wore the one exception; it was hard not to run into anyone during that thing._

He said they'd bring her home; he won't go back on his word

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

She smiled behind her mask, her eyes softening as the skin beneath her palms knitted together into smooth flawless caramel. It would take a few more days, possibly weeks, before the young woman could properly use her limbs again, until then she'd be covered in bandages from head to toe. Her stunt with burning off her hair from a few days ago and then burying herself in the mound of corpses to survive the attack from the 'shadows' had created an infection in her burns.

Defiantly not her smartest moment

"Washi… How's she doing?" she pulled away from the young woman and looked up into the curiously tilted mask of her team commander.

"She'll live," Washi answered simply, "We should move out before night fall, it's not safe at night."

"I don't suppose you can create something that'll transport all of us back to Konoha at the same time?" She stared dully up at her commander as if he had two heads

"Do you want me to die?" Washi asked back, voice bland and dull, "Because I can do that if you're desperate enough for that kind of stupidity."

"Lady Hokage would be highly disappointed with me," her commander replied calmly, as if she didn't just answer him sarcastically. "Well, what about the girl? Can you take her to Konoha?"

"What part of Suicidal stupidity did you not understand?" Washi asked, "Yes I can fly, yes I can take others with me—No I can't travel large distances with a passenger. Yes going from here to Konoha counts as large distances considering it took us a week to get here and it'll take three hours to get there by flight."

"So no," Her commander seemed to smirk at her, her eyes narrowed at the crimson painted mask of what she guessed to be a very ugly owl. "So, can you take her or all of us to the nearest village?"

"…I can take three others with me to the nearest village," Washi agreed slowly, "She is one. Pick the other two to accompany me. I suggest leaving those with Fire jutsu here, you'll need them more."

"You should take the wounded first then," her captain said, turning to observing the few members within sight of the half destroyed cottage. "The girl, Jorogumo and… can you work with Kureko?"

"All he has to do is hold onto the girls for me," Washi replied, "although… I'm not sure how well he'll do with the height we'll need to be at… Kureko is an Aburame right? Height isn't his thing"

"It's either Kureko or Risu,"

"I'll go with Kureko," Washi sighed rising to her feet, "Nothing against Risu but… Yamanaka's bring bad luck to us Haruno's."

"How much time do you need to build your wings?" Washi snorted and walked out the door, she could feel everyone's eyes lock on her as she walked out into the center of the village, the once corpses were buried by her commander.

"My wings?" Washi asked, raising her hand and glancing back at her commander, "What a silly question." Everyone stilled as the wind swirled around Washi; soon it was joined by large whips of water, mostly gray-blue in color. "Why have wings," Fubuki turned slightly, green eyes glowing brightly in her blue ice shaped like a large elegant heroin. "When you can have a bird?" The beautiful and mystical icy bird twisted its head and lowered it to the doorway to the half destroyed building, as if it wanted to look inside.

"Alright pile them up," Fubuki ordered with a smirk on her face, even though it was hidden by her mask, "Don't stare at me like that, get the girls up here!"

"I got Jorogumo!" Saru said, his voice sounding more like a song then an observation, "Rukuō-chan! Get the burnt girl up here!"

"You want me to climb that _thing_?!" the Jonin asked shrewdly, obviously scared out of her mind of the giant ice-bird

"You can climb up by its head," Fubuki sighed, as if disappointed, "Don't worry it won't bite, step up onto its head and you'll be able to use the spikes to continue climbing up to the back. From there, Kureko will take over of holding onto the girls while I fly to the nearest village. You, Rukuō-chan, need to remain here and be their medic, with me taking care of the girls and with Risu's—"

"I'm a rabbit!"

"—limited healing knowledge, you'll be needed more here, understand?"

"Yes ma'am," Rukuō sounded staring at the bird's head like it was a rabid dog snarling at her, the bandaged woman was laying against her back, arms dangling over her shoulders.

"Oh for heaven's sakes!" Fubuki huffed, with barely a twitch of her finger; the bird pushed itself between Rukuō's legs and raised its head, forcing the Jonin to grab hold of her bandaged charge tightly. Fubuki sighed heavily as Rukuō screamed shrilly while she slid down the back of the neck of her icy bird, sliding into a stop just inches away from Shisui's feet.

"…you done?" Shisui asked with a raised eyebrow, staring amusedly at the panting figure of the owl masked woman, her hood sliding down to reveal that her mask was more like a giant bird head then just a mask. Her mask's eye wholes were large and colored similarly to that of a pale barn owl, her elegant pale brown feathers were crowned with darker ones and her large round eyes were dusted with a soft but darker shade of brown. The peak of her mask was barely a few inches long, dusting just the very edge of where her chin should be.

Rukuō made a few incoherent sounds before making a shaky nod of her completely hidden head

"Alright give her to me," Shisui/Saru ordered, carefully lifting the bandaged woman from Rukuō's back

"You're staying Saru," Fubuki ordered sharply, "you're fire is needed here, send up Kureko."

"You serious Washi-chan?" Saru asked, blinking down at her in amusement, "Aburame's don't do well with height."

"Sorry, what was that?" Saru turned very slowly to look over his shoulder at the masked face of said teammate, "I don't think I heard you captain, could you repeat yourself?"

_I forgot some Aburame's get prideful,_ Shisui thought with a sweat drop, "Why I only said that it would be difficult holding onto two very wounded women and that you might not be able to do so alone."

"I can complete this task," Kureko drawled, reminding Shisui of a time when Itachi tried to go into Anbu even though he was a chunin, the way he saw everything as a challenge and a way to prove he was good enough—right on up to Fubuki and Tayuya tag-teamed him into submission.

"Alright," Saru relinquished the limp body of the young girl they found to the strange Aburame, "Don't let go of them"

Kureko snorted dismissively

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Shizune stretched as she and her team rested for a moment; she was glad they were able to take a rest, her toes were starting to feel numb. Genma and Raido perked as they heard something in the distance, Shizune sighed heavily and gave her silent permission for them to check it out. After twenty minutes and still no word from her teammates, Shizune and Tatsuki took after their late teammates.

They found the two fighting a group of teenagers

"Gemna!" Shisuzen screamed, watching the senbon chewing male fall to the ground with a bound of earth nearly burying him

"Retreat!" the teen with six arms screamed, throwing something white and sticky into the air before he flew out of sight. His teammates were quick to disappear as well, not willing to deal with more delays.

"No don't!" Shizune screamed before Tatsuki could chase after the group, the young man hesitated and looked at her in surprise, as if he expected her to order him to give chase. "We need to find Raido and retreat to the village," Shizune said as she carefully lifted Genma over her shoulder and stood to her full height.

"But Shizune-san," Tatsuki started, a frown twisting his face

"They might have valuable information," Shizune interrupted, "no matter what, we can't let them die over a minor mistake that could've been avoided."

"yes ma'am" Tatsuki agreed and immanently jumped into the nearest tree, searching for his friend and teammate

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"Washi-san!" Fubuki couldn't hide the amused smirk behind her mask, she couldn't even hide the warm tinging her chakra did in response to her teammate's barely concealed distress—height defiantly wasn't his forte. "Slow down please! We're slipping!"

"You are not," Fubuki drawled, rolling her eyes, "We've barely been in the air for five minutes, calm down."

"Five minutes?! I can't see the ash land anymore!"

"Properly because you're facing the wrong way," Fubuki drawled calmly

"Washi-san!" Kureko snapped, he was no longer amused with her dismissing his concerns like they were nothing; mostly because to her, they were nothing. "I'm asking you politely to slow down!"

"If I do that we'll crash in the forest and there'll be no way for me to search and heal you all without getting lost myself," Fubuki could nearly feel her teammate's disdainful glare lock on her like the furious gaze of the sharingan, too bad she was used to getting glares by famous eye-techniques, making her current teammate's glare ineffective.

"If you won't slow down will you at least lower to a more reasonable height?" Kureko asked; Fubuki imagined what Shino looked like when Kiba did something stupid in front of him, complete with the twitching eyebrow

It was very amusing and she properly shouldn't have snickered at the memory

"Washi-san!" Kureko barked

"I can't lower my altitude without losing time," Fubuki sighed, rolling her eyes again, "the girls can't afford that kind of delay." Fubuki had the feeling that Kureko was either pouting or coming up with a solution that would get her to both lower her current height among the clouds and wouldn't interfere with the girl's need for medical attention.

"…Can't you redesign your bird for more speed and less wind resistance?" Kureko asked, not realizing that he hit a sore topic for the hidden pinket, "I don't understand why this thing has to be so big—huh?" for a moment Kureko swore his world was tilting, blinking he looked to his left curiously and saw that the bird was twisting midair. Fubuki properly shouldn't have felt so much delight when she got the stoic man to scream like a little girl, it took effort to encase him and the girls in ice so they wouldn't fall off.

"Washi-san!" Kureko screamed at her, "Put me on the ground this second!"

Fubuki snorted and let the ice retreat from Kureko's limbs

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

Sakura sighed as she flipped through the family photo album, she knew that she was still wounded from the mission to wave country and that her wounds hadn't exactly healed completely but she also knew she should be out there trying to get her sister back. Sakura sighed as she stared at the two pictures she was proud of the most, the one on the left was of the world's greatest prank and the one on the right was of the family photo just after her graduation. Everyone thought that Sakura believed her sisters were her flesh and blood siblings, however she remembered the day she met them, the day they were brought to Konoha, the day they were adopted and they day they were introduced to the Shinobi Academy. To Sakura, those days were like the photos in the book, the memories forever etched onto the surface of her brain. Sakura turned the page and saw a photo of the first time Tayuya played a decent song on her flute, Fubuki was practicing making snow from water and Sakura was laughing as she danced under her sister's magic. She saw the picture of Tayuya's first concert at the shinobi academy, the image of her graduation quickly followed by her first out of village mission.

_I should be with them,_ Sakura sighed as she closed the photo album, reminiscing wasn't going to bring her big sister back. Sakura looked out the nearest window and stared out at the pre-dawn sky, green eyes lost in memory. Fubuki and Tayuya nearly killed themselves the second she was kidnapped, the experience added Itachi to their family as half-claimed-brother. But it reminded Sakura just how far they would go for her and for her to just sit at home when she knew they would kill themselves to save her, didn't sit well with Sakura. Setting the book aside, Sakura rose to her feet and quietly walked out of the living room and silently climbed the stairs too her room. Once inside, Sakura grabbed a few small trinkets from her work table, and a pair of blue sandals from her closet before she walked back out of her room and straight into Tayuya's. The mint green and glacial blue room seemed like an endless valley with the dozens of small potted plants dotting every available wall and the thick moss green carpet that was thicker than most Kunai knifes and longer than Akamaru's hair, only added to the feel of an endless valley. It was in moments like this, that Sakura understood why her father called Tayuya the forest nymph. She may not be able to heal with chakra but she was a fanatic with herbs and don't even get the magenta haired girl close to any kind of shiny jewelry. She's liable to buy everything within sight just so she can take it apart, experiment with its parts and put it back together. Tayuya may have loved her plants but compared to her obsession with chemicals, it was more like her plants were pets then convenient sources of herbs she kept for Fubuki (who couldn't grow squat). Her big sister likes chemical war far too much to be healthy; every piece of her specially designed jewelry was labeled S-class weapons and banned from any shinobi's usage.

Remembering why she came into the room, Sakura shook her memories from her mind and returned to observing the room. She remembered the night her sister's came back from the prank on Ami and her friends, she remembered because she watched her sister's land on their small landings outside their rooms and quickly duck inside before anyone could catch them. She especially remembered the adorable completely black outfit Tayuya wore for that night, not that Fubuki's outfit wasn't cute too but if Sakura entered Fubuki's room she knew she'd freeze to death before she found what she needed too; and Sakura knew Itachi's room was death trap, if she so much as stepped wrong in that door way she'd end up riddled with senbon faster than she could blink.

_Focus,_ Sakura thought as she examined her sister's room closely, she needed to find that outfit and gear or else she wouldn't be able to sneak out. _Not the closet, too predictable,_ Sakura thought as she imminently dismissed it and let her eyes fall onto the bed. _That's out of the question,_ Sakura thought starring at the abused bed and the ridiculous amount of blankets looking like some kind of wild Bee's nest sitting on top of Tayuya's bed. Sakura was sure if she so much s stepped towards that monstrosity it would start growling at her and reveal large sharp teeth. Out of everything in the room, Tayuya spent the most time caring for her plants and experimenting at her little table in the center of the room. However she wouldn't leave anything out in the open, even under a genjutsu, she would need her precious objects to be within reach and have easy access. If she was going to hide something it would be at her desk…

_Or not,_ Sakura thought as her eyes landed on the strange indent in the fluffy carpet of her sister's room

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

The village buzzed as they watched the great white bird move ever closer—only to panic when they realized that it was about to land in their village. The leader of the caravan stood near the center of the village unafraid, his brown eyes calm and welcoming as the great bird landed with large talons before him. He raised his arms up to protect himself as the bird fluttered its wings, kicking up wind and dust alike, only to lower them as the bird burst into water, nearly flooding the entire village. He blinked a few more times before he dared to walk forward in the ankle high puddle of water, watching curiously as a blond woman with a bird mask slowly lifted herself out of the puddle coughing and hacking recklessly.

"Are you alright?" he asked, blinking slowly at the woman as she panted harshly, he didn't get an answer as the woman jumped to her feet and turned away from him, marching towards another dark pile of something that he hadn't noticed right away. He followed the clearly enraged woman towards the pile of what he quickly recognized as bodies, he was just about to say something when the woman reacted first.

"You over dramatic a&% whole!" the woman screamed, throwing several kunai at the center of the pile, the center body quickly avoided the weapons with practiced ease. "How dare you sap out my chakra like that! You had no need to latch your damn bugs on to me! You could've killed us all!"

"You're the one who let go of _me_," the black cat masked man drawled calmly, "What was I supposed to do? Let myself fall to death?"

"You should have more faith in your teammates!" the woman screamed at him, pale slim fingers pointing at him as she marched forward looking like she might throw something else at him. "I didn't let go of you! I never would have!"

"The ice retracted from my waist," the man stepped back, regarding the woman as if she were some sort of unknown threat

"But not from your legs marron!" she snapped back, "and if you bothered to pay closer attention you would've realized that the ice only retracted from your middle not your waist! And even that wasn't by much! Just a few inches!"

"As the currier, you shouldn't have let go of me to begin with," the man calmly replied

"Currier?!" the woman screeched in pure fury

"You carried us here to this village," the man replied, stepping back as if readying himself to block thrown projectiles, "that makes you a _currier_."

_This man is an idiot_, he thought, sighing heavily as the woman launched herself at her teammate.

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

"You both sure about this?" Tsunade asked, staring out the hospital window, both wounded Jonin sat up right in their beds just behind her

"We're sure Hokage-sama," Genma coughed, rubbing at his sore chest, "I doubt Karin-san is a double agent, she looked pretty out of it. She didn't even flinch when we called out to her, no sign of recognition what so ever."

"You think she was brain washed?" Tsunade asked with a frown

"It's possible," Raido said thoughtfully, "it didn't look like the person who did it, did it right"

"Why do you say that?"

"Because she couldn't stand," Genma answered, "When six arms let go of her she kind of slumped to the ground like jelly, like her legs didn't have bones in them."

"So there are three men at least Jonin level with one of our own Jonin wrapped up in a coffin and one of our Genin apparently brainwashed," Tsunade sighed. "That team is out of their league..." Tsunade turned on her heal and started to leave the hospital room, "I better send some back up to them..."

…

* * *

><p>…<p>

**Merry Christmas! ^.^**

**I was informed about the spelling mistake for 'currier', I didn't fix it in time and by the time I finished this chapter I was too tiered to do anything about it. That took way to long, I'm sorry for the delay, I feel like dyeing now, my head hurts. And here I thought I'd end up apologizing for making the chapter so short… oh wait, the thing in the beginning was half a page… I wanna curl up in a ball and cry myself to sleep for eternity.**

**Please thank 'AnnMss' for this chapter, she's helped out a lot and has kept me going, it's thanks to her that this chapter was even able to hit the normal twenty pages.**

**Oh yeah… it'll properly be awhile before I post the next chapter. I'm literally starting from scratch, I don't even have my old notes…**

**Therefore that I ask you to tell me this:**

**Grammar mistakes**** are helpful**

**Spelling mistakes**** are wondrful**

**Your thoughts on the next chapter**

**Please no cursing**** in your reviews**

**And don't forget to rate and review (1-10)**

**Page 23**


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